I want to encourage you to start that journey, but not with the pressure to you are putting yourself under to meet unrealistic expectations.

@Brandon Montgomery there is definitely upward pressure on rates, but I would expect some upward pressure on demand as buyers come off the sidelined and purchase over the next few months.

I've heard economists state that that can put upward pressure on the housing market for the next 20-25 years.

Hey y'all, trying to gauge how appraisals are coming in these days, compared to closing prices. 

I like it as a sanity check and an indication of where the property may stand in the market, but I do not see it as a decent gauge of future value or cash flows.

He related that it was when he and his wife earnestly prayed together and turned all the frustration and pressure over to God they were able to find their first house. 

This takes the pressure & legal headaches off of you.

Another issue is water pressure.

What kind of due diligence do you perform on your investors other than getting to know them, understanding their goals, gauging their experience level, risk tolerance, and ask whether they are accredited or not? 

For instance your $10,000 budget per home will be eaten up really quickly when you realize one of them has no water pressure and needs a complete rehab on the supply side of the plumbing.