Their extensive expertise and industry knowledge allow them to navigate the complexities of property management with precision.

To precisely estimate expenses, you want to actually connect with the service providers and ask about their costs.

Regarding some of your statements and comments, are you looking precisely to be a landlord or are just looking to start in real estate investments?

That's why he's only comfortable with a huge cushion for estimate, and this knowledge gap is hurting my ability to close on the deal with confidence and precision w/r/t my COC threshold. i.e.

They had more pointed and precise questions!  

I don't know that I have all the details to say if it's cash flowing as you have it rented right now but assuming someone else is coving the utilities and your taxes and insurance aren't off the charts it looks like you have a decent cushion even considering capex, property management, etc. 

@Joseph Hammel precisely the kind of response I was hoping for.

And of course zip code and neighborhood matter)NCGreensboro-Winston SalemFayettevilleOHAkronCincinnatiColumbusClevelandINIndianapolisFort WayneSCMyrtle BeachWVFLOcala---I looked at landlord vs tenant friendly, property taxes, income taxes, insurance rates, and the Top 100 cash flow chart when choosing these states.

Hi Laura,(This is not Investment Advice--because I do not give investment advice, I am simply answering your question here.)Lets say (just plugging numbers here) for example in Savanna if you own 1 SFH outright and after CAPEX, Repairs, Turns, Insurance, Property Taxes, and etc... you have $500 a month left over as spendable cash--sheltered by depreciation.10 would put $5,000 a month in your purse, which is probably a little more than your take home after the IRS and other deductions bite your paycheck.But you need to also have something to pay your Health Insurance, and depreciation stops after so many years, so you have to figure that in also.You will need to fully understand the expenses side of this business and make an excel financial model (if you want to be precise).Assuming it will take 30 years per property to pay the mortgage off free and clear, and 25% of the price of each in cash to buy and make rent ready each one....that might give you some idea of the time frame.The more money you have to start with the faster it will be.Also, in a situation like this, buying SFH's in the cheapest neighborhoods may result in buying in the most dangerous crime ridden neighborhoods..There are people in here who do just that...but you have to be hard and tough to avoid being taken advantage of...and because workers do not want to go (Fear Going) into these areas the owners typicality self-manage and self repair.Higher priced SFH's will take longer, and duplexes, triplexes and quads (may have) a little lower operating expenses over time--single roof for all, single shell for all, etc...There are other investment types out there, but I think you are asking about Buy and Hold---which is what I described above. 

The tenant didn't actually say only that - when he threw in the 'under duress' crap, that made it a different matter (IMO)  Precisely.