Is Stockton CA still a good location to invest?

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Real Estate Agent · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2016 · 738 posts · 1k+ votes
7y

@Tammy Ly

Ultimately, it's going to depend on your criteria and strategy, but I would say yes. There is a massive migration going on in California. The largest homebuyer segment is millennials under the age of 37, and they are moving out of the pricey Bay Area and into Stockton, Sacramento, Phoenix and Nevada.

As for Stockton, where else are you going to find a decent home for $250k? See map below:

Recently listed a home in Stockton and got 3 offers on the first weekend. Market is hot.

So, in my advice, yes. Stockton is a good place to invest. But it all depends on your strategy, experience, goals, etc. just like any other market. 

If you have any more specific questions about Stockton just let me know, grew up there so I know it like the back of my hand.

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  • Real Estate Agent · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2016 · 738 posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    @Tammy Ly

    Ultimately, it's going to depend on your criteria and strategy, but I would say yes. There is a massive migration going on in California. The largest homebuyer segment is millennials under the age of 37, and they are moving out of the pricey Bay Area and into Stockton, Sacramento, Phoenix and Nevada.

    As for Stockton, where else are you going to find a decent home for $250k? See map below:

    Recently listed a home in Stockton and got 3 offers on the first weekend. Market is hot.

    So, in my advice, yes. Stockton is a good place to invest. But it all depends on your strategy, experience, goals, etc. just like any other market. 

    If you have any more specific questions about Stockton just let me know, grew up there so I know it like the back of my hand.

  • Rental Property Investor · San Ramon, CA · Member since 2017 · 350 posts · 611 votes
    7y

    Yes, we have acquired 45 units in Stockton in the past year and 14 units in Sacramento.  Both are great markets, but just like any other city, need to know which areas within those cities and find deals at below market. Easier said than done!

  • 94520 · Member since 2019 · 13 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    @Wes Blackwell  @Paul Choi 

    Thanks so much for sharing your insight experience. I have just got a lead form a broker, in Stockton, $340K asking price, four units, Gross rental income $2,600.00/m. So, you can see it doesn't fit into the 1%, 2% rules. Barely positive cash flow with a conventional loan. I understand because we are in the Bay Area. Can you tell how to balance out cash flow, appreciation and others # in the investing equation?

    Currently, I live in East Bay. So, Stockton is proximity enough for me getting there as need. Please tell How rough is the area?

    Thanks a lot! 

  • Rental Property Investor · San Ramon, CA · Member since 2017 · 350 posts · 611 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Tammy Ly:

    @Wes Blackwell  @Paul Choi 

    Thanks so much for sharing your insight experience. I have just got a lead form a broker, in Stockton, $340K asking price, four units, Gross rental income $2,600.00/m. So, you can see it doesn't fit into the 1%, 2% rules. Barely positive cash flow with a conventional loan. I understand because we are in the Bay Area. Can you tell how to balance out cash flow, appreciation and others # in the investing equation?

    Currently, I live in East Bay. So, Stockton is proximity enough for me getting there as need. Please tell How rough is the area?

    Thanks a lot! 

    Stockton is block by block so anything south of hwy 4 is typically bad.  Downtown and north of it is class C. North Stockton near UOP is better.  Price per unit reflects the different areas and how "rough" it is.  You really have to drive around the whole afternoon to get a feel for it.  I live in the Bay Area but have driven around Stockton and Sacramento almost every weekend for months - up and down the street, block by block.

    That duplex you mentioned - what are the comps telling you? If the comps show $500k sales, then it might be a decent deal where there is value-add upside. If they don't then probably not a good deal. The 1% or 2% rule is just 1 metric. You need to look at a bunch of factors - ARV, GRM, DSCR, Cap rate, EM, CoC ROI and so on.

  • Member since 2018 · 21 posts · 11 votes
    7y

    Wes,

    I am considering selling my duplex in Kansas City MO and purchase similar property in Stockton area since I live in east bay. May be I should do 1031.  Let me know if you can help me on this

    Mike

  • Real Estate Agent · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2016 · 738 posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    @Mike Gi

    Sending you a message to see if this is the right move for you to make :-)

  • Real Estate Agent · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2016 · 738 posts · 1k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Tammy Ly:

    @Wes Blackwell  @Paul Choi 

    Thanks so much for sharing your insight experience. I have just got a lead form a broker, in Stockton, $340K asking price, four units, Gross rental income $2,600.00/m. So, you can see it doesn't fit into the 1%, 2% rules. Barely positive cash flow with a conventional loan. I understand because we are in the Bay Area. Can you tell how to balance out cash flow, appreciation and others # in the investing equation?

    Currently, I live in East Bay. So, Stockton is proximity enough for me getting there as need. Please tell How rough is the area?

    Thanks a lot! 

    For every market, you have to compare apples to apples. Numbers can vary wildly in just a two hour drive. What you have to do is compare the subject property to previously sold and currently available inventory and compare the averages. If the average % rule is 0.6% and you come across a deal that is 0.85%, then you've found a deal even though you didn't hit the 1% mark because the property offers greater returns than other comparable properties in the same area.

    As Paul Choi said, Stockton is block by block, so best to at least spend an afternoon driving around the area you're considering investing in if you're not working with someone who's intimately familiar with the area and lived in the area for over 10 years...

    Ahem... *COUGH*COUGH*WES BLACKWELL* COUGH* COUGH* ;-)

  • Commercial Real Estate Broker · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 102 posts · 50 votes
    7y

    Be careful of Stockton.  RE is very cyclical and Stockton is an area that gets hammered every down cycle. 

  • Mike D'ArrigoPro Member
    Turn key provider · San Jose, CA · Member since 2010 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    @Tammy Ly there are some pretty rough areas of Stockton so you have to know the area well.

  • 94520 · Member since 2019 · 13 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    @Mike D'Arrigo Thank you. I was told 95204 and 95207 are better areas, Can you tell which zip codes should watch out for? 

  • Mike D'ArrigoPro Member
    Turn key provider · San Jose, CA · Member since 2010 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Tammy Ly:

    @Mike D'Arrigo Thank you. I was told 95204 and 95207 are better areas, Can you tell which zip codes should watch out for? 

     I don't know Stockton well but in looking at those zip codes on a map, the look pretty geographically broad and I suspect the neighborhoods will vary a lot within the zip codes. Zip codes are too large in most markets to be meaningful. You need to drill down further than that. 

  • 94520 · Member since 2019 · 13 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    A trip to Stockton today, drove by a couple of areas where the few properties located. It seems nice town with a lot of lands. I went to the North part and East center part of the town. 

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