Researching out of state

[Jason Lin]

Hi my name is Jason and I'm just starting out my RE investing journey. I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos, listening to a lot of biggerpockets podcast, and reading books. Currently residing in CA and as everyone knows the housing prices here are insane compared to out of state. I've read multiple blogs / websites / youtube videos on how to determine which state is primed for investing and the general consensus is to look for:

Population Growth

Job Growth

Job Diversity (More than one major employer)

Average Rent Price

Average Home Price

Crime Rate

Cost of living

My question is, where do you guys pull these data points from? I've used sites like citydata, best places, and areavibes but a lot of these data are giving conflicting information and I am not sure how accurate these info are. Is there a more reliable website you guys use that has accurate info? Is there other steps I am missing when researching a certain state / area?

[Doug Spence]

@Jason Lin Welcome to bigger pockets! BPInsights is a great way to get data like this. I believe you need a BP Pro membership to access it, but you might be able to get a trial period or something like that to check it out. 

I recommend also researching states and cities that are landlord-friendly and ones that aren't. That should factor into your decision making. Also local property tax rates and how often they are increased (and by what amount). 

Best of luck and keep us updated on your progress!