Looking to narrow down a market for long distance rental properties.

Looking to narrow down a market for long distance rental properties.

New to Real Estate · CA · Member since 2023 · 8 posts · 16 votes

Hi all,

I've been doing a lot of reading and research on long term rental property investing, specifically long distance investing, and am somewhat stuck at which market to pursue for long term rental property investments. I am active duty military stationed in southern California and cannot afford that market. I have been doing macro studies of the following locations and would appreciate any feedback on the goods and bads of these locations, or any other recommended markets for a new investor. I am looking to buy and hold for long term single family or small multifamily rentals: 

-San Antonio, TX: Seems to have a decent amount of properties available but property taxes are high cutting into cash flow.

-Tampa, FL: Rental market seems sizable and stable but insurance rates seem high and potential of hurricanes, etc.

-Jacksonville, FL: Same concerns for natural disasters and insurance rates.

-Columbus, OH: I have had many people tell me to look into OH for good cash flow. Is this a flooded market or are there investments to be made still?

-Tucson, AZ: Seems to have an average population/job growth and decent rent rates, plus good weather.

-Knoxville, TN: Decent rent rates, lower property taxes, high % of renters.

-Raleigh, NC: Low rent to income ratio, average rent rates, moderate rent rate increase.

-Charlotte, NC: Good job/population growth, lower vacancy rate, higher rent, lower taxes.

Please let me know what you think, thanks ahead of time!

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Peter MckernanBusiness Member
Residential Real Estate Agent · Irvine, CA · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Craig Cecin:
Quote from @Josue Rosa:

Hi Craig. Have you considered using a VA loan to purchase an investment property here in California? As a fellow resident and investor, I feel you - the prices can be much higher, but the down payment and closing cost benefits of a VA loan plus the use of the rental income to help qualify for a higher purchase price could be worth considering. I mention California because you would have to occupy the property for at least 1 year before you could refinance and use a VA loan elsewhere.

If this strategy doesn't make sense, what are your top investing goals? Is cashflow, appreciation, or tax benefits most important? Are you looking to do short, medium, or long term rentals, or focus on a niche like student or corporate housing? The more you learn about each of these options, the easier it will be to pick a market that best suits you.

I haven't really looked into buying in CA, I did when I initially moved here but the prices close to my work drove me away from that idea. I have used the VA loan before though so am aware of it's benefits. 
I think I'd like to target cash flow and equity for long term rentals. Is cash flow possible in the SoCal area with the state of the market?
Thanks!

 To be honest, no, it does not cashflow in normal markets in CA. There are a lot of things you need to do to get the cashflow flowing in the market; however, there is cashflow quickly after that and the bumps in rent are higher than other places. If you go off what CA imposed you can be as high as 10% on each rental increase for instance $2K could be $2,200 after the first year. That is what brings a lot of people to liking and buying in CA, and then the appreciation/equity piece of the puzzle as well. 

But if you were to go buy VA today the cashflow would be negative to 0 but you can get creative as well.

There are investors that I work with and have worked with, they bought 1-2 rentals a year up until 2008 and their net worth is in the eight figures.  

The McKernan Group4.957 Reviews
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  • Realtor · Los Angeles · Member since 2023 · 18 posts · 15 votes
    3y

    Hi Craig. Have you considered using a VA loan to purchase an investment property here in California? As a fellow resident and investor, I feel you - the prices can be much higher, but the down payment and closing cost benefits of a VA loan plus the use of the rental income to help qualify for a higher purchase price could be worth considering. I mention California because you would have to occupy the property for at least 1 year before you could refinance and use a VA loan elsewhere.

    If this strategy doesn't make sense, what are your top investing goals? Is cashflow, appreciation, or tax benefits most important? Are you looking to do short, medium, or long term rentals, or focus on a niche like student or corporate housing? The more you learn about each of these options, the easier it will be to pick a market that best suits you.

