My question was more in regard to quickly comparing/screening returns across markets.

If they are professional, they can explain this quickly and easily.

If your return on cost and payback period for the mini split investment is attractive then yes, it could be worthwhile.   

You should either fix it as quick as possible or notify the tenants that the home is uninhabitable and force them to move.Your second mistake is keeping crap tenants.

Awesome, thanks @Chris Seveney @John Underwood for all the quick responses, really appreciate it.

The good thing about these criteria is that they are mostly static as opposed to often changing.Population: Look for population to be steadily growing = increasing customers.Jobs: A stable job market = a stable tenant base.Supply: Too much product = increase in concessions / decrease in rental income to attract solid, long term tenants.Demand: Product type.

Most 2-4 units are overvalued by my numbers and still seem to sell very quickly.  

I am quickly realizing it's difficult to find 1) properties which meet the 1% test, and 2) properties which cash flow positive from year 1 (unless we increase our down payment from 3.5% to something much higher).I would like to get two pieces of advice from the Bigger Pockets community in Massachusetts.

Brian, thinking big really quick, I would say a few 800 FICOs ready to personally guarantee and a few to five seasoned LLCs each with a D&B PAYDEX of 80 or more would get you the most financing you want at the lowest possible rates assuming you meet the income requirements.

They are in it for the quick resale on the secondary market.