Advice on visiting out of state market for investment property

[Kenneth Biason]

Hello all,

Going to be in Indianapolis in a few weeks, if you are looking to out of state invest in this market, what are some things you would do if you were in the area visiting?  Who would be good people to try to meet (agents, lenders, PM's etc)?

[Nathan Gesner]

I would start by reading "Long Distance Real Estate Investing" by David Greene because it will probably answer most of your questions.

You could call around to a variety of REALTORS and ask their advice. The problem is, most REALTORS may know the housing market well but they know nothing about real estate investing. Big difference! What you need to do is find a local real estate investing group, get linked in with some movers and shakers that understand the investment market, and then cross-check their information by speaking with REALTORS, Property Managers, and Lenders.