So instead Laurie sent out for do-it-yourself cabinets, careful to measure everything as best she could.

That's the aim!...

It makes more sense to me that cap rate is a measure of risk whereby the higher the property cap rate the riskier it is.

My question about demand for RE was aimed more at mom and pop homeowners/renters. 

My bets are most people are aiming at the lower end of the spectrum but getting beaten out by the people with the higher down payments.

I am aiming for 12% CAP Rate on this one.

Oh, and one more for good measure - ask them if all their fire hydrants are in good working order and have been inspected.

Some of my value investors are even aiming for closer to a 2% rule in some of these areas! 

Higher cap rates be damned, not all things can be measured with cap rates...I'd much rather buy an A or B building.

My problem is that while I've made a lot of money on real estate in the last 5-7 years, I've done a very poor job of measuring my successes and failures. 90% of my success has been pure luck.