Real estate is not the stock market and it's called buy & hold and not buy & sell for a reason.I did sell a few properties about 10 years ago when I learned the hard way that going into cheaper neighborhoods was not the right strategy for me, so that was basically a strategy correction and it was necessary, but also costly both in terms of dollars and time.

Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover tenant nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620 (approaching 22% probability of default), many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years.

Long-term buy-and-hold rentals in stable neighborhoods, prioritizing consistent cash flow and responsible management over rapid appreciation.

@Lindsay Davis"$150,000 can buy you a tenant-ready 3 bed, 2 bath single-family home in a B-grade neighborhood.

On top of that, the rent-to-price ratios in Detroit often outperform other markets, which can mean solid cash flow alongside appreciation potential as the city continues to grow.The key with Detroit is understanding the nuances of the market—it has a large footprint, and neighborhoods can vary drastically, even block by block.

I remember back when I was ramping up my own rental portfolio in those early-2000s San Diego days, I learned the hard way that ignoring “little” costs..like that termite treatment or the property manager’s onboarding fee..can turn what looked like a sweet deal into something that barely breaks even.Let’s say you pick up a property in one of those under-the-radar neighborhoods in Omaha or maybe on the south side of Chicago..markets I’ve seen a few colleagues dabbling in lately..you’ve got to be ready to get real about the numbers.

That number seems high but the neighborhood was “hot” and houses sold really quickly.What I cared about most was completing my second deal to gain experience.

Be firm and follow the law, don't let her fall further behind. 

To answer the first big question in your post — single family vs multi-family — I am firmly in the multi-family camp.

*Opening a family owned, neighborhood supermarket!