How to predict neighborhood appreciation

[Yazan Dabbagh]

What factors do you look at when trying to predict whether or not a neighborhood is going to appreciate in the near future?

Is it a complete guessing game? Or are there specific things you can look at to make your predictions closer to the truth?

[Joe White]

Construction permits would be the main way that I would determine this.

But here in Philadelphia, its has been my experience, as a property manager, that once the media says a neighborhood will be the next fastest appreciating neighborhood, it makes it so. Under-educated investors, contractor renovating their own flips, and real estate agents, all blindly follow. That movement makes it so.

I'm sure it's the case everywhere.