You need to be in the game consistently for the long term.

I've talked to some CRE brokers here locally and they've said that they don't work a lot of weekends and have more consistent schedules than residential RE agents. 

Many markets in NJ see consistent rent increases. 

Squeeze the juice now and reap the benefits of having the asset.

Property Maintenance and Unforeseen Costs: Monthly holding costs consists of all utilities costs such as electricity bill, natural gas, water, and garbage/sewer/recycling.Disclaimer: All parties assume loss on their own behalf, no parties are responsible for any other parties loss.

I would say that you want to make sure that the juice is worth the squeeze so that you do not become a tired landlord yourself. 

Stocks and real estate have consistently been top performers over the years.

Turnkey investing is very dependent on the market the companies are located, level of involvement desired, policies of the companies, pricing, warranties, and whether they have in-house property management.For example, the seasoned turnkey companies realize that their demand is driven by investors looking for a safe, consistent return.

These people don't have "credit" and a down payment, but have been the most consistent renters for decades, so why not use that for preapproval, for example?

I think that so long as you're consistent it's not going to matter.