Rental competition seems like a big one, but I’d love to hear how you weigh other factors too.Thanks again for sharing your experience—it’s really helpful!

. #1 is the primary reason, but #2 does factor in as well.

The market is always evolving and there may be good deals to be had near term or you may need to wait a while, depending on many factors like interest rates etc.

There are two main factors that you can use to track gentrification, so why can't they be used to track the reverse?

I'm in Iowa and while not KC, I think the factors are probably similar being in the Midwest. 

However, financial freedom isn’t a one-time event; it’s about sustaining your desired lifestyle for the rest of your life.Once you have your goals, the next decision is where to invest.Investment Market/CityThe investment city determines all long-term income characteristics, including whether rents rise fast enough to outpace inflation and how long your income will last.Understanding inflation: It takes more dollars to buy the same goods every time you go to the store.

Yes, I use Zillow reporting as a start and look at other factors.

BPOs are typically exterior only and agents usually earn $30 - 50 to complete them, so use them as a reference but not the deciding factor.                                                                                                                                                                     

The discipline to run on a budget for a number of years or decades depending on your math, doesn't factor in emergencies or market changes where the HELOC could be used to invest in other places.

When things outside of our control as investors change, (macro-economic factors, saturation, disposable income etc.) and there is no safety net, that's when investors can get really hurt.