  • Polo VazquezPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · McAllen, TX · Member since 2017 · 382 posts · 281 votes
    3y

    Hey Craig! I think you should look into the the surrounding cities of the cities you mentioned! These are all big cities and there is a lot of competition. You can usually get better cash flow on smaller towns. The market I live at has good cash flows (it has gotten difficult with high interest rated though) and has had a solid 3-4% appreciation.  

    I love Texas and think you should invest here. We have one of the best economies in the country and more companies keep moving here. Of course, I live here and my opinion is biased.

  • New to Real Estate · CA · Member since 2023 · 8 posts · 16 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Josue Rosa:

    Hi Craig. Have you considered using a VA loan to purchase an investment property here in California? As a fellow resident and investor, I feel you - the prices can be much higher, but the down payment and closing cost benefits of a VA loan plus the use of the rental income to help qualify for a higher purchase price could be worth considering. I mention California because you would have to occupy the property for at least 1 year before you could refinance and use a VA loan elsewhere.

    If this strategy doesn't make sense, what are your top investing goals? Is cashflow, appreciation, or tax benefits most important? Are you looking to do short, medium, or long term rentals, or focus on a niche like student or corporate housing? The more you learn about each of these options, the easier it will be to pick a market that best suits you.

    I haven't really looked into buying in CA, I did when I initially moved here but the prices close to my work drove me away from that idea. I have used the VA loan before though so am aware of it's benefits. 
    I think I'd like to target cash flow and equity for long term rentals. Is cash flow possible in the SoCal area with the state of the market?
    Thanks!
  • New to Real Estate · CA · Member since 2023 · 8 posts · 16 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Polo Vazquez:

    Hey Craig! I think you should look into the the surrounding cities of the cities you mentioned! These are all big cities and there is a lot of competition. You can usually get better cash flow on smaller towns. The market I live at has good cash flows (it has gotten difficult with high interest rated though) and has had a solid 3-4% appreciation.  

    I love Texas and think you should invest here. We have one of the best economies in the country and more companies keep moving here. Of course, I live here and my opinion is biased.


     Thanks for the suggestion! Do you have locations in TX you'd recommend that have low entry points and offer cash flow and equity? Are the rental markets in these smaller cities sustainable for long term renting or are vacancy rates higher?

    Thanks!

  • Remington LymanBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Craig Cecin:

    Hi all,

    I've been doing a lot of reading and research on long term rental property investing, specifically long distance investing, and am somewhat stuck at which market to pursue for long term rental property investments. I am active duty military stationed in southern California and cannot afford that market. I have been doing macro studies of the following locations and would appreciate any feedback on the goods and bads of these locations, or any other recommended markets for a new investor. I am looking to buy and hold for long term single family or small multifamily rentals: 

    -San Antonio, TX: Seems to have a decent amount of properties available but property taxes are high cutting into cash flow.

    -Tampa, FL: Rental market seems sizable and stable but insurance rates seem high and potential of hurricanes, etc.

    -Jacksonville, FL: Same concerns for natural disasters and insurance rates.

    -Columbus, OH: I have had many people tell me to look into OH for good cash flow. Is this a flooded market or are there investments to be made still?

    -Tucson, AZ: Seems to have an average population/job growth and decent rent rates, plus good weather.

    -Knoxville, TN: Decent rent rates, lower property taxes, high % of renters.

    -Raleigh, NC: Low rent to income ratio, average rent rates, moderate rent rate increase.

    -Charlotte, NC: Good job/population growth, lower vacancy rate, higher rent, lower taxes.

    Please let me know what you think, thanks ahead of time!


    Columbus, Ohio is still a good market for cash flow
  • Real Estate Agent · Columbus | Toledo · Member since 2019 · 608 posts · 768 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Craig Cecin:

    Hi all,

    I've been doing a lot of reading and research on long term rental property investing, specifically long distance investing, and am somewhat stuck at which market to pursue for long term rental property investments. I am active duty military stationed in southern California and cannot afford that market. I have been doing macro studies of the following locations and would appreciate any feedback on the goods and bads of these locations, or any other recommended markets for a new investor. I am looking to buy and hold for long term single family or small multifamily rentals: 

    -San Antonio, TX: Seems to have a decent amount of properties available but property taxes are high cutting into cash flow.

