What do you know most about RE, farms, motels, cafes, homes, storage buildings...... play on what you know best and branch out.Being the small investor has advantages, you are quicker to meet people, quicker to spot a deal, you don't have to follow structured steps and jump through hoops like corporates do, you can be agile in the market, move to any strategy on a property that solves the problem at hand.

My focus is on being transparent and working an agile process with great people in the deal chain. 

Investors must stay agile to navigate these shifting dynamics.

So I've never had a blockage since doing this type of rehab.With 2 daughters I've pulled a lot of rats out of P-traps & their 2" shower drains P-traps at home & in their current homes.My days of climbing under vanities & kitchen sinks are over but then again I'm not as slim & agile as you.

I see it more as a way to be a bit more agile, being able to pay cash for a property, then refinance it, or one of the others later to pay down the HELOC and repeat.  

It forced us to learn to be "agile" and think for ourselves of where the next good deal gap in the market will be, then jump.  

Is the sub-urb market hot enough that it may be hard to win an offer as an out of state investor (due to lack of agility which comes with distance?)?

Like any other negative economic event, those who are agile/ quick to adapt can still make a tremendous amount of money.

I'm looking at income and credit history to determine the risk of tenant defaulting or nonpayment, based on financial agility (DTI, ITR ratio, savings) and health (on-time payments, credit usage).

I control my brand, I have extreme agility with my rates, I control my marketing, etc. if it doesn't rent, I have only myself to blame...which is my preference as a control freak.