The best way IMO to combine ALL sources of profit into a single analytical framework is to project out the financials and planned exit and calculate the IRR ... this is still far from fool proof, but at least it allows you to look at BOTH cash flow AND appreciation, and other factors in combination, and not in isolation and fixed forever in time as with CoC, CAP rates, etc.Also, both cash flow and appreciation are not steady, and not linear ... they both go up and down over the short term in unpredictable ways.

The UK is the market i've been involved in for almost 15 years now, so if you have any specific questions or if you would like another set of analytical eyes to look over an opportunity in the UK that you are considering please feel free to send me a message.Simon I'm happy to help you in the same regard.All the best,Charles

With the appropriate focus on finding the right markets and with adequate reserves for rainy days, I feel like they are so much more reliable in the long term.This train of thought has culminated in a few spreadsheets and a conclusion I'm finding difficult to avoid: If I were to liquidate the old 401k and go for building as many properties as I can early (don't worry - I'm very analytical and will not reach for deals that don't meet my cash flow and market parameters), it could mean the difference between my initial net cash flow funding a new property each year right off the bat, versus needing 1.5 - 2 years to build for the next property. 

As a very analytical scientist analyzing deals is my favorite part.

An economist at Moody's Analytics noted that in 2013, investors were worried about the state of the economy.

However, if you want to be active, then assess yourself, are you more analytical then finding deals and underwriting them may be your "value add".  

, but for those who are diligent, analytical, and careful, it’s still possible to make a lot of money flipping properties in most areas of the country.While you should keep in mind that every market will be different, and what may work in one area of the country may not work in another, here are some good general guidelines you should consider if you plan to flip in today’s down market:Continue reading The 8 Rules of Flipping...Part 1 here.

If you are performing ongoing research, I would definitely recommend you look into some CRE data and analytics tools.

If so, HubSpot is a great tool for this, it has great analytics and tracking, and it's something that I've used for the past 3/4 years.

@Ray Lai I am huge on analytics and split testing my campaigns so I know what's working in my market and what's not.