Another Awesome Newb from Bakersfield / Shafter CA

[Rich A.]

Hey just a new member already excited by all that BP has to offer. 

I'm from the great city of Bakersfield, CA and find it a great place to live!! Sometimes.  I currently work in a lab, go to school pt and look for deals as a hobby.  An exciting hobby.  I started investing with a duplex, house hacked, and then had to move back in with my parents.  The shame!  But I love the cash flow.  I love buy and hold rentals and am particularly intrigued by deals in C-D neighborhoods.  I feel like that's not very common thing on the BP site?

Also, I live near the small town of Shafter, CA and am wondering whether anyone is active there.  I think the central valley of California is great place for cash flow investments.  Am I wrong?  Still very green at all of this investing so I enjoy any tips, recommendations or constructive criticisms. Ciao!

[Gene Hacker]

Rich, Bakersfield is a growing city so I think it is a good place to invest.  Prices are definitely up quite a bit from the bottom so deals can be pretty hard to find.

As far as cashflow in C & D properties goes, if you look at actual numbers from someone that invests in that range, I think you would find the cashflow is lower than it first appears. Maintenance costs, increased vacancy, etc, can eat into cashflow.  Is there opportunity in that range...sure.  But I think you will have to work hard for it.