@David Kendall Jr, for deals that I am managing myself, I want a minimum $50k profit potential, and shoot for about a 15-20% profit margin, whichever is greater.At the end of the day, percentages alone don't work for me, because my time has a value to it. 

How did you add value to the deal?

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

Off-market deals are ideal for this strategy because you can secure properties below market value and maximize your rental income potential.📈 Biggest Mistakes First-Time Investors Make (And How to Avoid Them!)

For a condo you can/should check the county assessor for land value  (you would apply the same allocation %, don't use their actual number listed) Also check your HOA documents.

If you are planning on using your savings for Real Estate Deals, I use high cash value Whole Life Insurance as my saving vehicle(IBC).

How did you add value to the deal?

I could never buy land in brickell it's more than 300 million per acre. but in columbus I can buy an infill lot for 40-60k within 1mile of Downtown Columbus. we looked at hundreds of Floorplans and found that 2 bedrooms seemed to be better than 1 and we wanted a tight compact floorplan that could get high rents. rents are higher Downtown Columbus and property values are higher Downtown Columbus by more than 40%. after that we wanted 4 units but it was commercial so we stuck to 3 units because it's residential. in February of 2024 we submitted our first design of a stacked triplex that is 2 beds 1 bath. after design changes, we now have about 7 approved in our market. all of the underwriting of banks is based on long term rentals.

By year three, I aim to cover all operating costs and, by year four, to generate positive cash flow.Experienced investors say it’s crucial to persevere through the initial challenges while gradually building credibility through positive reviews, and I believe them.

When reaching out, it helps to offer value in return—think about tasks like checking on properties when they can't, delivering materials, finding reliable contractors, or even handling basic project management tasks.Building genuine relationships and showing you're willing to contribute will go a long way in earning their trust and gaining hands-on experience.