    -Tampa, FL: Rental market seems sizable and stable but insurance rates seem high and potential of hurricanes, etc.

    -Jacksonville, FL: Same concerns for natural disasters and insurance rates.

    -Columbus, OH: I have had many people tell me to look into OH for good cash flow. Is this a flooded market or are there investments to be made still?

    -Tucson, AZ: Seems to have an average population/job growth and decent rent rates, plus good weather.

    -Knoxville, TN: Decent rent rates, lower property taxes, high % of renters.

    -Raleigh, NC: Low rent to income ratio, average rent rates, moderate rent rate increase.

    -Charlotte, NC: Good job/population growth, lower vacancy rate, higher rent, lower taxes.

    Please let me know what you think, thanks ahead of time!


     There is no perfect market, but there are successful investors in every market. Choose one that best fits your goals, timeline, and convenience. Learn all you can about that market and get started! 

  • Realtor · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2023 · 245 posts · 231 votes
    3y

    I'm not sure about the other markets you've mentioned but I do know Charlotte. Finding a cash flowing long term rental is very, very difficult in the Charlotte market right now, however, the equity potential is huge and our vacancy rates are very low compared to a lot of other markets.

    I have clients that do well in OH but look to Charlotte for the faster equity growth and less risk due to the growth and vacancy rates. I think it depends on what your goals are, what your budget is, and your risk tolerance.

  • Jimmy LieuBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Craig Cecin:

    Hi all,

    I've been doing a lot of reading and research on long term rental property investing, specifically long distance investing, and am somewhat stuck at which market to pursue for long term rental property investments. I am active duty military stationed in southern California and cannot afford that market. I have been doing macro studies of the following locations and would appreciate any feedback on the goods and bads of these locations, or any other recommended markets for a new investor. I am looking to buy and hold for long term single family or small multifamily rentals: 

    -San Antonio, TX: Seems to have a decent amount of properties available but property taxes are high cutting into cash flow.

    -Tampa, FL: Rental market seems sizable and stable but insurance rates seem high and potential of hurricanes, etc.

    -Jacksonville, FL: Same concerns for natural disasters and insurance rates.

    -Columbus, OH: I have had many people tell me to look into OH for good cash flow. Is this a flooded market or are there investments to be made still?

    -Tucson, AZ: Seems to have an average population/job growth and decent rent rates, plus good weather.

    -Knoxville, TN: Decent rent rates, lower property taxes, high % of renters.

    -Raleigh, NC: Low rent to income ratio, average rent rates, moderate rent rate increase.

    -Charlotte, NC: Good job/population growth, lower vacancy rate, higher rent, lower taxes.

    Please let me know what you think, thanks ahead of time!

    Hey Craig, totally can relate with you being from an expensive real estate market - I moved to Columbus a few years ago (from Portland, Oregon which was super expensive) to become a full time real estate investor, and ever since, I've completed quite a lot of BRRRRs, flips, and own a successful rental portfolio here in Columbus Ohio. There's so many catalysts for population and job growth (Intel, Honda, Amazon, Nationwide Hospital, etc). I can definitely tell you there's still a lot of positive cash flowing and 1% rule deals and you get amazing appreciation. As an investor and agent here in Columbus Ohio, if you have any questions or want to connect, definitely reach out!

  • Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 975 votes
    3y

    @Craig Cecin Welcome to BP! I'm also active duty Navy stationed in San Diego, and I can assure you it is possible to invest here using a VA loan. My wife and I are house hacking here and its been fantastic.

    That being said, most of my real estate portfolio is NOT in California because of how expensive it is and the landlord/tenant laws. I own in Wisconsin, Florida, and Oklahoma, and I'm a limited partner in syndications in other states as well. My out of state BRRRR's and flips have been in Oklahoma (I'm a big fan of the OKC and Tulsa markets!)

