it's true the SFH or small multifamily rentals barely will pencil anywhere these days for a couple of years now even though it's the best way to really learn RE investing as a beginner. 

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.

Buffalo is predicted to be #1 2025 Small City Housing Market of the year.

Cashflow is not extraordinary because I financed on a 15-year mortgage.

It recently shot up last year.

So, we bought the property 2 years ago, based on the valuation of the property considering income from 6 units.The sale deeds (from 2018- 3 sales) I could get from the City and the property tax statements (2023,2024) show that the property is zoned as 411 (apartments).

@Tony Schmucker Now that you know all of those markets work from a Macro perspective you should look to see where you want to live for 2-3 years and what your and your wife's income will be in those markets.

It's over 130 years old (1888).

Many areas have experienced a moderate slowdown last year, and are temporarily (my opinion) stable, and seem poised to soften from the high prices we have seen in the past couple of years. 

I purchased a 3 family in Newark NJ in March of this year, and am curious about looking into this form of insurance as a way to further protect myself.