The licensed versions sold at big box stores are not the same quality and break down quickly and rarely have replacement parts.

However, by placing money in a property that I would like to have in order to increase my quality of life, that can also produce some cash flow instead of being a liability that requires money every month, I can increase my quality of life without increasing my monthly liabilities.  

The quality of your tenant is just as important as the investment you make.  

Fund higher quality cosmetic / light rehab for durability and dignity for tenants.

To reiterate, I don't need huge profit margins off these and I do want to offer quality rentals but they do need to make sense.  

Goes back to that original thesis in a thread long time ago-- quality over quantity.

.• Use some equity from the sale to make this transition smoother.I’m torn between maintaining our current home as an asset and buying  a new smaller house to use as a rental after we move back in versus simplifying and focusing on a single upgraded property Considering factors like market trends, potential equity growth, and quality of life, which path do you think would be most beneficial?

These are good indicators of quality tenants.You can also adjust how much deposit you take as well.

This is your product, and you are branding it for maximum consumption.

Here is a question i'm wrestling with and would appreciate any advice on: If you plan to invest in an out-of-state market, should you partner with an investing group based in that market... or would it make more sense to simply find the highest-quality mentoring program, regardless of location?