What is the best way to research a town/city before buying?

[CJ Moulton]

Hello BP Fam,

What are the best ways to conduct meaningful research online on various areas you intend on investing in?

Obviously, you could "look it up", but I wanted to post this question to see if there are any specific websites or tools to use that would maybe beat just looking up an area.

Any insight is greatly appreciated, much love!

[Sean McKee]

Quote from @CJ Moulton:

Hello BP Fam,

What are the best ways to conduct meaningful research online on various areas you intend on investing in?

Obviously, you could "look it up", but I wanted to post this question to see if there are any specific websites or tools to use that would maybe beat just looking up an area.

Any insight is greatly appreciated, much love!

I like to use Census data to gain a Birds Eye view and then to start narrowing it down from there.

There are plenty of online sites that discuss population data, growth, etc. Worldpopulation review is good. For crime city protect is ok. I also like Redfin data for some of the housing information.

For getting a more granular view I like to put out feelers for data. Posting on BP, Craigslist ads, and speaking with people that live/know the area. This can help you avoid the bad parts of town and get more nuanced data not found in traditional ways.

The first few chapters of the book below did a pretty good job of giving me pointers on how to organize and research the data.

Buy It, Rent It, Profit! (Updated Edition): Make Money as a Landlord in ANY Real Estate Market