Since you are new to the market, you can look at what the top rent pulls look like and cater accordingly on the design.You always want to build relationships with contractors, but that takes time and you always need a solid bench, just like in basketball because some days your starting plumber just doesn't show up and you need to bring in the backup.The rates are the rates and they aren't going way down soon so it's just part of a different metric to evaluate in your new market.Good luck!

You gat pull the trigger.

Hardest step in everyone's journey is to pull the trigger on a deal.

In most of those cases, their broker took a high fee and the investor didn't end up with a great deal.Here are a couple of things that are a tipoff you are not working with a broker with your interests at heart (1) they want to pull your credit before having a conversation, or (2) they send you a long list of things you need to provide them before learning about you and your deal.The conversation should start with why you are interested in REI, then understanding your strategy to get there.

Real estate's "gross rent multiplier" is Wall Street's "sales to revenue",  "cap rate" is roughly "P/E ratio".When evaluating markets and investments I tend to start with GRM (or lazily the 1% rule), then attempt to return a cap rate based on assumptions about costs, then I work my way to multiple years of projections (assumptions about inflation, amortization, tax benefits, etc), and if I am partnering with one of my smart friends I have to pull up an IRR (internal rate of return).I also look at regional employment levels, median income to rent ratio in the zip code etc. 

If the portfolio pays for itself and you don't have to pull out cash from somewhere else that is a win in my book.

The lists we pull are primarily LLCs, and Skip Genie, my go-to, does not skip trace LLCs.

Pull off the Band-Aid.

My wife and I own 3 properties in Colorado and are considering pulling some equity to purchase an STR in the Tampa Bay Area.

You'll see a hike in rate going from FHA to conventional in general (especially if your plan is to pull some of that equity), but you're also going from owner occupied to investment (if you plan on moving) which is another layer of pricing adjustments.