Will add some more of the financials later.Entertaining to talk about this with someone who shares my same interest -- many others I have spoken to tend to glaze over at the concept.

(bigger houses tend to be cheaper per square foot)- What is the topography of the land?

I think it will become apparent as you're looking that San Diego tends more towards value in property appreciation than immediate cash flow, if you're entering with a smaller down payment.  

When we invest in real estate, we get long term profits as the price of the land and the house tend to increase in the coming years.

The 2% rule is where the rent is two percent of the purchase price, but when looking at apartment buildings, as Chi said, expenses tend to outweigh and have a major role in analysis. 

They tend to be extremely protectionist and not friendly to foreign investment when it comes to real estae (for instance, foreign investors pay a property tax surcharge) which can make it hard to put in compete against local investors.

I tend to agree with this statement because Chicago's tax base is so much larger and more diverse that the suburbs. 

I make plans all the time, daily, and then the natural course of events tends to dictate how closely those plans get followed - they don't last very long.Goals on the other hand are great!

I would tend to think that hanging your license with a smaller-scale, independent broker would give you more flexibility in building your own brand.

I tend to purchase the cheaper homes though that need a little more work.