The 50% rule simply reflects the data from hundreds of thousands of rentals in the United States that operating expenses (including vacancy expense) run 45% to 50% of the gross rents.

How recent is your data?

The data is not the problem, the problem is potentially being rejected by underwriting because the predictive FICO model deems you as high risk.

It is speculation based on historical data and watching the world economy, especially our own.

I use RealQuest for absentee owner leads and I also use CRS data.

I don't see how hearing from people who put in the effort and have some success will give you any data about success rates.

He likes their comps and other data. 

In this market, you should be looking at strong markets, value add opportunities and B/C properties that poses much better downside risk protection in any market (vs Class A new which is more subject to layoffs impacting occupancies - see Houston data).  

Your website says you and your team know data.  

It was not easy because BP is full of great data and there are so many different ways to make money in real estate that without tunnel vision one can quickly become a victim of analysis paralysis or one may jump out there and try to do too many things at once.So once I decided on wholesaling, I first went to my real estate attorney.