The #1 determinant is the Tenant Pool.If you don't believe us, try putting several Class D tenants in Class A apartment buildings and watch what happens.

For the damages, once again, this is what your insurance is for.My Advice: 1) If you want management to check up on your units outside of what they normally do for all other units they manage, you should ask them about it and then expect to pay the additional fee for them having to go throgh the trouble and outside their system to do it for your property. 2) If you suspect their 'vetting' requirements are not strict enough,  you should re-determine with them before another tenant gets in the picture and go with your more stringent criteria.

I'm not sure what you mean by alignment question but I wish I had asked how does a property manager determine if a repair that a tenant is requesting is due to malfunction of the system or part (so the owner's responsibility) or something the tenant is doing either intentionally or unintentionally to cause something to break.

There is no preset determination that payment number Z will be a X%/Y% mix of interest and principal.

To qualify, taxpayers must meet specific criteria demonstrating that they are real estate professionals who materially participate in their rental activities.How to Navigate the Rules:Step 1: Identify your real property trades or businessesHere is a list of activities that are considered to be a real property trade or business:RedevelopmentLeasingConversionConstructionReal property developmentReconstructionOperationRentalBrokerageManagementAcquisitionIf you participate in multiple of these activities, you may be able to combine them making it easier to meet the material participation hour requirements.Step 2: Demonstrate material participation in real property trades or businessesThere are seven tests to determine if you demonstrate material participation.

Now we're seeing investors pouring money into buying Class C rentals - but, many are getting burned.In our experience & opinion, the main determinant of property Class is not location or even property condition, those are #2 and #3.

Hi Amelia, sounds like you've had some great lessons lately =) Nothing is a mistake unless you don't learn from it.To determine MTR demand and rates, look up comps on Airbnb and Furnished Finder. 

Now we're seeing investors pouring money into buying Class C rentals - but, many are getting burned.In our experience & opinion, the main determinant of property Class is not location or even property condition, those are #2 and #3.

The largest barrier for me personally has always been science behind  determining current and potential demand. 

I honestly believe that the cycle isn't finished and there are still good deals to be had, but you can determine that for yourself by doing some research.