If you want to buy in University city, I recommend staying as close to the universities possible in order to attract the best tenants and have the best room for appreciation.

You may want to first explore cities that you are already familiar with.Think of cities where you grew up, went to school, like to vacation to or see family.You will have a better idea of what the good / bad parts of town than a brand new city that you are unfamiliar with.Best of luck.

Any city that I'm looking to invest in I always start by looking at population growth.

We have Sec8 in Birmingham, AL.  

What is the best area in Birmingham to invest?

Hi Jamison,Kansas City is a fantastic market for someone with your skills and background!

Dennis' dad and I actually tripped over something similar back in Chandler.. we learned to tap into city planning websites and even call the permit offices directly to get a real sense of their backlogs.

(at least in Birmingham).

I usually invest / work in Birmingham area, but I have been looking at properties in Baldwin County and plan to invest there also.

Any recommendations for which cities and dates to look into as a starter?