Who would you do?

[Tim Evans]

Which of these two investments would you choose for buy and hold? It would be a simple cash sale.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Capitol-Heights/311-69th-Pl-20743/home/11002975

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Capitol-Heights/818-Kayak-Ave-20743/home/11000844

311 69th, $94k, 2 bed, 2 bath, 1408 sf, 5000 sf lot, built 1965, 0.7 mile to metro, Low Crime

818 Kayak, $78k, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1384 sf, 8000 sf lot, built 1937, 1 mile to metro, Med Crime

Zillow says both rent for $1700/month. Let's say they take $20k to make rentable. Both have room for a driveway or expand with a detached garage, but not big enough to subdivide. Crime is from Trulia.

[Ryan Dossey]

I don't know enough about your market to help you pick one. 

But as a general rule of thumb: 

The safer the location the better. 

3 bedrooms are easier to rent/keep rented. 

I prefer smaller lots. Less work for the tenant to maintain. 

The newer the property the better. 

Sqft difference between the two is negligible. 

Make sure you read the summary of crimes on Trulia. They can rate the area as higher crime based off of quantity not severity. I'd take smash n grabs over rape/murder.