Very few are successful buying real estate in C stagnant markets.

@John Salcedo you may already know some of this, but a reminder doesn't hurt:)Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

Quote from @Maureen C Hart: I'm thinking about signing up too after just finishing the 7 day course.

I recognize that the CoC return is not as high as we'd like, but it does come with some built in equity (~$100,000)Details:- 3/2 Single family house (1487 sq ft) with a 1/1 ADU out back- Zipcode 78745- Purchase price: $469,900- Down payment: $50,000 plus CC (includes assignment fee)- Seller Finance $419,900 at 3.5% interest; 30 year amortization with a 15 year balloon- PITI $2744.02- Rental comps: $2667 for the 3/2; $1505 for the 1/1 - LTR according to BP (Total $4172)- Repairs needed - minimal, coat of paint and maybe swapping a window unit A/C for a mini split

What's going on @Evan MoraSomething I would recommend for you is this website. https://www.areavibes.com/Use this rating and classification system I have created over time to get an idea of the "Class" for the area - A class B class & so onHere is my rating & classification for each livability score.80 and above A+78/79 A76/77 A-74/75 B+72/73 B70/71 B-68/69 C+66/67 C64/65 C-60/63 D59 and below F

@Yixiong Panin our opinion, it depends on the Property Class/Tenant.Class A: most people can DIY manage and learn what they need to know on the fly.Class B: A bit harder, takes more time and there's more risk with maintenance and tenants.Class C: should only be attempted by EXPERIENCED landlords!

I made the same mistake with my first purchase 12 years ago when I bought a duplex in a C/D Philadelphia neighborhood. 

First, you could have several lock sets in stock, labeled A/B/C or something like that.

@Randy C.

Service the furnace, A/C and water heater regularly.