Health of Real Estate Market

[James Dupree]

Hi all!

I am a newly interested, potential real estate investor and am looking for some insight from the BP wealth of investors. In the next 12 months, I want to have purchased my first rental property. I currently live in Houston, and would probably purchase in Houston for the sake of ease and learning for my first property.

Anyways, on to the meat of my question: I am interested to hear fellow investors' take on the health of the real estate market in the US. Obviously it varies city to city, and state to state, but it seems as though we are in the upper part of the market since 2008. I've seen through my college days, people buying apartments, renovating them, and selling them for more (over and over, sounds like a bubble to me). I also am seeing a pretty big presence of buying real estate with no money down concepts which obviously require a sizeable amount of debt.

Worldwide we can see some sovereign debt offering negative interest rates. Lots of currency, debt, Trump stuff thrown in there that I don't fully understand at this point. 

I understand that you probably can make money in any market but for someone who is looking for cash flow and potentially appreciation through rental properties, I don't want to jump in at the market peak [or even near it]. So just looking for any insight people have.

Thanks,

Trey

[Gordon S.]

@Jennifer Walne no problem. HAR in general, is great resource, not only for the monthly report, but also do to quick general comps etc.