Hard for ME to believe there was really another offer that fell apart in six days.  

If you’re interested in multi family I would check out the MNREIA Apartment Investors Group.Also just start analyzing deals and getting familiar with properties around here.

I'm always interested in how other people are marketing here in the Houston area as well.

I can basically trade my three 1 bedroom units and my one 2 bedroom unit for a 24-unit apartment building in another upcoming market.

You need no experience with an apartment complex with multiple units where one vacancy does not hurt so bad financially. 

The bigger units are so much easier to manage cash flow better and have economies of scale built in not like the huge units but still better than the smaller apartments. 

Beginning to wonder if we are smart to stick with our rent controlled apartment (3 bed $3750) and use our cash to buy rental properties in other areasFor SF: Our budget is limited to $1.25m with 20% down.

I had a one year lease of contract with an apartment here in Dallas. i was paying around $800 a month minus some shared water bills, pest controls..etc. 

Tenant shall irrigate and maintain any surrounding grounds, including lawns, and shrubbery, and keep the same clear of trash or weeds, if such grounds are a part of the Property and are exclusively for the use of the Tenant unless otherwise agreed herein. . ."

Then maybe you need to go out there and find someone with this skill and bring them on as a part of your team.