(Not that they actually set mortgage rates - but they influence them.)You now know that as you look at 2/1 houses that anything priced near or above $145,000 isn’t worth pursuing in the short term… so you look for ones that are cheaper than that.  

- Are there specific market conditions or trends in 2024 in Charlotte or Louisville that might influence your choice?

Demand Analysis: Assessing market demand, occupancy trends, and economic factors influencing demand.4.

Not being able to influence the stock market also relieves you from the personal  sense of responsibility that comes with REI.About running a business vs REI: on an abstract level, a business is something that generates money as an output, an investment is something that requires money as an input.

Is Coamo a random choice or is it influenced by a specific $ opportunity? 

Easiest way to look at this generically would be:Proposed mortgage payments + any other monthly payment you haveYour monthly income + 75%*long-term rentsThis always needs to be less than 50%, and of course other factors would influence your ability to qualify but this hopefully will give you a way to guesstimate the feasibility. 

He would not be able to continue his farse without the aid of these other influencers.

I believe that successfully navigating this initial investment will pave the way for future opportunities, whether in the same market or elsewhere.Living in New York City, I faced a challenging market ;)I chose Montgomery, Alabama.Here's my process:I compiled a list of states with favorable landlord laws.Using Brightinvestor, I identified cities within those states where the median home price falls below the national average ($420k).I excluded cities with negative income growth and rising unemployment rates.I focused on cities with strong appreciation rates over the past five years (over 10%).I compared price-to-rent ratios.I did break two rules: Montgomery has a slight decline in population, and its largest employers are an Air Force base and government agencies.One significant factor that influenced my decision was the promising price-to-rent ratio, suggesting potential for positive cash flow (though I remain cautious about appreciation).Regarding my acquisition strategy:I plan to employ the BRRR method with cash.

Infrastructure and Development: What upcoming infrastructure projects or developments could influence the market?

Its an additional influence that will more than likely multiply it's value, above and beyond what I can do with management experience.