.#1:  Rules of thumb will eliminate good deals as well as bad. 

I can buy investment RE but due to crazy bad DTI (far worse than 100 to 1, possibly approaching 500 to 1), I cannot get reasonable financing on an OO and not sure my co-sign will help on conventional financing.  

As others have stated, your fit & finish goals should be guided by whether you plan to:1) Rent: tenants don't always take care of a property, so you want to use lower-grade materials and workmanship.2) Flip: higher quality on workmanship and materials is usually required.Regardless, you always want to "Maintain to the Neighborhood".

Some areas have restrictions on mobile homes or rentals.Utilities: Ensure the land is equipped with essential utilities like water, sewer, and electricity.

This cushions potential value drops.Syndicator vetting: Only partner with syndicators who have a strong track record in different market conditions.Market and asset class knowledge: Understand market cycles and the specific real estate types (multifamily, industrial, etc.) you're investing in.Avoid chasing trends: Just because a market or asset is “hot” doesn’t mean it’s solid.You’re right that this approach doesn’t cap your upside, quality diversification can still generate huge returns while managing risk.Best regards,Drago

Based on the quality of this particular home, my rent estimate may be low.Note: you have to consider other factors.

Quote from @Chris Seveney: @Ryan KohenIt’s gotten some pretty bad reviews here on BPDo you like it or have an alternative ? 

I've had bad experiences with US Bank and would avoid them.

Also, consider this copy & paste advice below:Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a Class A property in Class D area, what quality of tenant will you get?

Is that so bad?