I've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but they do not learn from their mistakes and simply bury their heads in the sand.

Aside from basic maintenance which is simple work, but hard and monotonous work, and keeping the asset positioned to fulfill it's highest and best use, there's nothing you have to do past a certain point to benefit from market appreciation.

Also, there’s much to delve into on of those scenarios, like what type of cashflow or investment do you want, etc. residential, multi-res, small multi-res, commercial, industrial, etc.There seems to be fewer deals around these days and this typically benefits the more experienced and skilled investors but there are always multiple investors that get “tripped-up” in these markets due to them relying on recent “fortunate” market circumstances only to realize the markets cycle and they weren’t prepared or didn’t underwrite properly to account for unforeseen potential.There are more considerations, but this is a start.

Also, I believe the tax benefits are horrible compared to the states, but I'm not too sure.

Ultimately, I do think S8 requires scale and lots of efficiencies but has its benefits. 

Even then, the IRS may scrutinize the transaction if it appears the intent was to immediately convert the property into a personal residence.Additionally, if you eventually sell the property after converting it to a primary residence, you may qualify for partial benefits under the Section 121 exclusion for primary residence gains.

Another benefit of joining such a program is that it is a great place to find a partner if you'll be investing out of state. 

I'm so glad you found the post helpful.To answer your question, yes, certain types of homes and markets definitely tend to benefit more from full-service staging.

I'm trying to give them the benefit of doubt that he just DIDN'T know.

Starting sooner rather than later allows you to benefit from long-term appreciation, build equity, and gain hands-on experience, even with a smaller property.