All Forum Posts by: Brandon Carlson

Invest in your backyard. Below are a few options you can take to begin your real estate investing career. #1 is the most economical (my opinion, and I've done it before)
#1. House hack - purchase a SFR near a hospital or college. Furnish the bedroom you decide to rent out. 

#2. Duplex with a 5% conventional (LA County, OC, and Inland Empire) markets are still competitive

#3 Purchase a SFR with a detached garage. Convert the detached garage into an ADU ($110K invested) up to $1,500 rental income. 

Quote from @Sean Haran:

Hello all! I’m a Bigger Pockets junkie and aspiring investor. I’m 26 years old, working as a solar sales rep on a full commission 1099 pay structure (no hourly/no W2). Income varies month to month from 8-10k per month on a bad month, and have been paid up to 34k on my best month. To make it easy let’s say 250k per year income. No kids so my expenses are low, I am currently saving 75%+ of my income. I know for sure I want to put my cash into real estate, since the tax benefits will be huge for me based on my income and the fact that im not on a W2 salary. 

I live in Los Angeles, where homes are outrageously expensive. My question is whether it’s even worth it to look for investments writhing driving distance (250 miles or so) or if I just need to look out of state. I don’t need immediate cash flow especially if there’s a lot of upside for appreciation or raising rent in the future, but I also don’t want a property that I am losing 500/month on. 

any advice or pointers much appreciated! I am committed to purchasing a property in the next 12 months, hopefully much sooner

Thank you for sharing this list, very informative. I'm curious to know if your outlook has changed since you posted. Anyway, we can get an updated list that reflects 2023?

Quote from @Chris Dawson:

One of the questions I get asked a lot by investors who want to invest in Kansas City is, "What zip codes are good to invest in?".  Any seasoned investor will tell you that this depends on several factors such as: amount of money to invest, type of tenants, level of risk, and investment strategy.  

In an effort to help those who are not familiar with Kansas City but are interested or looking into investing in Kansas City, I have put together a very general overview of the zip codes in and around Kansas City, MO.  These are all on the Missouri side, not the Kansas side.

Keep in mind, this is a general overview meant to help guide those who are not familiar with Kansas City.  There can be good investments in areas I have labeled bad and there could be bad investments in areas that I have labeled good.

Here is the list:

Highest risk, highest crime, highest turnover areas:

64130 – listed in 2009 as the “murder factory” of Kansas City - avoid

64129 - avoid

64128 - avoid

64127 - avoid

64126 – avoid

Historic NE areas:

64124 – both good and bad areas for renting

64123 – both good and bad areas for renting

KC Downtown:

64106 – mostly commercial & condos – great area for rentals and flips

64108 – mostly commercial & condos – great area for rentals and flips

Midtown:

64109 – both good and bad areas for rentals

64110 – both good and bad areas for rentals

Westport/Plaza/Waldo/Brookside area:

64111 – great area for rentals and flips

64112 – great area for rentals and flips

64113 – great area for rentals and flips

64114 – great area for rentals and flips

South KC/Grandview/Raytown area:

64030 – mostly good rental area

64134 – mostly good rental area

64136 – mostly good rental area

64139 – mostly good rental area

64138 – mostly good rental area

Lee’s summit Area:

64081 – great area for rentals and flips

64082 – great area for rentals and flips

Blue Springs Area:

64015 – good area for rentals and flips

64014 – good area for rentals and flips

Independence Area:

64052 – mostly bad rental area

64053 – mostly bad rental area

64055 – mostly good rental area

64050 – mostly good rental area

64056 – mostly good rental area

64057 – mostly good rental area

North of the River Areas:

64116 – mostly good rental area

64117 – mostly good rental area

64118 – good rental area

64119 – good rental area

64151 – great area for rentals and flips

64152 – great area for rentals and flips

64153 – great area for rentals and flips

64154 – great area for rentals and flips

64155 – great area for rentals and flips

64157 – great area for rentals and flips

64158 – great area for rentals and flips

64068 – great area for rentals and flips

I hope this can help some of you new investors and maybe some seasoned investors as well.

@Tim Callahan I can show you some good statistics on the Kansas City market if you are interested in seeing what an out of start market in the midwest can do for you.