All Forum Posts by: Christian Conti

Joe and Dave, 

Thanks for the input, definitely helpful advice on narrowing down markets and setting some criteria for the search process. I have looked into that data a bit but definitely not as deeply as needed to really be able to make an informed decision. Lack of Landlord-friendly laws is another big reason I have tended to avoid looking in my state and most of the surrounding areas as well and states like Texas and Florida are ones that consistently come ups as being much more friendly to landlords, but I do worry about finding deals in certain parts of states like this with more institutional investors moving into the really rapidly developing areas. In your experience in the DFW area have you experienced this much at all?

I currently do not have any properties and live in central Vermont. As I have combing through potential deals and analysis, I have found that a combination of lack of cashflow, high property taxes, shrinking population and virtually nothing to attract potential tenants in much of the state is making out-of-state investing seem like a much better bet to a smaller, beginner investor looking to keep costs low and scale gradually through buy and hold. 

My question for out-of-state investors is how do you decide on a market to target? I feel like I have a good idea of what steps to take once I have decided on a particular market, but I am finding it difficult to narrow it down. Ideally I would like to have maybe 4-5 areas/markets that I can really drill down on and research, but right now I feel like I might as well close my eyes and throw a dart at a map. Can someone offer me some pointers as to where to start?

Thanks!

Maybe a dumb question with an obvious answer that I have overlooked, but does anyone have recommendations for good real estate news sources about market trends, developments, etc.? I am not opposed to using a platform like Propstream that would provide hard analytical data on markets, demographics, and such, but even just in terms of news about developing markets and real estate news I don't really know where to look for specialized real estate news that is not subjective/someone's personal take on what is happening in a given market or something. Most major news sources seem to only cover real estate news when something drastic happens so I'm looking more for daily market news.

Hi Jack!

I currently have a full time 9-5 and am looking to ideally transition into REI gradually (certainly not in any big rush to make it a full time gig right off) so I am just starting the process of shopping around for a starter property such as a SFH or small multifamily and am overwhelmed by where to begin as an individual investor without partners or a team of any kind. I currently live in Vermont, but am more interested in out of state investing in growing secondary markets, primarily in the south and midwest regions given the lower purchasing costs and property taxes, as well as the ever shrinking population in the state of Vermont. I have a few different markets in mind, but I guess my question(s) would be what piece or pieces of advice would you give to a rookie investor interested in out-of-state investing and any resources you would recommend to help get me off in the right direction?

Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks!

So I was listening to an episode of the BP Podcast and heard a sponsor spot for Farmfolio and found the concept kind of interesting and worth a bit or research. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience/success/input from using it. From the website and information packet I read through it seems like a good way to dip a toe into farmland investing but haven't really been able to find any independent reviews or feedback that isn't posted directly on their website.

I don't know that I can even classify myself as a novice in real estate, as I have just started the process of doing some research after listening to a couple episodes of the BP podcast. I am currently based in Vermont but due to a number of factors in the state (property taxes chief among them) I really do not want to purchase anything in the state and intend on moving out of state in the not too distant future (ideally to a state with much friendlier property taxes). In the meantime, I have been considering purchasing a property (most likely single family or small multifamily) somewhere out of state and use it as a rental property until I am able to move out of Vermont, at which point I would move into the property as a primary residence, or depending on what type of income I can generate from it during that time, keep it as a rental and purchase something else. 

My first question would be if this sounds like a wise plan or should I have a primary residence in the area I am buying a rental property first or should I just jump in a get a toehold with my first rental property and just build from there?

My second question is what is the best way to go about finding property in an area where I am not living? I have obviously been looking through a lot of online listings, but sifting through all the pertinent information on my own over the internet seems a bit overwhelming at times and I feel like I don't have a real starting point. 

Any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!