Look for areas with:Population growthJob growth + economic diversityLandlord-friendly lawsMedian home prices that support cash flow (often under $250K)Great starter markets include:Indianapolis, INBirmingham, ALColumbus, GAOcala or Citrus Springs, FLCleveland, OHStep 2: Use Data to Validate NeighborhoodsOnce you’ve chosen a market, go neighborhood by neighborhood using:Rentometer.com – to verify rent demandCity-Data.com – for income levels, crime trends, owner vs renter mixLocal property managers – they’ll tell you what tenants want and where to avoidStep 3: Find the Right Agent or TeamYou definitely want a good investor-friendly agent, but don’t just take their word - instead, interview them like a business partner:How many investor clients do you work with?

Networking with local investors and property managers can give insights you won’t find online.

Today, visibility online is just as important as having a prime location.

But you’d still be purposely giving up on better markets you could have chosen instead. 

Whether you are showcasing a recently renovated property, sharing behind-the-scenes content, or offering market insights, every post contributes to your online presence.

Well, first of all everyone has “access” to MLS since it open and on line.

@James Hamling you are correct that I have chosen to not conform to how things traditionally work and will only accept what works for me.

I have seen the online property management websites, but are they worth the subscription costs for a small operation with only 4 properties?

I have automated newsletters where I give tenants seasonal email reminders with short how-to videos, I carry home warranties, everything is online eforms: lease/addenda e-signatures, condition reports inspections where tenants upload pictures and they automatically get save to the cloud, pre-leasing app so I don't have no-shows, I even have SOPs where I hire out my showings and it explains everything they have to do step by step, etc. 

Disclaimer NoticeWe, Fast Money for Flips LLC, are a Colorado-based real estate lending company headquartered in Denver, CO, and operating since 2012.We are not affiliated in any way with "Flip and Fast Loans, LLC" or any entity operating out of Virginia.We’ve recently been made aware of online complaints and negative reviews directed at a similarly named company located in Virginia Beach, VA, which appears to be engaging in questionable lending practices.