My guess solely looking at your numbers is that it's an older/distressed property which means you have to account for more costs in capex. 2nd thought being it's not in the best of neighborhood then you'd have to take into consideration lower quality tenants/ neighbors and maybe increase expected vacancy and late payments.

Fun fact: cash flow is taxable, while equity appreciation is not.

Potentially lower down needed of 15% with better rate and 6% cap in IPC’s

If it is someone you know you can give them a straight return as if its a loan - can provide a lower interest rate to provide upside - it really depends on the lender and what are they concerned with and what is their risk profile. 

The price points do make it hard to cash flow even with the lower interest rate subject tos. 

Some PMC's will charge a lower percentage fee, but will charge it whether tenant paying or not.

And talking with my leasing team, the properties that are moving quicker are on the lower end of the rental range $1450-1600.

., Smyrna, Decatur, Marietta), new construction or turnkey rentals for lower maintenance, or small multifamily properties for stability.

Pros: Lower interest rates, flexible access to funds, and leverage without selling your home.

Generally buying in nicer areas leads to better experiences and confidence in your investing, but lower cash flow when you move out.