If I go with option 1 what should I really focus on to get a good appraisal.ThanksIt's reasonable to grant a lot of leeway to taking 3+ months to close a simple refi once in a while if it's Spring/Summer 2020, since after all that was everyone's first pandemic-driven refinance boom, volume went up 500% in a month, it was chaos, etc. 

Boom, you saved $600. 

SF, LA, London, Hong Kong and Sydney in Australia are all appreciation markets.Auckland N.Z which I invest in and flip also becoming an appreciation market only. house prices increased by over 75% from the peak of the last boom in 2007 and the median house price is near 1 million dollar. say +800k. 

They had a little population boom in the early 2000's, but they've been flat for the last decade.

@Joe Mastracchio Boom, just requested you. 

General info on those options-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/12/2...Start there, ask around, see what people are doing and what sounds like something that might resonate for you, and boom!

I can only speak for the Tampa Bay Area where I live and the rental market is booming!

I've also found a few areas that I think are less likely to exhibit the boom-bust market cycle, which I value given the dark clouds in the economy.

The area is so similar to the bay with the tech boom/lack of room to build on because of the water.  

The whole of Dallas-Fort Worth is booming price wise.Even my old house puchased at $72k in Plano just appraised at $170k.