He negotiated with the seller to pay him a 3% commission and just told them to inflate the purchase price to pay for it.

Carolina but between inventory running out and inflated prices, the deals there peetered out a couple years ago (and I never found an overly reliable turnkey provider there).- Dallas was a fantastic market about 2 years ago.

If the numbers don't work it maybe an inflated price.

“So far wage growth has been anemic, barely keeping pace with inflation.

I want to find a way to invest that produces positive cash flow and protects against inflation.

Since I have no relationships in the area, I wouldn't want my first venture to needs lots of rehab where I would depend on relationships that I don't have yet That aside, I'm probably looking for the same thing everyone else is: good, predictable occupancy, hedge inflation, and future income potential. 

(Real terms meaning if inflation is 3%, the property goes up 1%, meaning it loses value against something going up to match inflation)....however that is not always the case.

Because the housing market in my area is super inflated, I've shifted my focus more toward out of state MFH and MHPs.

@Roland ThomasI review returns from a banking perspective.First look at the 10 year bond yield. 10yr BondsThen evaluate your local inflation rate.

Unfortunately most of the jobs here suffer from the effects of a sanctuary city that has depressed wages and inflated housing prices in a state that makes it absurdly expensive to build new inventory.