For the markets I determine are "green light" markets, I will then start a dual parallel-track process of checking investment opportunities to see if the numbers work (generally speaking) and contacting and interviewing property managers to get their take on the market and begin building out a potential team of local "foot soldiers".The mind dump of metrics I came up with for my analysis so far are (in no particular order):Recent Population growth (2010-2013)Median gross monthly rent (2013)Median gross monthly rent 3-year change (2010-2013)Vacancy rate (2013)3-Year change in vacancy rate (through 2013)Rent as % of income (i.e. median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income)3-Year change of rent as % of income% of households that are renters3-Year change in % of households that are rentersMedian price for all SFHs (December 2014)3-Year change in median price for all SFHs (through December 2014)Median price for all 3BR units (December 2014)3-Year change in median price for all 3BR units (through December 2014)Median price for all 2BR units (December 2014)3-Year change in median price for all 2BR units (through December 2014)Median gross annual rent (i.e. monthly gross rent * 12) / Median price for all homes - I know I am kinda mixing apples and oranges here, but it's the closest I can get using available objective dataUnemployment rate3-Year change in unemployment rateGDP growth (time period depends on data available)Job growth (time period depends on data available)Household income growth (time period depends on data available)Proximity to major international airport (i.e. how easy will it be for me to get there?)

If the seller\lender is assisted by an MLO engaged by the lender as a vendor or to assist in the loan in its underwriting, and alone does not seek these limited exemptions from the safe act but instead treats a transaction is a full-blown activity in the lender will either itself or through the brokerage of the MLO generate a loan in full compliance with RESPA, TILA, Cueva, Apple, HUD and jump through all the conventional private money financing and lending hurdles, the long-term amortization above does not apply, and the seller's\lender can provide for terms that are not inside the exemptions, such as balloon payments.Note: if the sellers considered a creditor under TILA because the seller makes two or three high-cost loans under the home ownership and equity protection act (HO EP a), the sellers automatically considered to be a loan originator for purposes of the loan originator qualification requirements and 12 CFR section 1026.36(f) and (g) and any other rules applicable to creditors under TILA.

:-p Ultimately I look at ROI/cash-on-cash returns, but that depends on how the financing is structured, whereas cap rate lets me compare just the factors of the properties themselves.As far as your computation, to compare apples to apples it should be consistent with what other investors standardly do, so needs:8% vacancy loss rate, computed from your gross income6-8% management fee, computed from gross (since like me you self manage, consider this a salary you pay to yourself for your time managing it and separate it from the property #s)Rental license fees (if Wilmington requires this, ours are $50/unit/yr)Trash removal (again if Wilmington charges)Snow removalLandscaping (cutting grass or bushes if you have any)Insurance: Are you really only paying $750?

If it needs to be corrected then you're going to have to pay someone to do it if you don't do it yourself.Now to keep your Contractors bidding apples to apples create that Scope Of Work (SOW).

You are comparing apples and oranges (buying rental personally vs inside of an IRA/401k).

I compared apples to oranges.. came home .. scratch down some numbers on paper to determine a new rent.. when it looked like a number people would accept , welp that was the new magic number.. all the vacancies were replaced with new tenants at the new rate.. work done in the apartments was painting, new carpet, new counters, new kitchen tile floor.. kitchen cabinets stayed the same as I didnt have enough money to replace. but oh what a difference new paint and carpet made.. had my husband rip ot all the old dead overgrown bushes outside ( he has a landscaping company) and I had my company ( my career was i own a housecleaning business) my company came in and scrubbed the apartments before new tenants moved in..

I'm not familiar with your market but if you're putting in free standing claw-foot tubs in mansions then we may be talking apples and oranges.

We tried using cozy.co but it has terrible UI for people using iphone or tablets.

Here's a house hacking candidate currently for sale in my neighborhood: a duplex (2682 square feet, 3/2 and 2/2, with 3 car garage) in the Ortega Park neighborhood of Sunnyvale, in the Cupertino Unified School District, close to 280 and 85, and walking distance to Apple in Cupertino, listed at $1,798,000.

Account Closed It's not totally apples to apples in your example, to buy the preferred stock you need the $150k in cash, the same property in Memphis can be bought for $30k or less.