They will push harder as the rates go up, because they will need more customers.Stock market has been on an emotional roller coaster, but the fundamentals are pretty good.

The answer to this question will be fundamental to your planning as well.All that being said, I want to put in a word of caution.

@Bryan Thomas The fundamentals of REI don't change all that much so you should be OK with the ones you've found. 

But that's highly dependent on your locality and you should consult with an attorney.Regarding how much extra security deposit you can ask for legally, that's definitely a question for your attorney and will probably depend on local laws.The fundamental problem here seems to be the income pool of the market you're in -- if people can't afford the rent, then you're either priced above the market, or you have a market that is very unstable due to the prevailing employment conditions of the people living there.

And, yes, if there are additional referendums in the future then the tax rate can go up again, but that's a fundamental risk of real estate investing in any community.

I'm happy to invest in improvement, but concerned about fundamental issues with the buildings that may be more difficult to address. 

If you figure out finding off-market distressed properties remotely, then the rest is about effective delegation and all of the project management fundamentals (risk, scope, budget, communication, etc).

We look at this metrics (among others) as fundamentals that very much so indicate a healthy market (healthy location) where not only there will be high demand for rental units but renters will actually be able to pay rent and even pay a premium for more modern (or renovated) units, giving us the opportunity to add value to our properties that way.I hope this helps.

A fundamental component of being a successful real estate wholesaler is understanding the laws governing the conduct of real estate agents and the laws that govern your conduct as an unlicensed individual.Do your homework.

The problem appears to be the fundamentals impacting ROI.