    You'll be successful investing in any of those markets you listed, but you need to be crystal clear about your long term vision and goals. Also consider where you have a competitive advantage. The answer to those questions will help you narrow down the markets to one that fits you. 

    Since you're in the SD area, we're doing a military real estate meetup tomorrow (Friday). Its all active duty and veterans who do real estate. You should come out. 

    Good luck!

  • Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 6 votes
    3y

    @Craig Cecin My wife is active duty Army in San Antonio and I am in the Guard here. I think San Antonio is a good market for long term rentals. The market is strong and I think appreciation will be a plus in the long run. Like you said higher property taxes does make it harder to cash flow but it is still very doable. The two things I have seen help the most are buying distressed homes and fixing them (BRRR Method) and multi family homes. Especially if you put the time into making a good team you can build a good portfolio here. If you would like to talk more feel free to reach out.

  • Peter MckernanBusiness Member
    Residential Real Estate Agent · Irvine, CA · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Craig Cecin:
    Quote from @Josue Rosa:

    Hi Craig. Have you considered using a VA loan to purchase an investment property here in California? As a fellow resident and investor, I feel you - the prices can be much higher, but the down payment and closing cost benefits of a VA loan plus the use of the rental income to help qualify for a higher purchase price could be worth considering. I mention California because you would have to occupy the property for at least 1 year before you could refinance and use a VA loan elsewhere.

    If this strategy doesn't make sense, what are your top investing goals? Is cashflow, appreciation, or tax benefits most important? Are you looking to do short, medium, or long term rentals, or focus on a niche like student or corporate housing? The more you learn about each of these options, the easier it will be to pick a market that best suits you.

    I haven't really looked into buying in CA, I did when I initially moved here but the prices close to my work drove me away from that idea. I have used the VA loan before though so am aware of it's benefits. 
    I think I'd like to target cash flow and equity for long term rentals. Is cash flow possible in the SoCal area with the state of the market?
    Thanks!

     To be honest, no, it does not cashflow in normal markets in CA. There are a lot of things you need to do to get the cashflow flowing in the market; however, there is cashflow quickly after that and the bumps in rent are higher than other places. If you go off what CA imposed you can be as high as 10% on each rental increase for instance $2K could be $2,200 after the first year. That is what brings a lot of people to liking and buying in CA, and then the appreciation/equity piece of the puzzle as well. 

    But if you were to go buy VA today the cashflow would be negative to 0 but you can get creative as well.

    There are investors that I work with and have worked with, they bought 1-2 rentals a year up until 2008 and their net worth is in the eight figures.  

    The McKernan Group4.957 Reviews
  • Real Estate Broker · Madison, WI · Member since 2015 · 118 posts · 60 votes
    3y

    I'm in Madison, WI which is an expensive market for WI- while nowhere near CA prices.  However, I'm sure trends hold where you usually see single family home prices just too competitive among owner occupants wanting them to really cash flow on a rental basis, so typically give the advice if you want cash flow to go with a 2-4 unit (if you want to stay with residential loans) and in our market do still see stable long term appreciation.  However, I know investors as well who bought anything that broke even and let equity and rents build over time and if you can afford that scenario and have a long time horizon, odds are very good of long term success (would think unless you buy in a neighborhood that turns from B/C to D/F/warzone over time, so also like the general idea of going with the best neighborhood you can afford and stay out of really bad areas unless you want to focus on that market niche and deal with more tenant issues-collections, turn over/evictions and also would not put a lot of faith in third party managers handling that amount of work well, and consider any places that look great on paper if you want to self manage and be much more hands on.

  • New to Real Estate · CA · Member since 2023 · 8 posts · 16 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Stephanie Walker:

    I'm not sure about the other markets you've mentioned but I do know Charlotte. Finding a cash flowing long term rental is very, very difficult in the Charlotte market right now, however, the equity potential is huge and our vacancy rates are very low compared to a lot of other markets.

