I made that mistake a lot in the beginning - yes putting in new cabinets will be great but it won't impact value much in some of the neighborhoods I'm investing in, for example.If you're local to the area, I think this is a great way to start in the REI world!

There doesn't seem to be enough information to support that.If you purchase a property but then spend 4 months rehabbing it before its first occupancy, your depreciation starts from the date it's placed in service (first occupied) not the purchase date.

What I wonder is when you start coming out of the hood and start heading into the nicer areas, there has to be that area in between that you could find some C and B neighborhoods.

(About 8%)I’ve probably started 3-4 evictions,every tenant moved out before we got to court. 

I use AirDNA as a starting point then check that number against what units are doing on the booking sites (Airbnb/VRBO). 

I am based in NJ but I feel nothing will cash flow or be too sustainable unless I put in a higher downpayment.I am looking to do only long term rentals and keep it with Multi-family units in the beginning and then advance to appreciation type properties in developing areas.I was thinking if I should save up more money for a larger down payment or possibly look at a different area to invest since I am NJ and the high property taxes make this hard unless more capital is put down.

I’ve learned to start the permitting process early and keep a close eye on inspection timelines to avoid bottlenecks.It can be difficult to find contractors who are not only skilled but also reliable and available when you need them.

Proper due diligence will reduce your risk, but it won’t eliminate it entirely.Personally, I like value-add opportunities because they build in equity from the start.

Get a floor plan drawn out BEFORE you start the work!

An approach you might want to take, is to break down each component of the rehab into its own price per sqft/linear foot/units for both materials and for labor.for example you might find that flooring costs and average of $3.50/sqft labor to install + $3.00/sqft for materials X square feet = cost to refloor+ always add an extra 10% for unforseensSo you would just need to do this for every part of the rehab based on what needs to be done and what level of finish you are going for.keep in mind that some things are measured by sqft, like floor, and others are measured by linear foot, like trim, and some are measured by total area, like drywall and paint, and yet others are measured per each like tubs and toilets.A good place to start with figuring costs is The Book On Estimating Rehab Costs by J.