Active Duty Military: Attempting to invest from overseas

[Christopher G.]

Hey everyone, I'm currently stationed in Germany on active duty. Own a few SFH rentals and flipped a few, still a newbie. My wife and I plan on staying in Europe for a few more years but we are looking into purchasing a 2-8 multifamily unit either in TN or NC around the large Army bases where we have previously lived and know the area. I have a trusted realtor at each location as well as management firms that I currently use. The management firms will arrange for necessary repairs after purchase and then take over managing the place. I would not be able to get a first hand look personally, would rely on realtor and inspection report. This is risky I know, looking for what are the immediate concerns that make you experienced investors cringe at this idea.

Thanks

[Whitney Sewell]

Hello Christopher.  Thank you for your service.  

I would prefer boots on the ground other than a realtor.  There are services now that you can hire that will take 100's of photos for you and send them to you.  BP also just put out a book called Long Distance Investing by David Greene.  

Sounds like you have done some homework if you have a trusted realtor and management team.  I find that no one is going to look at a property like you do when it isn't their money being invested.  It would be worth paying a friend in that area a few hundred to look over the property for you and take lots of photos to send to you.  An employee of a management company that was head of maintenance I connected with offered to look at a property with me.  He was very valuable because he had seen all the issues that were coming my way with the specific type and age property that I was considering.  

I am in VA and familiar with TN and NC. Let me know if I can help.