BiggerPockets was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal today

[Mike Dymski]

"New technologies are making it easier for small-time investors to become out-of-state landlords.

Data services help would-be landlords pick neighborhoods with precision, feeding them detailed reports on sales prices, crime rates and local schools. Online real-estate marketplaces such as Roofstock and Appreciate connect them with financing or local managers who can handle property maintenance and leasing. Content publishers and web forums like BiggerPockets offer up investment strategies and tips on where to buy. As a result, even small housing markets are becoming less local."

I'd post the link to the article but it requires a WSJ subscription to access.

[Jeremy H.]

Quote from @Paul De Luca:

@Mike Dymski

Good article.

I know this is hypocritical to say as an investor but the increasing trend of heightened competition among larger institutional investors but also small time investors purchasing across the country is concerning to me if not enough homes are being built. I know the fear mongering headlines can be overblown with XYZ hedge fund or private equity firm buying vast sums of SFHs in one stroke, but it is seemingly more common in the last few years.

 Same here - the competition from local investors and just regular people moving out and renting their old house out at opposed to selling it seems to really be increasing in my area. On top of that we have a few purely rental neighborhoods being built - I think one is 150 homes to rent between 1700-2100 with all the amenities of a nice neighborhood (pool, park etc). We have expensive homes being built and all the "cheaper" homes are becoming rentals. I think a lot of people don't realize what they are getting into. My neighbor actually bought his house for 189k, then put in new roof, driveway, gutters etc. Gotta be 210k plus in that house - I have rentals in the neighborhood that rent for 1100-1300. He will hardly be able to cover his mortgage. I bought a foreclosure across the street from him for 135k and put 30k into it (granite countertops, new flooring, big backyard shed etc). 

I see a lot of people just buying houses at market price then renting them. They are not good deals, not even close.