MOVING! Help me choose my next location.

[Andrew R.]

Hello BP,

I am an Active Duty O2-E and facing that magical time of year....TRANSFER SEASON. Searching for any input on the below locations from an investment standpoint. If you have any pros/cons on an area, know of great neighborhoods to look in, or want to take a crack at ranking these billets, anything helps! Researching all of these locations from an investment standpoint is a much larger task than I expected!

My wife and I want to purchase a duplex, tri, or quad to house hack using the VA loan. We need at least a 2br for ourselves and are looking for some forced appreciation in a B- to A+ community. Proximity to walking/downtown area a plus! Our next tour will be 3 years, and we are looking for a long term hold, requiring property management upon our departure.

Currently, we do not hold any properties. We had a quad deal in Norfolk that fell through at the last minute. I truly feel it wasn't meant to be and am grateful for the learning experience! Disappointed, but excited for the next opportunity.

To the list! (this is my current ranking based on location and job, real estate investing not considered)

1. New Bedford, MA

2. Fort Macon, NC

3. Santa Barbara, CA

4. Cincinnati, OH

5. Kodiak, AK

6. Ketchikan, AK

7. Wilmington, NC

8. Seattle, WA

9. Anchorage, AK

10. San Pedro, CA

11. Duluth, MN

12. Baltimore, MD

13. San Fran, CA

Thanks for your time and input!

Andy

[Ron Boling]

Coast Guard was my second guess. ;) I had the chance to go to Anchorage, AK while in the Air Force Reserve and it is beautiful. If you like the outdoors anywhere in Alaska is the place to be. If your BAH will pay for it you could try to buy and hold in CA or WA and get the service to pay for it. I don't know anything about MD, NC or OH. But if you want to find something inexpensive with good rents you can find it in New Bedford. I do flips and own rental units in Fall River, MA myself.

All that aside, I know MA is close to home for you and I don't know how long you have been in or how much traveling you have done but if you are young then let the military take you as far away from home as you can get. I visited dozens of countries on four continents when I was Active Duty Navy (before my time in the AF) and wouldn't trade a day of it for a year back at home sitting on the sofa. 

BTW you know why the Coast Guard is better than the Navy? If you fall overboard you can just walk back to the shore. :)