I ask have they been to the area before?

That's my MN opinion; look away, just ignore us here and look away, lol. 

Only thing I would add here is to take a birds eye view of the area and try to decide if it will gentrify in your favor so the property appreciates at a higher rate than other areas.

Here’s some guidance to help with your next steps:Hard Money Loan: Hard money lenders can often cover both the purchase price and some rehab costs (up to 70-75% of the after-repair value or ARV).

You want to look for like/kind SOLD properties to compare so, single family to single family and multi to multi (2-4). 

so if you don't have family or your own contacts in a market... it's just really tough.and (i may have said this in response to one of your other posts) but i'll just restate it here.  

There is a great group of members on here to connect with.

Any tips, strategies, or insights would be greatly appreciated!

Would love to hear your thoughts! 

I believe that mentorship and collaboration are key to success in this industry, and I'm here to learn from all of you and contribute where I can.If you're in the Charlotte area or have insights to share, I’d love to hear from you!