The great thing about better neighborhoods is the increased chance for cashing out on appreciation but I'm not really a gambling man....In the areas that I buy in, there is slim to no chance that the values will go up.  

I'd really like to do a househack multifamily for our first property but it seems there are slim pickings around here, and many are priced too high to even make it worth my time. 

this is no magic pill!!

The margins are slim and if anything is over what is anticipated you are sunk.If you have 20k plus why not just buy a property cheap and flip it to build capital??

That's what I say at the beginning of every one of my 480+ Podcasts on The Red Pill Investor...

The chances of getting paid are slim and the energy to get it aren't worth it in my opinion.

Sacramento is just too hot and deals are slim. 

So even though it's not a terrible deal necessarily, it's probably a deal I should walk away from because margins are simply too slim and leaves no room for any issues like a new furnace, AC breakdowns etc..   

So while immediate cash flow might be relatively slim, its relatively likely that in the short-medium term you can triple your initial down payment investment once rates begin to drop. 

Losing the cost of a couple bikes or XBox systems is an easier pill to swallow than a house.