Quote from @Frank Dean: Hello Everyone,I am looking into the rental properties at Pittsburgh, PA.

Phase #1 - Recovery  - characterized by high vacancy rates and no new construction- rent, during this phase, is flat or declining- owners offer rent concessions to avoid their property occupancy rate from  decliningPhase #2 - Expansions- characterized by declining vacancy and the start of new construction- occupancy improves, concessions are not being offered, and rental rates being to growPhase #3 - Hyper Supply - characterized by new construction and vacancy rates beginning to rise - rental rates begin to grow at a slow rate- rent concession are being offerred due to the new construction in the area [in the hope of retaining current renters]Phase #4 - Recession - characterized by the completion of construction and a decline in occupancy rates - concessions are abundant to avoid high move-out rates Here are some foundational truths about optimizing your investments:#1 sow seeds of success in the down times - "The season of failure is the best time for sowing seeds of success."

I know it's not particularly close to Altoona, but where we do business in Pittsburgh we use Broker's Settlement Services.

I invest out of state in Pittsburgh from DC and self-manage everything, but it's taken me years to establish the right contacts, develop seamless processes etc. that allow me to handle everything remotely with confidence.

At least in the Pittsburgh area, there is a crazy demand for section 8 properties right now and not nearly enough properties for the amount of vouchers out!

Hi everyone,My name is Ohad Gincel, and I’m a real estate investor based in Israel, looking to expand my portfolio in Pittsburgh, PA, together with my wife, Naomi.

He does a lot of BRRRR, flip, and hold between Pittsburgh and West Virginia and will surely know the Pittsburgh markets you are considering.

i and others will happily answer any question you have. i invest in Pittsburgh, and in fact, I'd probably try to talk you OUT of investing in Pittsburgh if you proposed it, since you don't have a network here.investing out of state is certainly possible, but it's also way more difficult than advertised. 

I'm not sure if it was just that we planted the seed but the timing wasn't right at first?

However, I have no idea how to choose from the remaining cities, it seems there are a lot of potential options:- Midwest - Michigan (ie: Grand Rapids) seems to have options, also seeing Columbus Ohio and Indianapolis coming up- Reno - I've seen mentioned several times on here- Pittsburgh / Philadelphia / Twin Cities - All mentioned as lower cost to get started, and seem to be experiencing growthI'd ideally like to find a place that has strong potential for future growth, a diversified economy, and I don't mind living in (being close to nature would be a plus).