I have thought about getting into the rental game in my area recently, but the housing market is very tight at the moment. 1 bedroom apartments are going for $1000-$1500 now fairly regularly, but the median household income is $56k. Housing prices are high compared to the income, and what works in Chicago or Denver most likely doesn't play well in other areas like mine. Thanks to TV romanticizing house flipping, every fixer upper is going for far too much money if it isn't in a high tax shithole municipality. The Amish are also getting big into the rental game...many are sitting on millions in cash, and will not bet outbid by non-amish at a public auction.
One of the larger rental owners in my area once told me if a perspective tenant shows up in a car that looks like a pigsty inside, he wouldn't take them. He found a reason to legally deny them. But he felt if they don't keep after their vehicle, they aren't going to take care of his property either.
