Market filters when deciding on an area to invest

[King Kramer]

What are the recommended filters to analyze when deciding where to invest? Job rate, schools, crime, etc. What else? 

[King Kramer]

Quote from @Nathan Gesner:

Quote from @King Kramer:

What are the recommended filters to analyze when deciding where to invest? Job rate, schools, crime, etc. What else? 

I would start with a state that is not hostile to Landlords.

Then narrow it down to cities you like and believe in. Would you live there? Is the population growing? Are businesses moving in? Are wages going up? You can do an internet search and quickly find out if a city is healthy or not.

Once you find a few cities you are interested in, look for quality property managers. If you can't find one, consider skipping that city. It's better to invest in a mediocre property with good management than to hand over a good property to a mediocre manager.

Do you have a healthy city with good management available? Now talk to the PM about which neighborhoods and which property types work best for the market, then follow their advice. They are the ones doing the work, so they aren't going to steer you towards a difficult, hard-to-rent, low-performing neighborhood.

Thank you! Very helpful!