Setting your system up correctly at the beginning allows you to run meaningful reports on your data, which will help with keep/sell/refinance decisions in the future. 

The appreciation and the rent growth rate could be higher or lower each year.If interest rates drop meaningfully, I expect price and rent growth to accelerate.If interest rates increase (as in 2023), based on how our segment performed in 2023, I expect modest to moderate appreciation and rent growth.What About the Interest Rates?

So instead of this approach, simply find your profit and stop there, how you apply the use of your profits is not as meaningful as to what the profit actually is.

Real economic productivity is when a coal miner extracts some coal from the ground.

There is a lot to consider in analyzing a property and cash flow is only one criteria as my initial cash neutral property has had all of my investment money pulled out and significant profit extracted (even with a bad appraisal), has had the rent increase from $2500 to $3135 (both market and rehab increase but one unit is $200 below market so market rent is currently $3335), and, even when ~cash neutral, was increasing my net worth (not counting market appreciation) $400/month via principle paydown.  

If the properties are big enough, sizable equity, meaningful amounts that you would NEVER WANT TO RISK LOSING if co-mingled with another liability, then it's advisable to be separated.Consider, once the assets reach a different size (dollar / liability exposure), separate the liability from others.

You don't make a lot of money, and you can manage to save a little bit each month, but nothing that would make a meaningful down payment.

You cannot march into their homes any more than the bank can march into your mortgaged home either.Rather than get angry take this as a learning opportunity, an "oops" moment, than extracting revenge.If you're into the business of revenge, then there are much better opportunities in land lording than this.

This is generally reserved for national tenants as I want mom and pop to go up every year in case they go out early I have extracted maximum rent.  

I agree that different operators can extract varying levels of value from the same property.