“If the numbers cash flow, it’s a good rental.”

That assumption ignores the two variables that matter most long-term:

1️⃣ Who your tenant actually is. How long will they stay in the property? Will they pay on time? Will they cause expensive damage?

2️⃣ Whether rents and prices outpace inflation

I’ve seen “great cash-flow deals” quietly fail because tenants churned every 10-12 months and rents never caught up with expenses.

As an engineer, I approached rentals the same way large retailers choose locations—demographics first, property second.

I summarized the method in a short, no-hype guide here:

👉 Engineer’s Guide to Safe Real Estate Investing

https://fernwood.team/engineers-guide/

If you’re buying rentals for financial independence—not just year-one numbers—this reframes the decision.