I did my usual response asking if they have been to the area before, bringing a dog etc. with no response.

For C/C- neighborhoods you usually need to scale to 10+ doors; it's a numbers game. 

There is plenty in Boston and i usually go to the Worcester meet ups.

This hurt apartment demand as a big attraction to apartments is usually their convenience to the metro and people’s offices.

When it comes to real estate, here's a general list of eligible assets and their depreciable lifespans that you should know: Residential Rental Property = 27.5 yearsThis includes any building or structure where 80% or more of its gross rental income is from residential units.That means:- Apartment buildings- Single-family rental homes- Duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes- Mobile homes (used for residential rental)- Any kind of residential lodging facility where the primary purpose is long-term rentalCommercial Property = 39 yearsThis includes non-residential properties like:-Office buildings-Retail stores and shopping centers-Warehouses-Industrial complexes-Hotels and motels that do not qualify as residential rental propertyLand Improvements = 15 yearsThese include sidewalks, roads, fencing, some landscaping, and parking lots that are separate from the building.Personal Property = 5 or 7 yearsPersonal property used in a rental activity usually has a 5 or 7-year life.This includes most furniture, appliances, carpeting and various machinery.Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) = 15 yearsGenerally, this includes any improvements made to the interior of a non-residential building after the building was placed in service, excluding elevators, enlargements, and the internal structural framework.Computers and Related Peripheral Equipment = 5 yearsVehicles = 5 yearsNote that the land itself is not depreciable.

While I have not done a deal with them, their agreement requires a close timing that simply will not work with conventional lenders (usually 7 days or so).  

I'll usually eat $100 - $200 worth of touch-up cleaning for a long-term tenant.

As usual in most responses in this forum you are getting conflicting information. 

guys...it's unusual to buy an STR here, so usually houses are sold unfurnished.  

Something many new investors don't think about is that property managers usually negotiate volume discounts for some of this stuff.