This sort of resonates with me, because it's how I feel entering the real estate market should be.

An intermediary with integrity will demand an accounting and paper trail that will sustain an audit.  

On a personal level, I believe in building green, sustainable homes.

The Phoenix market has also had really healthy, sustainable appreciation for several years now (with good indicators that will continue). 

I actually want to live out of country (low cost of living) for couple of years therefore i want fewer properties with paid off mortage to sustain my lifestyle.

If beach resonants and will add some additional satisfaction and quality of life stuff then do it.

I guess it can happen but as real estate goes I think this is by far the hardest thing to put together sustain and be profitable at.. other than a side hustle make some money occasionally if you darn lucky type thing.. folks I know that do this successfully spend probably 100 to 200k Minimum a year in mailers ALONE  and they have teams that door knock that get paid and Very robust back end systems.. etc etc.. this is a capital intensive business to do right.. 

And meanwhile your portfolio is becoming self sustaining all the while.

I keep thinking there is no way it's sustainable, but then again, I was also skeptical of the first turn-keys that I saw bumping rents well above market.

As Dean mentioned above planning on appreciation outside of I would say just Auckland, is probably a bit of a guess (I wonder if Wellington and Hamilton will be much different to CHCH and Dunedin for expected growth in the medium term, and Tauranga may need to adjust its demographic growth if that is going to be sustainable seeing as how many retirees like to go there).