I am also a fairly new investor, having acquired our (my wife and I) first rental property less than 6 months ago.

So if these 2 factors are fairly similar to some other businesses or investment strategies, #1 They highlight their best successes, #2 they use primarily debt to buy property, then there is really no reason to hate a guru program, unless you also hate the other persons or companies who behave the same way.

The rent should be at or near fair rental value.

However, the buy & hold area is so much different than flipping that telling you I have a deal that will cash flow at 1% is about the same as telling you I have a pair of shoes that will fit you without knowing your shoe size.Flipping employs a fairly simple and defined formula that everyone can use.  

I am fairly new in the investment community.

In Las Vegas, for a short time they were the way to go, but the market out here has shifted and short sales in most cases are no better than a bank owned and the bank owned is a much quicker straight forward transaction so the need to pursue what is often a messy more time consuming transaction isnt necessary.  

If you are buying using traditional financing, you will most likely be buying at fair market value using the MLS and Realtors, which adds to costs. 

To be fair they were new construction brick with concrete scored floors..

Meanwhile, I would purchase it from them for a fair value, put cash into it to fix it up, and increase the rent to make my profit. 

I have been trying to think through this mental exercise a fair bit lately.