REMOTE CHALLENGES - How to build trusted connections?

[Bhushan Shinkre]

Hello Everyone! I'm a fairly seasoned investor out of Bay Area and entering new markets in KCMO/KCK, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Birmingham. I'm trying to build trusted connections with realtors / wholesalers, contractors and lenders. I'm plugged into Facebook groups, but there is so much noise out there with novices inundating you with bad deals and shady proposals. How do I sort through the noise, find legitimate deals and actually buy quality long-term holds? I've studied these markets, have my buy box ready and ROI criteria established. Would love to learn from the community on your experiences, dos/don'ts, etc.

[James Wise]

Quote from @Bhushan Shinkre:

Hello Everyone! I'm a fairly seasoned investor out of Bay Area and entering new markets in KCMO/KCK, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Birmingham. I'm trying to build trusted connections with realtors / wholesalers, contractors and lenders. I'm plugged into Facebook groups, but there is so much noise out there with novices inundating you with bad deals and shady proposals. How do I sort through the noise, find legitimate deals and actually buy quality long-term holds? I've studied these markets, have my buy box ready and ROI criteria established. Would love to learn from the community on your experiences, dos/don'ts, etc.

 I'd recommend going with one of the larger property management companies in each of these markets. Thinking you'll be able to build your own team piece by piece from the jump is dangerous. I've seen some investors do it, but most fail and fail hard.

Beyond that, what you buy in each of the markets is very important. It's a big mistake to buy properties without understanding the various levels of risk involved in each of the neighborhoods. 

I recommend giving the following a read to help you in each of these two markets.

- The Ultimate Guide to Grading Birmingham Alabama Neighborhoods

- The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods