total return from an RE investment includes value added, appreciation, tax benefits, equity pay down, and the cash flow. 

It's calculated as the ratio of your total loan amount (loan amount for purchase + loan amount for your rehab) to your total costs (purchase price + rehab budget). 95% is a good target.Avoid application and other upfront/junk fees. 

@Kenneth Jenkins you forgot to mention owners that expect a PMC to use contractors off Craigslist that are unlicensed, NOT insured and rarely have acceptable experience/skill - but, they quote the "best" price.These same owners will sue a PMC if using these types of contractors results in a tenant lawsuit.

But my down payment 3 years ago is only 10% of the total price $42K.

Assuming property taxes + insurance added don't go above $1,100 total, you could maybe make this work. 

The total cost for this monthly for me is $1.00 fee for online payment for Sevier County, TN and the .73 cent stamp for Blount County, TN.

Can we DSCR out of this to get our money back out or will I need to sell it to get our $136k total investment out?

To meet this requirement, you must spend at least 750 hours per year actively participating in real estate activities, such as property management, development, or acquisitions, and these activities must constitute more than half of your total working hours for the year.

I totally get why this might seem like you’re stepping into a deal with no built-in equity.

I assumed a total loan of around $90k with a monthly payment of just under $1,600 using a random SF property in Indy with a similar asking price.