I understand that appreciation certainly helps an individual build equity, but I also am attracted to consistent cash-flow with a steady (albeit possibly slower) appreciation growth. 

membership is something like APPL which is just non regulated group of private investors working on best practices but there is no authority behind them like  state license or NMLS registration has ..

Starting with three T-12s from properties of a similar size and market is a fantastic strategy, and I’ll definitely take your suggestion of setting aside time to really dig into the details.Thank you for the encouragement and practical tips—it’s advice I’ll take to heart as I move forward.

A friend of mine had a client who successfully partnered with a regional claims adjuster, and it brought consistent bookings for months.2.

Ideally you'd be there too (or a manager if you had one) as that is best practice in my opinion, but being remote you just have to outsource everything to people you trust. 

I don't number my properties (I don't own anything anymore I don't want to keep) but I do keep tabs on my net profit independent of income taxes on each unit because if a unit starts to slip I need to know if it can be salvaged (have I been consistent with rent increases?

You make it so easy, you're so obvious, one need not travel further than the second sentence on your web page to find the first lie -- you may find yourself being accountable over silly practices and small dollars.

To streamline design choices, create a design guide or "mood board" beforehand to stay consistent with finishes that match the neighborhood's expectations.For monitoring progress, a property manager can sometimes oversee construction, but it’s typically better to rely on the GC for updates.

Quote from @Virginia VanOeveren: To start as a private money lender, educate yourself on real estate investing and lending practices, define clear loan criteria, and conduct thorough due diligence on borrowers and properties.

It seems unlikely that he is avoiding you since he has been so consistent.