Deals already sell extremely fast in this market and without a non-refundable down payment it becomes harder for the real investors to secure good deals, not easier.Also about the deal fees.

Nationwide housing bubbles and crashes are extremely rare so why are many people predicting one as if they come around every X number of years or so? 

Extremely competitive but exactly right everyone.

You’ll be extremely lucky to make the 1% rule.

I’m just a little gun shy due to the extreme prices..... should I be concerned about price of the house or more concerned about cash flow and availability of renters??

And if that happens then the whole thing blows up.If you want something recession proof then you need to be investing in an asset class that is uncorrelated with business cycles (litigtion finance, life settlements, royalties, etc) and even then usually you're only getting at best "extremely recession resistant".

Not in your market (Or mine, for that matter), but is a leading authority and is extremely helpful.Good Luck!

I'm waiting to find out what the current revenue is on the properties, but I'm extremely new to real estate.

Sharing some first hand experience...I can assure you the threat is real, but they've definitely gotten a bit extreme in their efforts to contain; mandatory self-quarantines at home for everyone in the country, masks at all times outside, daily online work reports to submit to govt, and I have to have a pass to come in and out of my own residential complex.

Because real estate investing is extremely entrepreneurial.