Researching The Neighborhood

[Griffen Buchheit]

Hi BP! My name is Griffen Buchheit. I am looking to buy my first property this year, and I plan to invest in the Kalamazoo, Mi. area. I’ve found potential properties in two neighbors: the Stuart neighborhood and the Vine neighborhood. However, when researching each I noticed both neighborhoods had higher crime rates and vacancy rates than I was expecting. Lots of other investors rent out property in these neighborhoods, so I was wondering if anyone has had any problems investing in these areas, or has any wisdom to shed on how these types of statistics affect investment decisions? Thanks, I’m excited to be apart of BP!