What have you found is the best bang for your buck or the most effective strategy to get more properties to manage? 

Purchase price: $680,000 Cash invested: $510,000 We funded this loan in 48 hours. 75% loan to cost.

Also, I would also not cross-collateralize the houses if a lender would even do a portfolio loan.On your second question about multifamily, I would not jump to multifamily until you have experienced the common management problems with single-family as the expenses scale with the size of the property as well as the cost of mistakes.I would consider getting Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC) on each property.

The Reality is stuff costs money.

If no mention was made of any type of special cleaner in the lease - that seems like an error on your part and would be a cost that you would have to bear.if you are charging the renter how old the units are makes a difference.

Expect there to be costs to appease the tenants.  

You could try to find more aggressive fixed income funds or ETFs, but transaction costs and market volatility could make your life difficult.

I'm looking at a gains amount of 40K after closing costs, realtor fees, and tax payback.

The borrower / partner should have assets to show  (25% down payment + closing costs+ reserves)5.

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson negotiated a deal with Napoleon Bonaparte that effectively doubled the size of this young nation.One might even say President Jefferson was the original distressed real estate investor.