It's kind of disconcerting when I can only raise rents by 5% but insurance is increasing by 10% to 15% per year. 

Higher assets or cash in the bank increases what is called you compensating factors which banks/lenders use to qualify.

Supply and Demand: When buyers outnumber sellers, prices and rents rise.Population Growth: Cities with significant and sustained population increases are more likely to see long-term rent growth.Job Stability and GrowthA property’s value is tied to the jobs in the area.

My estimation was with leverage I could do about 7 homes a year and each year after it would increase. 

Slight Update: After speaking with more BP members, I’m increasingly leaning toward making my first purchase in New York—a 4-unit rental property where I’d be my own landlord.

Rehab costs, taxes, and interest during this phase increase the depreciable basis, providing long-term tax benefits.

As other people have mentioned, does it increase risk of being rent controlled down the road?

This shift will increase the pressure for transportation to and from job centers.

Greatly increased lending capital by transitioning from a ‘blind pool” fund to a series LLC / syndication model where investors know the property lending deal before committing to any loan and can “pick and choose” whichever loans they do or do not want to participate in.  

Do you need to increase rents in the next year to cover your costs?