First investment out-of-state

[Jacob Prelle]

My wife and I live in Southern California and are beginning to browse the internet to gain familiarity with the market and gauge our options. We know there is great potential in purchasing a duplex (or more units) on FHA, living in one unit and renting out the rest. But if you know the home prices in So Cal, you'll know it's a difficult plan to execute there. We also can't leave - our jobs, family, etc. it's not an option.

Our other option is to purchase outside Cali and hope for the best. I know we'll do our homework, but there's a limit to how much research that can be done vs the ground-truthing it takes to know your market. 

Does anyone have advice, or cautionary tales? 

Thank you!

[Jeremy Taggart]

@Jacob Prelle 

Make sure you really vet the team you will need in the area you are interested in investing in. This is the most important part. Get tons of referrals from investors in the area and interview them yourself in great detail to make sure you are comfortable moving forward with those individuals. This includes an agent, property management company, contractor, inspector, etc. Usually from talking to enough investors that know the area well you can get a good idea of the market and what specific neighborhoods would be the best to invest in. Investing out of state is a great option for folks in Cali for obvious reasons haha. There is a lot of data out there that suggest what areas are the best for cash flow and ROI. That might be a good starting point for you. Best of luck!