Being able to drive by your properties frequently to see them in person (even if you have a property manager) can provide consistent peace of mind. 

Also navigating town hall, we learned who calls the shots and who just thinks they do.Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

I too am confused by the “It won’t look consistent to the tenant or to the accountant.”

However, make sure to research thoroughly—there are many providers in the market, but not all have the experience or track record you’d want.For consistent cash flow and long-term appreciation, look into areas in the Southeast.

CA is arguably #1 in the USA by a long shot for resource-potential-of-awesomeness.

However again if your bound and determined to buy the physical assset then you need to buy quality not C class.. you will NOT get consistent cash flow like you are thinking your will. you will have tenants stop paying you will then get NO rent for 2 to 6 months as you evict and then spend thousands rehabbing the house they just trashed..

One thing we, as humans, are consistently bad at is predicting the future - especially when it comes to political and economic shifts. 

Be consistent with payments and work with vendors that report to bureaus.Personal Guarantees: Many lenders require a personal guarantee until your business has a solid track record.

•Continue tracking expenses and maintaining organized accounts.4.Grow Deal Flow:•Use a small portion of your credit for marketing campaigns (direct mail, Facebook ads, etc.) to source deals consistently.

As others noted, most municipalities issue future zoning maps which indicate the direction the local planning commission or equivalent wants to take their zoning and if your plans are consistent, that's generally a good indication as well.