Are there metrics or statistics that I can observe to determine what is considered landlord friendly? 

So as an observer in the background then going on the bus tours and my wife and I chatting with students through out the 3 or 4 days.To me its just a cross section of America.. 

Observe and take notes, and keep putting your returns into partnership deals, whether you do physical labor or invest money, until you have enough skill and money to go out on your own. 

An observation on this topic.It’s interesting to see how the attitude differs from region to region in this discussion.

In my observation, these are often two different investors. 

After my search for experts, I observe this is not a well understood part of the tax code. 

And although I've given out money and things of monetary value, I've observed with extreme accuracy that contributions of knowledge and experience have benefitted their recipients far more than contributions of monetary value.

Here's what I've observed: in the areas with the best growth potential (for both rents and appreciation), existing small multifamily is very scarce.

If historical observation is to be logically followed, my projection is that this corona virus will go they way of its predecessors like the sars, swine flu, zika etc.

Each location will be different as far as what is "better" so not fiscal advice that way, just an observation.