I think that ideally you should buy with cash flow, and then have the appreciation be the icing on the cake.

Then after the purchase if you can add another unit and it makes viable financial sense then thats the icing on the cake. 

Make sure the numbers work before you buy, and don't bank on appreciation (icing on the cake), bank on the cash flow (the cake). 

David, I understand your situation, it depends a lot on the value of these Single Family properties, and also how much you own all together, there are some Private hard money lenders that are funding 30 year term loans but most of them require a minimum of about 150k value each property (try sharestate, ice cap group, accolend etc), if your loan can be 500k all together then try Corevest they are still funding.

The difference between the two are that the special form has coverage for Theft, Water Damage and Weight of Snow Ice and Sleet.

Appreciation is like icing on your cake.

The lake is ice cold in the spring so June to Oct is our time and we are usually full.The biggest negatives are the higher cost of insurance if you cover the beach area and dock.

There are sealers you can purchase that will fill them in to protect from water and ice damage which can make those cracks larger during winter months.

Not bad for a 19 yo ... don't get sucked into the line that its all about cash flow and appreciation is icing on the cake.. appreciation is the cake and the only way you can really make it in RE unless you have the means to buy 50 to 100 rentals in the cash flow markets..

If you hire someone to do your landscape - mowing the lawn, prune trees etc... on a monthly basis, you might want to drop by once every 2-3 months to make sure the lawn maintenance work is satisfactory.I suggest you personally go change the air conditioning filter every 30-45 days.These two combined should give you a good excuse to stop in to inspect your property without them feeling like you are watching them.Add to that the occasional need to go pick up mail (in case not everything is forwarded or changed), as well as actual repair work...you have plenty of opportunity to go inside without any specifically scheduled "inspections".I tell all my tenants up front I will come by every month to change AC filters, bleach the condensate line, throw some ice and lemon peels into the disposer.