What criteria do you use to identify your next market?

[JR Hinds]

I live in Portland, Oregon. I have my main residence and also a triplex here. I’ve had a few two-flats in Chicago, but I haven’t been happy with that market. I’m planning to buy another small multi-family property with 5 or fewer doors. I’m trying to identify my next market, but I’m freezing up. If I can just pick a market, I should be able to find a team. But the analysis is paralyzing me now. What criteria do you all use to identify your next market? I searched the forums, but I didn’t see any recent posts about finding my next market.

I know that we all have different real estate goals, but as with most things, there are some basic fundamentals by which we could judge a long-term buy-and-hold market. If I can start researching based on those fundamentals, I think I can get unstuck and get my momentum going again.