I like markets with diverse job drivers, and it is always helpful to have major corporations locally. 

In fact, some of the best opportunities in real estate come from properties that others overlook—distressed homes with potential that just need the right investor to bring them back to life.If you’ve been in the game long enough, you know that distressed properties can offer huge upside, but they also come with their own set of challenges.

These markets are attractive because of their diverse, resilient economies, lower priced homes, and stable home price appreciation.

I work for a building materials company now and took their online game from Zero to very engaged in the past few years and it's been really fun.

Removing all skills from the equation, if you don't take a break from participating as a real estate investor in some way each day, you will stay far ahead of everyone else who keeps subbing themselves out and then asking to get back in when the game is already out of reach.

.🔹 Example in Action:Rental income: $9,000PITI: $9,500 → DSCR <1 (not qualifying)Using $63,000 in assets → Adds $1,045 in incomeNew DSCR >1 → Higher LTV (80% instead of 75%)🔹 Why This Matters:✅ Helps investors qualify for better financing✅ Increases borrowing power and flexibility✅ Allows you to scale your portfolio fasterUnderstanding financing tools like this can be a game-changer for investors looking to maximize opportunities.

If you are good with your numbers, you're already ahead of the game.  

Baselane has been a game-changer for me, saving a significant amount of time compared to manually tracking everything in Google Sheets.

That drive is what sets apart winners in this game. 

I gravitate towards "red states" given the landlord-friendly laws and relative ease of evictions, which unfortunately are unavoidable in the buy and hold game.