Simon, Here in FL its much easier for us because we know a few things:1) The U.S. is severely under supplied in housing units. 2) Tons of people are moving to Florida everyday which makes point #1 even more drastic for us. 3) Interest rates are preventing people from selling their homes, because then they would need to re-trade for a higher interest rate buying a new home, which is creating even more housing demand.So with this knowledge, now we move to more market specific data, which is what I talk about in the original post.If a market shows decent growth and demand, then it all boils down to the numbers.Its important not to forget about any costs though.

I have heard population growth, combined with income to rent ratio  & crime rate is a good start.

If you haven't already, you should dig into the Tampa Bay market and surrounding areas which is poised for significant growth over the next few years.

However that is also just natural in that more active members are going to be those younger investors that are in the high leverage growth phase and are asking questions and seeking help because they are new at it, vs many of the investors that have already built their larger portfolio and have consolidated it, now have low leverage and are just enjoying the fruits of their labor don't come on as much other than to help others since they don't need to ask questions as much. 

I had to grow the budget over time.If I told you what works now, you'd be competing with my students.

Reasons were many, but financially speaking, I had received a growth opportunity from my employer in exchange that I relocate to another part of the country.

I built some new construction up in Ocala area and it was uber frustrating as well getting permits my GC I hired though finished the projects although it took way longer ( not his fault) So for us it was not a great investment we made a little return but nothing that was commiserate with the risk.I think this is an issue with FLA  with the uber growth going on  etc.

The growth on equity is outpacing any cash-flow. 

I grew up north of San Francisco but moved to Reno, NV to live and invest because of it's proximity to CA, low property taxes, stable job growth, diversified population growth, lower prices, strong rents, much more landlord friendly tenant/landlord laws, etc. 

When deciding whether to hold, sell, or exchange, you’ll want to look at a few key metrics: your current return on equity (ROE), potential returns from reinvesting, and your goals for the property.Given your appreciation and the fact you're considering a 1031 exchange, it might make sense to evaluate if moving that equity into a larger or more profitable property could accelerate your growth.