What is the due diligence you do on an area before investing ?

Question

I’m checking out areas to 10-31 into. I’d like to hear what all the fine people on here do in terms of due dIllIgence when they consider investing in a new area. (Job/employment data, building going on, etc).

Ellie Perlman · Answer

@ Roger Roth - here are the five main factors that I take into consideration when evaluating a market:1.Population growth – A solid market is one that has population growth. Markets that have flat or negative population growth can indicate a problem, while markets that continuously have people moving into them is a sign that there will be more demand for apartments. One of the markets with the highest population growth is Dallas, TX, while the Providence, RI market has shown no significant population growth at all.Where to find information?Simply google it! For example, search “Jacksonville population” and you’ll see the trend. Focus on the last 5-10 years.2.Job Growth – Population usually follows jobs, and a great market is one that adds many new jobs each year. I usually look for markets with an unemployment rate that is lower than the national average (4.1%). In addition to evaluating the city job growth, you need to pay attention to any major industry or employer that may be responsible for more than 25% of the market, because if the dominant industry or employer is in trouble so is your property (due to layoffs). A solid market is one that has steady job growth and a diverse economy.Where to find information?www.city-data.com and www.census.gov.3.Rent Growth – A strong multifamily market is a market that has increasing rents. If rents are in a downward trend, then your property might suffer from declining rents as well. This is also a rule of thumb, and each investment is unique, but general speaking I try to stay away from markets that have a declining rent trend.Where to find information? www.census.gov has information on the average rent in the past several years in major cities.4.Appreciation Potential – The lion share of the profits is made when you sell the property. This is why appreciation is key. I look at markets that have strong appreciation potential, and if property values are increasing, it is more likely that I’d be able to sell my investment at a significantly higher price than when I bought it. This is why I believe that you make money when you sell a property, not when you buy it. A word of caution, though: real estate is a cyclical business, and even markets with strong appreciation can suffer when the economy turns. A market with increasing prices is not a guarantee that you’ll make profit when you exit, but it’s a safer market to be in when you buy.Where to find information?Many large brokerage firms offer free reports that show rents and real estate prices. You can find the reports from reputable companies such as CBRE, Marcus and Millichap, Yardi Metrix, etc.5.Landlord Friendly State – Landlord-friendly markets have a direct impact on real estate and the return of the investments. Some states, such as California, are very tenant-friendly, which means that it can take up to 9 and even 11 months to evict an unpaying tenant while, in the meantime, you pay for the mortgage and the expenses. Other states, such as Texas and Florida, are landlord-friendly and provide owners with a quick eviction process.Where to find information?Simply Google: “How long does it take to evict an unpaying tenant in …”Good luck!

Sean Carroll · Answer

@Roger Roth I am looking for basic things you can discover in a day just by googling the statistics. 1. Jobs, who’s the biggest employers and are they siclical or not. Also the unemployment rate. 2. Is the population growing 3. Crime 4. Vacancy rates in the area 5. I like to see if local government is improving the area 6. Any big developments in the works or getting ready to start 7. Is the overall real estate market increasing.

Roger R. · Answer

@Joel Owens i'm looking at bigger multifamily homes. I don't want to buy during a heavy build phase. like the one going on in NYC right now.

Joel Owens · Answer

Roger what ASSET type are you trying to buy? Multifamily, commercial, etc.There are of course general items mentioned above but specialty due diligence comes in that you look for in an area based on the asset type.

Roger R. · Answer

@Ellie Perlman . What do you use to see much building is being done in an area you are interested in?

Ethan Chesnut · Answer

Great information @Ellie Perlman!!

Sam Shueh · Answer

research, research and research....