It's kind of customer service intensive with a lot of hand holding.

The late fall/early winter of 2008 were some intense times for those of us in our mid+ 40's.

If your goal is to move from management-intensive real estate to laissez-faire real estate, there are plenty of ways to invest in real estate passively and avoid the large capital gains.Your CPA should also have reminded you that if you die owning real estate, your heirs inherit the property at a stepped-up basis.

As a hard money lender who works with many investors in the Portland area, I can share some insights on maintenance costs for multifamily properties in this market, though individual experiences may vary:Lots of investors report a slight decrease in maintenance costs during winter months, bc of:- Fewer landscaping needs - Less wear and tear on HVAC systems (as heating is generally less intensive than summer cooling)- Reduced tenant turnover in winterWinter-specific issues can arise:- Potential roof repairs due to heavy rain or occasional snow- Gutter cleaning and maintenance to prevent water damage- Heating system repairs or maintenancePortland-specific factors:- The mild climate helps reduce extreme weather-related maintenance issues. - Older housing stock in some areas may require more upkeep. - Strict local regulations can also sometimes increase compliance-related maintenance costsCost-saving strategies I've seen help:- Preventative maintenance programs can help reduce overall costs obviously - Some investors report success with in-house maintenance teams for larger portfolios- Energy-efficient upgrades can help reduce utility costs in the long runYour specific costs will depend on factors like the age and condition of your properties, your management style, and the specific neighborhoods you're invested in, but hope this helps!

You'll wind up paying for an appraisal, maybe 600 - 750, and then when it comes back the lender will tell you there's no deal, the ARV is too low or you paid 100k for it but the as-is came in only at 80k so that's the number they are willing to lend you on, in other words this deal just got 20K more capital intensive for you and maybe priced you out. 

I would suspect the competition is intense..

Be aware you will have higher then normal operating expenses, vacancy rates, and overall it is a very management intensive area to be. 

The problem is we aren’t getting much cash flow from the portfolio for a variety of reasons and our rentals, flips, and short term rentals are time and energy intensive.

If it's just a shot in the dark type question, I'd say the average laundry pulls in more than the average rental at the dollar invested, COC, but it is labor intensive and you earn more than you make, it's a hands on operation unless you have a good maintenance/manager person.

While a hand written addressed letter, I feel would get my attention a bit more.I won't be doing thousands of reachouts initially, just 250 or so per month so while letters would be more time intensive, I am open to it if the response rate is better.