    I have clients that do well in OH but look to Charlotte for the faster equity growth and less risk due to the growth and vacancy rates. I think it depends on what your goals are, what your budget is, and your risk tolerance.


     Thanks for your honest feedback! So with the equity growth being better than cash flow would you say that flips are a better strategy right now than long term hold?

  • Realtor · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2023 · 245 posts · 231 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Craig Cecin:
    Quote from @Stephanie Walker:

    I'm not sure about the other markets you've mentioned but I do know Charlotte. Finding a cash flowing long term rental is very, very difficult in the Charlotte market right now, however, the equity potential is huge and our vacancy rates are very low compared to a lot of other markets.

    I have clients that do well in OH but look to Charlotte for the faster equity growth and less risk due to the growth and vacancy rates. I think it depends on what your goals are, what your budget is, and your risk tolerance.


     Thanks for your honest feedback! So with the equity growth being better than cash flow would you say that flips are a better strategy right now than long term hold?


     Not necessarily! Flips are becoming harder and harder to find because the wholesalers take all of the margin. I think buy & holds are always the better option.

  • Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2015 · 160 posts · 76 votes
    3y

    @Craig Cecin Tampa area prices are inflated and insurance is getting tougher and more expensive. A lot of insurers are requiring to put a new roof on before they will bind insurance! It’s only going to get worse here, my money is moving North.

  • Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Craig Cecin:

    Hi all,

    I've been doing a lot of reading and research on long term rental property investing, specifically long distance investing, and am somewhat stuck at which market to pursue for long term rental property investments. I am active duty military stationed in southern California and cannot afford that market. I have been doing macro studies of the following locations and would appreciate any feedback on the goods and bads of these locations, or any other recommended markets for a new investor. I am looking to buy and hold for long term single family or small multifamily rentals: 

    -San Antonio, TX: Seems to have a decent amount of properties available but property taxes are high cutting into cash flow.

    -Tampa, FL: Rental market seems sizable and stable but insurance rates seem high and potential of hurricanes, etc.

    -Jacksonville, FL: Same concerns for natural disasters and insurance rates.

    -Columbus, OH: I have had many people tell me to look into OH for good cash flow. Is this a flooded market or are there investments to be made still?

    -Tucson, AZ: Seems to have an average population/job growth and decent rent rates, plus good weather.

    -Knoxville, TN: Decent rent rates, lower property taxes, high % of renters.

    -Raleigh, NC: Low rent to income ratio, average rent rates, moderate rent rate increase.

    -Charlotte, NC: Good job/population growth, lower vacancy rate, higher rent, lower taxes.

    Please let me know what you think, thanks ahead of time!

     If you are cash do what 100s of others from Ca, including me are and have been doing for years, buy in the Cleveland markets. I am getting 15- 20%(used to be 30% ) net caps for years,,,,,, In the last month or so I picked up 9 more doors ( in contract now on two more ) all with 20% net caps. 

    All the best 

  • New to Real Estate · CA · Member since 2023 · 8 posts · 16 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Bill Regan:

    @Craig Cecin Tampa area prices are inflated and insurance is getting tougher and more expensive. A lot of insurers are requiring to put a new roof on before they will bind insurance! It’s only going to get worse here, my money is moving North.


     Thanks for your honest reply, I was not aware of that!

  • Real Estate Agent · Mesa, AZ · Member since 2017 · 231 posts · 169 votes
    3y

    I think it's important to look at cashflow and price growth. Lots of investors fixate on cashflow and miss out on long term capital gains that can really accelerate the growth of your portfolio. 

    I'm up in Phoenix and I see a lot of potential in Tucson as well. It's a growing area, but I've noticed that a lot of the areas between Tucson and Phoenix are relatively inexpensive but the two cities are growing at such rapid rates that they end up engulfing those towns in a just a few years and their property values really can skyrocket. The issue with that strategy is you have to do your research and find out what companies are bringing industry to those small surrounding towns and it can be a good indicator of growth. 

