Here's the thing about ALE and similar agencies: they can be a goldmine, but you need to adjust your approach to meet their demand sweet spot.

I remember back when I was ramping up my own rental portfolio in those early-2000s San Diego days, I learned the hard way that ignoring “little” costs..like that termite treatment or the property manager’s onboarding fee..can turn what looked like a sweet deal into something that barely breaks even.Let’s say you pick up a property in one of those under-the-radar neighborhoods in Omaha or maybe on the south side of Chicago..markets I’ve seen a few colleagues dabbling in lately..you’ve got to be ready to get real about the numbers.

To keep it short and sweet, depending on your deal you should have plenty of options. 

I have done small things like switch from glass wine cups to acryliic ones that look like glass and take a damage deposit of $250 that helps mitigate small things breaking that are over $50.

If you do it right, it’s arguably the best market to invest.Purchase: $80k-$130kRent: $1100-$1500 (no rent control in MI)1% rule: .9%-1.4% rule dealsCoc ROI: 5-12%Total ROI: 20-40%Cash flow: $50-$250/door (after all expenses and budgeting for maint, capex, vacancy)Appreciation: 3-10%+ (has been double digit for a decade)Location: C+, B-These numbers are based on the “sweet spot” in Metro Detroit.

Congrats on closing soon and what sounds like a sweet deal.

When you’re done, think about final touches that signal quality: well-placed mudrooms, logical spots for washer/dryer units (maybe near bedrooms for convenience), and closets that don’t feel like afterthoughts.The biggest hurdles I’ve seen often come down to hitting that sweet spot between cost and perceived value.

The minimum hold we tell our clients is 2 years with the sweet spot being 5-7 years depending on the property. 

., whatever) it pops up another offer right on your face (meaning, they keep trying you to whatever cross selling, it is really a simple sales tactic, a psychological trigger to urge you to a decision to buy something). 3) Close the damned pop up, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and check anything on the footer that says "Privacy Notice - Terms of Use - Disclaimer" (It will be active and linked to another page, if it is underscored on hover of your mouse) - I went for the sweet "Terms of Use" - this is either a bought or internet stolen general legal terms twisted a little to fit their business verbiage façade (but you will see many errors of any kind), and here is the thing: legitimate businesses are really verifiable, and provide legitimate links!

If you do it right, it’s arguably the best market to invest.Purchase: $80k-$130kRent: $1100-$1500 (no rent control in MI)1% rule: .9%-1.4% rule dealsCoc ROI: 5-12%Total ROI: 20-40%Cash flow: $50-$250/door (after all expenses and budgeting for maint, capex, vacancy)Appreciation: 3-10%+ (has been double digit for a decade)Location: C+, B-These numbers are based on the “sweet spot” in Metro Detroit.