If you're open to rehabbing in D+ neighborhoods that will see significant growth in about 5 years, then you can get a duplex for about $50k, if you can get your offer accepted quick enough.

There are lots of online platforms for vetting tenants, keeping records, accepting payments, etc.

Then I'd search for units that have been leased a while, call the owner/LL, and explain why it's 'safe' to lease to me.But please, as an owner of multifamily, stop asking "do you accept corporate leases" as a round-about code for "Can I do STR in your property?"

Hi David,If it were mine, I'd call a local Sherwin-Williams store (as close to the beach as possible) and ask them what they think.Ask them if different brands of their paint perform differently in your environment/climate.Then ask them if that's just a guess or if they have a lot of customers in the time range.Keep in mind this will be for decent paint, not cheapy off brand stuff.Also, being a little more specific with the store people might help, because in some beach neighborhoods it's acceptable to let the homes go to very chalky and even peeling before painting, and in some they need to look new all the time or you will be odd man out with the dumpy house.If you are in a some sort of "Community" with a board, or rules, they might dictate how often you must repaint.Good Luck!

I ended up buying a 4-unit in Lincoln Park and accepting a 25-minute commute.

The only time we physically visit a place before making an offer is when a seller won't accept a "blind offer" or won't accept an offer with an inspection contingency. 

I do most things myself but if someone called looking to help I'd gladly accept it and pay them to do it for things like painting, yardwork, and turning of properties. 

I accepted their counter offer.

At that time the market was already very hot, and as soon as this property came on market, we looked at it in the morning and submitted an offer of 725K in the afternoon which was accepted an hour later.

I was approached by the lender on another property to lower the interest rate to 3.31%.I got all the way to appraisal and would not accept my income type of 1099.