Tenants who move into SFH generally stay longer and have fewer turns.Multi-family also suffers from common use costs, trash, lighting, security cameras, landscape.To automatically discount SFH as simply a stepping stone is short-sided.  

My rural c class apts suffered with slow and no pays and vacancy.Then the credit crunch. 

My research indicates that it was the class C units that suffered worst in the GFC.

As for your options now while your credit is suffering…private money, hard money, seller finance, prepaid PMI, assumable mortgages and sub to all come to mind.  

If you don't make the payments, your credit, not the buyer's will suffer, yet they still have control of the property.

Former electrical (the best engineers) engineer here.Engineering teaches you to think logically and avoid emotional-based decisions.Most engineers though, are not decision-makers, so they suffer from analysis-paralysis. 

If someone doesn’t want to go to college and they won’t put their heart into it, why should they suffer through it AND put themselves in debt if they’re likely not to even finish?

Note, even if insurance pays for all the damage your property suffers, you still lose.

Class A on the other hand suffered significant rent and occupancy drops5.

- Is your personal/home life suffering due to issues with your rentals or the time you're spending on them?