People make area's safer. 

It's my bet that the neighborhood I carefully selected will appreciate a little faster than that.  

I will definitely be focusing on suburbs first, they're definitely "safer".  

I would not bet on appreciation, especially if it is in a rougher area.

I'll bet money on there being heirs that can't/won't be dealt with.

If you properly figure out cap ex, as in his simple demonstration (which im betting most of us havent done), even if you lower it down, cap ex is still $150/month on top of everything else on an SFR.

You bet.

Full disclosure I was a mortgage broker 7 years ago.Unless you have a close personal relationship with a local bank and have most/all of your assets deposited there then a mortgage broker is your best bet.

The tenants have had that moved out moved out due to a car accident (going on disability),  moving to a larger house with girlfriend, moving to a safer area where the house won't get broken into, and losing their job and not being able to afford the house.

I bet filling with dirt would be a lot cheaper and just as effective.