Real Estate Investing is for the vast majority of time not classical "investing", it's a business.

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

There is a major franchise that puts these together, writes their own lease (sale-leaseback deal) and surprise - Gives themselves rent holidays in later years in the lease.4) Realize there the return they give you is NOT guaranteed, so better history of the syndicator better the odds you'll get it.5) If you have the money, try to diversify and spread it around by prop type and location (ie make 10 buys of $100K vs. one buy of $1M)6) It's commercial RE - You CANNOT turn around and sell it if you need the money now. 

I personally recommend checking Columbus OH - lots of job growth, population growth, and major companies moving and developing here.

A majority of the sentiment from the listening session on the 18th was in favor of STRs and there were a lot of people who shared personal stories of their rentals or their business which support their life, family, and future retirement of inheritance for their families. 

Is there a difference between being on the Northside vs Southside of some major street?

That’s a major concern.

@Alex TangI just had a major fire in one of my rentals in December.

HUD targets average rents for an area, so just like average school grades, this typically translates to Class C property rents.In our Metro Detroit market, the MAJORITY of the claims about getting higher than market rents can be traced to a Class D Neighborhood/Property. 

Tell him you'll give him a call :) This is one of the reasons why we tell tenants they need to vacate the property for any major repairs.