Or are investors settling for a "nicer" location with decent rents and quality tenants rather than a purely cash-flow vantage point.Even if the Holyoke market is seeing rents in the $1200-1300/month range; is this a worthwhile justification to paying a premium on these smaller multi-families?

I am looking for information re screening applicants as it applies to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. 

@Cody Furman first of all let the residents know that there is a new sheriff in the town with a welcome letter and explain the everything you can in that letter and then deploy some cloud based software like Buildium to track your tenants and the rent and charge late fee and give them vacation notices on timely manner and evicted the bad ones and do not raise the rents until you are stabilized and do the screening to fill in vacancy otherwise you will be in big trouble if bring in bad ones.Charge application fee of at least $35 per couple and they will pay and use that for screening.

Having 5 (maybe up to eight) free and clear houses in good locations and good tenants, and continue working my full-time job with no pressure to do overtime or with the possibility to retire early, and travel more or spend quality time with my future family would be an ideal goal for me.What would you guys do?

I have seen RE investors do well and like the lower income areas and I have seen others who despise those areas and only want B and A quality properties.

Getting a special and start off with low down payment is not as good as you think but if the  the location is important as a consideration, the demand for what you buy property and tenant screening, it's in  growth area, is it located within a diverse area, the parking that is available, do you have deep enough pocket if funds are needed, Do nearby amenities exist, is there any nearby retail stores and what are they and does it fit your ideal tenant, and are there any existing tenants. 

He could make a better living doing and have a better quality of life working in another state but insists on staying so he can be discovered and it's stifling his ability to get ahead in life.

He had moved In about a month earlier, but he gave two fraudulent checks to my leasing agent during the lease signing process, after clearing the background and credit screening.

My occupancy rate could be higher but I am very selective screening new tenants.

I know there are Seattle-specific rules about rentals, I need to get an inspection and get the house registered, etc.In the past I’ve used a leasing real estate agent to find me a tenant, do all the background screening, do the leasing paperwork, etc.