Categories to compare cities to invest in

[Keisha D Dobney-Boykin]

Hello everyone, I'm not holding myself to any specific area to invest since my W-2 job moves me around the country.

Not sure if this matters but my goal is to own apartments. I have a list of cities on spreadsheet but I'm not sure if I'm thinking creatively in what categories I'm using to compare.

So far I have the following:

A. Crime rates

B. Schools

C. Income levels

D. Employment

E. Overall growth of the city

(This seems to short)

I know I need to look at this from the perspective of an investor and I'm think I'm off track. I feel like I'm looking at this for my personal home.

Any advice is helpful, thanks.

[Ryan Hogan]

1-hour video, all free data resources you can find online  google "How to Analyze a Real Estate Market in 60 Minutes - Know More than a Local Expert - Neal Bawa"

[Jeffrey Donis]

Originally posted by @Keisha D Dobney-Boykin:

@Jeffrey Donis YES! Thanks

 Of course!

[Todd Dexheimer]

On big item that I feel people aren't considering and should be is the rent affordability. If you are investing in a market with growing rents and they are forcing tenants to spend their entire check on rent, that will be a bursting bubble eventually. We look for markets that max out at 25% rent to income. 

We also want to see renting as a more affordable alternative than buying. 

Here is my full criteria: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...