Looking deceiving simple - NOI / price pad - they are only really useful if comparing apples to apples in the same bushel ... and it helps if the same person is doing the calculations on them all (using the same methodology obviously).Even then it is just a ratio which allows you to quickly compare the cost of the similar cashflows ... it doesn't confirm any of them as a good investment.

Apple, Google, and IMO the often overlooked NVIDIA.

On the other end, I think we have enough for a down payment on something that would produce more regular income such as an apartment building or complex but feel like we might be too green to do that on our first bite at the real estate investing apple.

This will allow apples to apples comparison because everyone is biding on the exact about of piers needed.

I've never had a problem with any of my tenants in my single family condos which are located in Los Angeles, but that is obviously not an apples to apples comparison.

They are like apples and monkeys.

Given that LA is an appreciation market, What are your thoughts on going with an IO loan with up to 10 yrs of IO if I plan on selling in 5-8 y years?

The cost structure really isn’t apples-to-apples with other real estate endeavors.That said, what I have heard with a lot of VR markets is that you get a lot of turnover at the 5-year mark.

To compare apples to apples, each deal should be evaluated independent of potential financing.  

If you wouldn't have your flip contractor work on your home, then your spreadsheet is useless for renovation anyway and you would just be comparing apples to oranges.