We've got strong job growth (tech, healthcare, education), stable population growth, strong rental demand, and plenty of value-add opportunities in multifamily.

I'm also looking for stable population and potential appreciation. 

I think that is a fair price and that will help me with my breathing room and hopefully help pay off my place faster, or at least so I can reach 20% equity so I can stop paying $110 a month in PMI haha.I'm obviously going to be checking credit score, making sure tenant has a stable income, no criminal background, etc.

STRs can bring great returns but are higher risk and more hands-on, like small-cap stocks, while long-term rentals are stable and predictable, like large-cap investments.

So, I went hunting.Huntsville, Alabama, caught my attention because it’s a highly educated city with growing industries and a stable, diverse economy, as well as a really high quality of life compared to the surrounding areas. 

The area is relatively stable, and the housing market tends to be less volatile. 

But if you’re looking for a more stable, family-friendly environment with lower costs and a focus on LTRs, Texas could be a better fit.Since you have young kids, I’d dig deeper into school districts and neighborhoods in both states—family life can really shape where you’ll feel at home.

Anyone can buy a stable senior income fund like FLBL with the click of a mouse and no liquidity or complexity issues. 

You typically need up to two years of stable employment before a bank will loan to you.

In this type of area having just 1 or 2 properties is ok because your tenant base is higher end and more stable.