At least try to find an expert who knows the local market there. 

Right now I am about as far from an REI expert as you can get, but I just read this post the other day and it really helped me to understand all the numbers that should be taken into account when looking at renting out a place.

I'm also not an 'expert' on this REI stuff, by any means... but 'market cycles' are 'predictable' in the sense that the same people control them and pray off of the 99.9% like clockwork... and as many an 'insider' have said, in effect: "Watch what the herd is doing... and be prepared, then do the OPPOSITE."

One obvious reason why people choose who they invest with is because they perceive the fund manager(s), executives to be subject matter experts.

Thanks for the info...You seem to be a military base expert. 

This will be my first.I'm having an appraisal done tomorrow (Monday).Looking to hear some expert advice on this.Thanks in advance.Ross

This depends on a lot of moving parts like area and economic conditions.

In these communities, the economic fuel, whether mining, industry or government subsidy, eventually peters out and the economic engine seizes up and is dead silent. 

You are the expert helping them.  

Instead, what they need to do is tap into the local real estate investor community and those people with networking abilities to put those projects in the hands of experts so they take off.