All Forum Posts by: Bill Fried

@Salil, I'm self-managing and recently had a flea infestation problem requiring me to drive back and forth 25 miles several times in the last couple weeks before the new tenants could move in on the 1st, which was tricky with my day job. Can't imagine doing the same with Sacramento. Probably couldn't self-manage at all.

Hey guys, thanks for bumping my thread! :) 

So... due to recent experiences managing my duplex in El Cerrito, I am no longer interested in investing in properties any more than 30 mins from where I live in Walnut Creek. No out of state. No turnkey. No two hour drives to Sacramento.

I'll be able to afford another rental property in nearby Concord in a few years or I could purchase my next rental property in Fairfield early next year. Does anyone have any major objections to looking for a cash-flowing place in Fairfield?

Thanks for the replies. 

I currently live in a duplex in the Bay Area and work in tech in SF. In the two years since I bought the duplex it has appreciated a lot and cash flows a little. I'm sure it will continue to appreciate nicely over the next couple decades but for my next purchase I would like to find better cashflow. So, instead of going out of state like so many recommend, I started looking in the Folsom and Sacramento areas and found it was indeed cheaper but still not a ton of cashflow in the decent areas. Then after several very long drives up there, Fairfield and Vacaville caught my attention. They both look like places that might cashflow better and are 30-40 mins drive from Berkeley instead of nearly 2 hours away. One has a big outlet mall as mentioned earlier and the other has a military base. Seems like a lot of decent working class folks in both towns and not a ton of crime and no rent control either (Lots of  folks in Sacramento Country are pushing for Rent Control). I did notice they both seem to have some flooding problems in sections but otherwise they seem like decent possibilities for my next property. Unless I am missing something, which is very possible. 

I've been looking around the Sac/Folsom area for singles, duplexes, and quads recently and this time on our way back home to the Bay Area we stopped in Vacaville and Fairfield and found they were both very cute and reasonably priced. What am I missing? Is this not a decent place to invest in real estate that's half as far away as Sac/Folsom?

Thanks.

-Bill