Rookie Investor Looking to do Long-Distance Cash Flow – Advice Welcome!

[Samuel Peters]

Hi all! My name is Sam, and I’m based in San Diego, CA. I'm just starting out and looking to become a long-distance real estate investor. I haven’t made any deals yet, but I’ve been educating myself and hope to make my first investment—ideally a long-term cash-flowing property—by the end of the year.

Like many others, I’ve found that the more I learn, the more I realize how much there is to learn. Right now, I’m in that stage where I have more questions than answers. I know that real estate is as much about building connections as it is about crunching numbers, and I’m excited to learn from this community—your successes and your failures.

Lately, I’ve been digging into market research—cross-referencing City-Data, Zillow, and other sites—trying to find markets that meet the 1% rule, have a median household income to median rent ratio around 4x, and a reasonable crime index. But I haven’t had much luck yet. I’m wondering: how do you identify solid cash-flow markets? Am I overanalyzing, or is this just a tough market right now?

Any recommendations, advice, tools, or even rookie mistakes to avoid would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to learning and growing with you all!

[Melissa Justice]

@Samuel Peters,

Hey Sam and welcome! You’re asking the right questions and doing the groundwork most skip.

Yes, it's a tougher market right now, but deals still exist, especially in cash-flow-friendly, landlord-friendly states that have turnkey rental opportunities like Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, South Carolina and others in the Midwest and Southeast.

You’re not overanalyzing, just be careful not to get stuck in “analysis paralysis.” The 1% rule is a great guide, but also look at:
* Job growth & population trends (City-Data, Census)
* Landlord laws
* Property management availability

You're in the right place! Stay focused and get that first deal done by year’s end! Let me know if you need help analyzing areas or specific properties - always here to help!

Best,

Melissa