All other quads in s/d are in some spectrum of disrepair (no HOA).

The 50% rule is valid, and used by experienced investors for deal analysis because it works, and is surprisingly accurate across a wide spectrum of properties: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...It's common for listing agents to paint a rosy picture of a property's performance. 

I don't plan to see until next five years.Please adviseThanks You are right in the middle of the low rates spectrum.

Rentometer is alright if you're looking at the outer ends of the spectrum, but they aren't terribly accurate in judging the median.A solid option is to call up property management companies operating in an area and pick their brains.When we're determining median rent for apartments, we'll often call up similar properties in the surrounding area to schedule tours and determine baseline.If you know somebody with access to Costar, that can be a good source as well.

Know your audience: There is a very wide spectrum of experience on Bigger Pockets - From newbie investors who just signed up today and have never even made an offer on a piece of property, to experienced landlords, property managers, and brokers/agents with decades of experience and thousands of transactions and under their belt. 

I guess it’s a matter of perspective- world wide even those of us at the bottom of the economic spectrum are blessed.

I've helped numerous friends, and friends of friends get 1/1's near the Irvine Spectrum as they all work there, are young & unmarried, and can afford the rents.

On one side of the spectrum, if a house legitimately is in good shape and just needs paint and new carpet the seller is probably going to pay an extra $20/sq ft because they know that's only a $5/sq ft make-ready. 

There are plenty of deals with large Cash on Cash returns in Baltimore, just depends on how far down the A/B/C neighborhood quality spectrum you want to go.

Now that I type it out, option 1 sounds the cleanest with more risk, while option 3 is on the other side of the spectrum, though in that one the builder would have an interest in keeping costs down.