HOA's tend to raise faster than rents here, creating less cash flow over time, but this model is more about passive equity building.

I find that the larger deals (non institutional) are very sought after by groups, whose business model is heavily dependent on the fees that they generate for themselves:  Acquisition fee, development fee, management feet, percentage of the deal. 

Another model is to invest in real estate syndications.

It is unclear what your precise business model is so my advice would be to ignore any advice you've received thus far.  

Now some of that is the long timers are later in their careers and are more in capital preservation mode. 

The business model is very much like the mafia.

So identifying a potential property for a given strategy will need to be investigated carefully.When moving in the speculation mode, understand what the proceedure is in your area for special use permits and who you may need to obtain permission from or better said, who may object, because there will be objections.Also, changing the use of a property will most likely kill any grandfathered protections from current code compliance, which can be very expensive to comply with in an older building.Next, I'd check the existing utility services.

If our job as a Landlord is desireable, then that translates into doing the best job we can do and it becomes a win-win situation for both the Landlord and the Tenants.Another benefit to this Customer Centric model is that it can possibly reduce Lawsuits.We have had several situations where a tenant had some accidents, although none had resulted in a severe injury.HOWEVER, if the tenants hated us, I can only guess that the would have had "serious" accidents (although they are prefectly fine) of which their "Ambulance Chasing" lawyers would try to find a way to settle in their favor.We have had NO SUCH Lawsuits in 20 years.

Does anyone have a good model?I

One proof-point of the success of this model is that almost all of the Leads within Lifestyles have invested and continue to invest with other Leads in the group.