You can find a strong cash flowing property to supplement your income while you build equity.

Our generic drugs are covered, and it is $25 copay for visits.It is an adjustment from corporate plans, where I would go to the doctor for anything.  

Supplement mold remediation by reaching areas that can't be easily treated or paintedThis one looks interesting, but I don't know which models would be sufficient: https://www.google.com/shopping/product/11092354214086219142?

My goal in real estate is to supplement my income and eventually (in about 15 years) replace my day job - I love what I do but I do not want to be hurting like the old-timers I work with now.  

Generic cuts are 15 to 20 bucks.Where my wife gets her haircut styled and everything else is 200!

Just act as if they need to sell their house for whatever reason and offer to buy it in a generic way.  

I have tried to get her into a duplex where she will have rental income to supplement SS but she can't afford a mortgage.

Most importantly, IRR makes certain assumptions about how cash flow is reinvested...there are lots of ways that cash flow can be reinvested, so an MIRR calculation is more appropriate...but without knowing a specific investor's reinvestment plan, even that is useless.How do you plan to address these things in your generic model?

the 1 or 2 % rules are just generic guidelines to do really quick beer math on whether a property will be profitable as a rental.

the important part is knowing your market, having "customers" to move the deal (a buyers list) and other contacts and avenues to move the property through for possible buyers.this will let you determine what your offers will be moreso than some generic formula.