Also, focus on 2 years of job/income stability.Class D Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, all cashflow with little, maybe even negative, relative rent & value appreciationVacancy Est: 20%+ should be used to cover nonpayment, evictions & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores under 560 (almost 30% probability of default), little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, recent evictions.

It could also help you to decide what type of real estate you would like to focus on - i.e., residential vs. commercial. 

For those that do not feel comfortable enough with excel to build out a tool on your own, I would suggest starting by taking excel courses focused on dynamic real estate modeling.

If I pay it off, I could maximize cash flow earlier, reducing financial stress and allowing me to focus on other ventures or simply enjoy life more.On the other hand, I know some people advocate for keeping cheap debt and using the extra cash to invest elsewhere for potentially higher returns.Why I’m leaning toward paying it off:Security: No debt = peace of mind.Financial freedom earlier: A fully paid-off rental would give me a significant monthly cash flow?

I asked him a lot of questions about the business and as soon as I got home I was doing research and joining RE forums focused on multi family.

Also, focus on 2 years of job/income stability.Class D Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, all cashflow with little, maybe even negative, relative rent & value appreciationVacancy Est: 20%+ should be used to cover nonpayment, evictions & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores under 560 (almost 30% probability of default), little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, recent evictions.

I’d focus on property types that align with my strategy, leveraging financing options that fit my budget.

Quote from @Tiarra Delaney: Quote from @Wale Lawal: @Tiarra DelaneyYou're in a strong position to grow, and focusing on cash flow and equity will guide your decisions.

Focusing on a long term rental for our first property, we are just beginning our search.

I focus solely on Detroit proper because, in my experience, the rent-to-price ratios, opportunities for value-add projects, and overall market potential are much stronger there.That said, Detroit is a nuanced market.