You'll get to a point where you can say "no" to prospective owner clients who are not within your "buy box" per-say.There's been a lotttt of money dumped into PM to fundamentally change the experience.

.: Quote from @Albert Hepp: I think the fundamental question buyers, sellers, and agents have to answer, is why do US consumers pay three times as much in commissions (5-6%) as other developed countries(1.5-2%)?

The fundamental thing is also that in Asia and Middle East, the jobs & buying power of people have skyrocketed exponentially in the past 10yrs, much better than western countries today.

Scottsdale has such good fundamentals you want to hold for as long as you can, we have job growth, population growth, investment in infrastructure and low property taxes; these are all the things you want. 

Detroit offers solid cash flow potential, a relatively low barrier to entry, and the market fundamentals are improving with a growing population and significant investments in the city.Since you’re based in upstate NY, Detroit is also a quick and easy flight, making it easier to visit and get a feel for the market if you’re considering out-of-state investing.

If you can learn to understand the fundamentals of a given market you can make informed investment decisions. 

This is a fundamental component of the BRRRR strategy that I have yet to understand.Or, does it not make sense for the friend to invest in this deal if they're primarily looking to flip? 

Diversity is great, but the fundamentals for real property are too strong in my opinion. 

Columbus has some solid fundamentals like job growth, population growth, and entry prices that still make sense compared to rents.

That's a fundamental requirement.