that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

Personally If you like your current residence and hope to stay there long term I would forgo major improvements on my primary and use all investment savings to make you more money and cash flow. 

Additional Info —Key Details:Location: Outside Santa Fe, NMProperty Size: 20 acres (valued at $80,000)Project: Two new STR unitsExisting Experience: Family has two fully-occupied LTRs nearby, generating $2,000/monthConstruction Approach: Self-contracted with licensed trades for electrical/plumbingCost Assumption: $80,000 per unit, plus ~20% for inflation (based on 5–8-year-old build costs)Financing: Using land equity as down payment on construction loan (expecting closing costs to be major expense)Request: Looking for feedback, potential pitfalls, and general guidance

Mix of 10 tenants but 2 of them being major franchises with 10+ year (with renewable) leases in place..

., major systems like plumbing/electrical)Full Gut/Studs Down: $85-$120 per sq. ft.Luxury Finishes: $150+ per sq. ft.For ARV (After Repair Value), you’re absolutely right—it’s all about comparable sales ("comps").

Currently, I self manage using software program that centralizes the majority of information and messaging and pushes to all the platforms that we list the properties on. 

Now, I am an economics and finance major (I find it funny saying that since it's been 30 years) but economics are ingrained in me so I am a firm believer in supply and demand economics.  

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

It wasn’t a massive deal—our expected assignment fee was $10,000—but when you’re growing a business, every opportunity matters.Everything seemed to be moving smoothly until the title search revealed a major roadblock: the mortgage discharge couldn’t be cleared because the person who needed to sign off was deceased.

As far as looking out for those deals, I'm fairly young and majority of my sphere do not own homes, or are dealing with a lot of the things you mentioned, but agreed they are all great resources.