If you were buying apartment buildings 30 years ago, I can confidently say your money would have been better placed elsewhere, in markets with growing jobs.I prefer to learn from examples I can see, and I've certainly seen the impact of job losses, stagnant or falling median incomes, and net out-migration.

I am compiling a list of preferred vendors around Olympia, WA  and I wanted to get some recommendations.

I am compiling a list of preferred vendors around Olympia, WA  and I wanted to get some recommendations.

This is a great way to insert yourself into a deal, using something like an FHA loan, and drop your housing costs to zero, or preferably have your primary dwelling pay you.There are lenders out there writing conventional loans with 5% down, so the FHA is not the only way to get a low down payment.

Not always, but in general.What type of tenants do you prefer?

- if set up properly by the PM).We have one building where the PM prefers pen and paper... so I set up our own account using RentRedi. 

This means there is a lot up to the insurance and lender discretion and I would prefer to at least have a strategy in mind for the worst-case scenario, which may include walking away of course.I understand seller financing may not work if the house is the seller's primary asset.  

My plan is to find a property - preferability a triplex or 4 unit - that will cover the majority if not all of my mortgage and monthly bills.

Right now I would prefer to have rent-stabilized units over free market.

But we prefer M2M because we think it gives us more flexibility.