It is an illusion, it doesn't get you any motivated sellers.

So I don't want to put a false illusion that I just up and started purchasing property in MS and found a bank who was willing to give a guy who lives 1,000 miles away 5% down on properties. 

I believe the partnership between John Siekert and Geddes went bad at some point, and along with it went any illusion of Trada's success.

The illusion could be the real value of an asset relative to its buying power.

UNLESS another agent has called me on the deal first ill use a buyers agent.

This approach will open up the room and create the illusion of more space.

How are you earning the income to purchase thAt ever illusive next property ?

If the high appreciation market appreciates twice as much as high cash flow market, but you can grow the dollar value of your portfolio twice as fast in high cash flow market, then your dollar return attributed to appreciation is the same, but you would end up with higher cash flow in high cash flow market and about equal appreciation dollar, so high appreciation market is an illusion for BRRRR and could be detrimental.

I think those variable expenses are more stressful than the fixed because there's some illusion of control. 

The real cost of long term holding can only be calculated once the property has been sold because the illusion of depreciation making you money is just that, an illusion.