@Matt Devincenzo you are 100% right to ask because this is a gray area.

However, given the current home prices and mortgage rates in areas like Natick and Framingham, I’m uncertain if rental income will cover costs like PMI or if these areas offer good potential for appreciation and equity growth.Any suggestions on areas that meet the 1% rent rule or have strong appreciation potential would be greatly appreciated!

I recently placed in a class a unit (almost $2k/ft value) because it is beach unit and expect higher water contact (normally class a gets real wood).Carpet in common areas in short run is cheap but long run will cost more than concrete stain or LVF.  

Checking the supply of new construction in a given area can help you gauge if supply is outstripping demand.

Such projects can also be found in New York upper states or states with community solar aggregate policy.

Population growth >1.5% (based on https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/the-nations-most-popular-and-fastest-growing-metropolitan-areas-in-2023?

However Id like to know what are some data points and minimum criteria you look at in a market (like a 1% job growth YoY) to feel informed on your decision making processalso if you go to the area what are some things you look for physically that would be a good sign 

Unheard of in the Raleigh area.

I am a new investor in the Tampa Bay area and I am looking at single family mobile homes as rentals.

I like the idea of starting local since I know the Miami Beach area well, and buying a studio like the one I’m renting feels like a safe first step, so I’ve been looking at similar properties to what I currently rent online and running numbers.