I also see your point about avoiding bargain basement properties, especially insofar as tax shielding is easier with an asset of a reasonable size.Your point about barriers to entry is also interesting, since I suppose those barriers can be geography (natural boundaries of mountains/water), but you're probably referring to that which impedes future construction?

these are construction loans 

Prepare for property management using software, local handyman, and vendors.

Housing has always been super affordable there, and new construction has increased in recent years.

Cost of construction is expensive and about to get worse.

We are looking for low maintenance (so primarily new construction or >2000 and well maintained/rennovated) single family homes.

Does anyone have advice on best software to use if I can't access the MLS yet? 

Does anyone have any tips or software tools to help give estimates on pricing and the potential occupancy of the rental?

The judgments have to be looked up manually, because screening software only looks for unlawful detainers and the Virginia court records don’t feed consistently accurate to the other programs.

Several factors at play: the sales market has been slow so many would-be sellers are converting houses they can’t sell to rentals, lots of new construction units have been completed recently, and in-migration has slowed down a bit.