Their performance for us varies depending on the property however. 

Full appraisals are currently $700-$1000 depending on the market.Usually, the benefit of the desktop appraisal is speed.

With regard to point 2 it is very dependant on rental demand. 

I've included an example below to help illustrate this.So different lenders have different rates (which do vary even for DSCR loans) but these are factors they all consider.See example below:DSCR < 1Principal + Interest = $1,700Taxes = $350, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $50Total PITIA = $2200Rent = $2000DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2000/2200 = 0.91Since the DSCR is 0.91, we know the expenses are greater than the income of the property.DSCR >1Principal + Interest = $1,500Taxes = $250, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $25Total PITIA = $1875 Rent = $2300DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2300/1875 = 1.23DSCR lenders generally let you vest either individually or as an LLC.

Some of these neighborhoods are big and vary by area, or have really negative things happening on one side of them, so you can't (or probably shouldn't) consider the entire neighborhood when looking around. 

You can still find acceptable deals depending upon your intended use of the property and how unloved of a property you are willing to purchase ... but they are further and further apart.  

@Simon Smith RE:  Management FeesIt's going to vary building by building, however, it's rare that you're required to use only the onsite property manager. 

What I recommend to all my first time investor clients is to start with house hacking.House hacking is a great way to get your feet wet with REI and also getting your own roof over your head. 2 birds, 1 stoneThe biggest benefit for newer investors that go the house hacking route is that they have the ability to put a minimum downpayment of 3.5% or 5% down depending on the loan program and also get access to the best rates since they are buying a primary residenceIf you ever want to chat more about RE, I would be happy to do so.

I am not in love with them in terms of the aesthetic, but they can be a good choice depending on the room. 

What do you recommend as a starting point of capital before investing  Depends on which area you're in.