The second strategy is to buy class-A areas with good schools, but they cost around $450k or above, it's definitely out of my planned budget. 

Long term will always be a great strategy! 

I think this is steep given the list of damages so I was wondering what might be the best strategy here or if anyone has any advice?

Cost segregation studies also have multiple benefits including:Accelerated depreciationTax deferralIncreased cash flowRemember, that cost segregation is not a tax benefit to reduce your lifetime tax burden, but instead shifts when you pay those taxes to help implement more efficient investment/portfolio growth strategies.

Andy (LO BALL) Ho was a guy who passed around the office from broker to broker, making dozens of offers on dozens of properties all so low in offering price that they could never be accepted.

I'd be happy to connect sometime and talk about our local market here in Boise and best strategies to help you meet your REI goals. 

STR and MTR are still intensive, but we have a market well suited for this and have identified many investors from the Bay Area using this strategy.

It's hard work and takes knowledge vetting flippers and their contractors, understanding rehab costs and time lines, knowing ARVs, and keeping capital deployed full time from flip to flip (which is necessary or your annual returns decline to levels that could be achieved with a less risky strategy). 

Reverse engineering from your desired income to today's steps, like calculating the number of properties to purchase each year, is a practical strategy.

Hello BP community , I am based in Houston, buy and hold will be my investing strategy.