Is this the right way to think about it or am I backwards and by lowering points you overall lower the amount you will end up paying for the house.

Most times it doesnt make the most sense, but with a clear picture of the goal, you can work backwards and structure the right financing... 

@Brandon Temples Yes I am an engineer and tend to overthink new things I get into but I typically try to look at the worst case scenario  work backwards.

Originally posted by @Lexi Teifke:@Tessa Malmgren I would start with defining your goals with the money and then working backwards.

Hi Darian,You need to pick a state and city by working backward. 

That dollar amount is based on specific needs/uses for those dollars, at that specific date".You plan should be based on "reverse engineering " from those goals (financial goals), backwards, defining each prerequisite along the way (also financial, but including strategies to be used, etc...), and developing a list of specific needs, which are based on your needs to fulfill each of the prerequisites (mini goals).  

Now work backwards, say you need 5,000 a month to live then at a minimum you would need 50 doors  STRETCH...SHOOT FOR THE MOON...Listen to podcasts, read, read, read and KEEP GRINDING @Rhett DeanExcellent  suggestions and love those goals.

We can't breach the barrier to entry in CA and I'm not sure I'd want to anyway with residential rents being so backwards.

A couple of references to cap rate on this thread sound backwards to me.For example, your question: those who are primarily appreciation driven at what point would they be invested in a low cap rate property with a higher cap rate historically..If I was appreciation driven, I likely would be a market timer (i.e. buying when it's low).

I know, it's a bit backwards, but I've found that the best way to keep from having to shell out big bucks, is to continually shell out small bucks and not let maintenance get deferred.