  • Jake AndronicoBusiness Member
    Realtor · Reno, NV · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 938 votes
    3y

    I grew up in CA and have house hacked two homes after moving to Reno, NV. 

    I absolutely love this market and don't think people consider it often enough.

    Lots of pockets if you know where to look. Close proximity to CA is helpful for many reasons, but no state income tax, low property tax, landlord friendly, strong growth/job market, etc. 

    I'm of course bias, and you will get bias responses from investors here because that's what they know and have had success with which makes a ton of sense. 

    There is no perfect market at the end of the day. If you're looking for a home run to begin investing, you may never start. 

    The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. 

    With that being said, the more you learn and you understand, start with a strategy you understand the best. 

    I wish you the best of luck! and congrats on starting your journey!! 

  • Real Estate Broker · San Diego, CA · Member since 2016 · 355 posts · 195 votes
    3y

    @Craig Cecin I suggest to active duty here in San Diego, depending on their situation, househack here local by using your VA entitlement. And invest out of state with BRRRR's or turn keys... It's possible to do both when putting your mind to it. I have help active duty househack, either 2-4 units or one unit with a Rent-by-the Room. The right RbtR will have a better possibility of cash flowing sooner here.

  • Real Estate Agent · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2020 · 416 posts · 233 votes
    3y

    Hey Craig - I would highly recommend chatting to the RE professionals in these areas to really get a handle of what is going on in each individual market, and what is realistically achievable right now. 

    From all of the places I have been to on this list, I am most intrigued by Tampa. I was just there this past weekend and it is absolutely booming.

    Atlanta is not on your list, but happy to give some insight there as well if you're interested. 

  • Investor · Southeast North Carolina · Member since 2021 · 61 posts · 31 votes
    3y

    Hey, Craig!

    I just recently moved back home to SoCal after being stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC.  While out there, I invested in three different areas with single-family residences (one short-term at the beach, and two long-term rentals).  Investing in NC was largely driven by being nearby in the markets, and those just fit my needs because of many factors, to include the population migration to NC.

    But, sounds like you have the basics down in looking for insurance rates, job growth, population growth, rent growth, etc. in an area.  Two things that I learned earlier on was that if you are looking at a metropolitan area's, or city's, population growth, there could be specific areas within that are declining, stagnant, or growing.  So, depending on what part of town, or area, look at whether that particular area is growing or strong.  The second thing is that if you have ten basic criteria to measure for a desirable market, not every box will be checked.  So, depending on your goals and risk tolerance, that will dictate what markets would best suit your short or long-term goals.

    Hope that helps and is not too broad, but would be happy to get more specific if you ever wanted to.
    ____________
    REALTOR® CalDRE: 02221003 | CA Bar License: 322013

  • Investor · Jasper, GA · Member since 2019 · 55 posts · 31 votes
    3y

    @Bill Regan how about southwest fla like englewood or north port?

  • Wholesaler · Solvang, CA · Member since 2020 · 4 posts · 0 votes
    3y

    @Craig Cecin, I've got a two property package in Columbus OH that I'm looking to Assign.

    Both properties meet the 1% Rule and will have plenty of equity at purchase.

    Shoot me a message if you're interested!

  • Realtor · Greater Tampa Bay · Member since 2014 · 219 posts · 130 votes
    3y

    I've got the privilege of being an agent in the Tampa market while it's doing so well.  

    First, Tampa historically is never hit directly by hurricanes.  It takes a very rare track to actually hit Tampa the way we're positioned.  Sure we get tropical storms and edges of other hurricanes (since their width can span the whole state), but nothing like what Puerta Rico or Miami sees.

    Secondly, there are rental investments strategies available in Tampa and nearby markets that allow you to cash flow very well on top of the appreciation Tampa sees.  However if you go the traditional long term rental route, they are getting harder everywhere to find in fast appreciating and larger markets with just 10-25% down.  In Tampa, you really need 30-40% down to see any cashflow.

    Are we all calculating cashflow the same? To me, it's after reserves, PITI, and PM fees.

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