Is there such a thing as a “bad” market?

[Adrian Maynard]

I'm currently stationed at Ft. Benning in Columbus, GA. I'd like to use my VA home loan to buy a small multi family that I can house hack and ease my way into the investing world. I've been here for almost two years and honestly I can't make heads or tails of the place. Besides working on base there is very little job opportunity outside of fast food and entry level retail. It appears to be a lot of crime and unemployment is almost 25%. That said, there are pockets all over with well established historic neighborhoods that seem to be attempting to weather the storm.

I’m originally from Atlanta and with all the development going on back home I couldn’t afford to even live in my old neighborhood much less get my foot in the door investing.

So my question is... Would it be a bad idea to invest in the smaller cheaper market of Columbus even though it appears there may be little city growth/ development in the foreseeable future.

[Mart B.]

@Adrian Maynard

I would say as long the numbers make sense and you can cashflow from it, why not? I assume you plan to move out after a year or so and repeat? Unless the area is a "war-zone" and it's not safe to even step outside. Then you may want to look somewhere else with a better neighborhood