Out of state Investor Rookie

[Luis Torrico]

Hello!

I’m from Souther California and I would like to invest out of state. I have done some research and look up “growing cities in 2020” “best out of state investor cities” etc etc.

I would like to hear where do you invest and what? And how do you like it?

This would be my first dial and I’m getting analysis paralysis because I don’t know where to start. I want cash flow, so I wouldn’t be flipping houses.

Thank You!

[Alora Glaze]

Hi Luis - 
You're not alone! Being cautious with making your first move is normal - and completely warranted! There is a lot of research that needs to take place and a few things you'll need to get set-up before you even start making offers.
You do have an advantage though because you can take your California-dollars to a new, more affordable market, and make those dollars go further and work harder for you.

To start out though, narrow down your options - take a look at markets you may be most comfortable with; perhaps you have family living in a high-appreciating midwest market that would make traveling to the state more convenient - or you have friends who just bought a home in the south-east that may be able to assist with providing you local insight on neighborhoods?
You're going to need to keep in-mind that in order to get started in a new market, you may be making trips to and from the area periodically - so focus on cities that are close to airports and wouldn't be too much of a hassle or cause additional travel expenses (rental car for a four hour drive, etc.) in order checking on your properties. 
Start by picking three cities to start deep diving into - see what folks are saying on in the REI markets on Facebook groups, Bigger Pockets, etc. See what connections you can make with local realtors and what advice you may procure about rental markets, buy and holds, landlord laws, etc. You'll need to build a team with a realtor, property management, and even contractors - once you start making those connections and finding reliable resource, it'll be much easier to narrow your focus and pick a market to pull the trigger on your first buy.

Best of luck to you!!