Evaluating Potential Long-Distance Markets in Person.

[Mike Sanford]

When you visit a potential long-distance rental market in person, what are you looking for?  What do you do?

My wife and I will be driving from Phoenix to New Orleans and back to Tucson for her work.  We have time to poke around some cities on the way and think about them as places to invest.  We have all of our funds tied up in our most ambitious flip yet for at least a year, so this is going to be a scouting trip and not a buying trip.

I've been interested in Lubbock TX, for a while, and that's the place I know the most about.  College Station is on my list, and we'll be spending time in San Antonio and Lafayette LA for other reasons, so I'll probably poke around there.  

If you had a day or two in these places, what would you want to see?  Who, if anyone, would you want to meet?  I think its probably too early in our process to ask realtors and property managers to spend time with us, since we're not in a position to purchase.

Thanks,

Mike