Birmingham Alabama: A Good Start for Newbies?

[Leah McNell]

Hello all. My husband and I have been doing a lot of research about out of state investing. We are currently in the military and stationed overseas, but would really like to start investing now. One of the areas we have been doing some research on is Alabama, specifically Birmingham. We will be in Alabama in March/April for training and would like to use that time to be boots on the ground, take a look at neighboorhoods and potentially find a great investment. Does anybody have tips on what we can do beforehand to prepare us for March/April? Would anybody suggest any other areas in Alabama? Thanks for your responses in advance! 

[John Wijtenburg]

I don't know the market well other than my father-in-law goes frequently for visits to the Regions Bank HQ.

That said, relationships are everything in any and all real estate.

Spend some time communicating with the top deal sources - brokers, owners, and influential third-parties - in the area. Get a good sense of where the market is currently and where they see the most opportunity. You don't need boots on the ground for this, just a daily commitment to progress.

After you have some good leads, arrange in-person meetings with your top 3-5 relationships to see properties and move the relationships forward.