Tips When Visiting and Scoping out Potential Real Estate Cities

[Derek Lee]

I'm planning to buy an investment property within the next 6 months, hopefully around the the Reno or Sacramento area. I am visiting both locations next week and will have a day in each city. Does anyone have tips on what criteria to look for? I've found articles online that say I should be looking for things such as population growth, job growth, property tax, but these are all things that can be found online. I'm specifically looking tips to evaluate a city by actual visiting in person. 

[Jim Goebel]

City-data.com is great for various data to add to your list of stuff that's useful before visiting (or after)

When there, drive around obviously :)

Line up meetings with contractors and ask things like: what building materials and/or codes from your experience are unique to the area?  When were most of the housing stock built out?

Depending on what model you're using (ie: buy and hold or flipping) I'd recommend acting like you are either a renter or a buyer and go see some houses that are already fixed up and 'top of the market' or whatever area of the market you think you'll be shooting for.  

Actual real data points are invaluable