The key tool to use is to develop a checklist on each location and keep improving on it.

This is an essential tool for anyone buying a tenant-occupied property.

Hello BP, Is there a metric, tool or indicator I can use to determine vacancy rates in a specific area before buying a rental property?

We know how tricky it can be to find legitimate sponsors and solid deals, so we built PassivePockets to give you the tools, resources, and community support to help you invest with more confidence.

Use their market analysis tool to sort by properties similar to yours (#bed/baths, SF, location, amenities, etc.) and look through specific listings to find ones VERY similar to yours.

While my research is extremely limited (and entirely based on what I see - which is arguably an investors best tool), I did want to ask what others here have noticed in their major cities. 

Skiptracing is a valuable tool for real estate investors, especially when you're trying to locate property owners from returned mail or to expand your marketing efforts.

I'm getting some mixed results when I expand the number of tools for analysis that I'm using...

Do you know of a tool that I can use to help with the search ?

Here's a list of tools you can use to automate rent collection and other aspects of your business.