@Kodie Altvater costs are ultimately a factor of 2 items, if you're efficient: labor+ materials.the goal is to arrive as close as possible to just those 2 factors with as little add-on as possible. add-on being profit, a companies overhead, etc. labor and materials are unavoidable (as well as other stuff like permits)....so how does one arrive at those costs?

Make sure you factor that into your numbers. 

Amenities are fine to consider but the major factors are going to be bedrooms, baths, square footage, location, and quality of the unit.

The priced paid on a loan is based on the many factors which can primarily boil down to property, borrower and paperwork.  

Instead of factoring in 10% vacancy and 10% for maintenance and repairs for example, factor in 20% for vacancy and 20% for repairs and another 10% for reserves.

I have 3 houses on a lot in the Los Feliz/SilverLake area that I will be selling soon, and would like to do a 1031 exchange, so timing would be a factor.

As long as you factor it into the deal that what I would suggest.

The upside is I'll be able to cash flow around $25k/year with an %8 vacany rate factored in. 

This insurance may be the deciding factor.

I factor in opportunity cost depending on where you are in your career.