I’m evaluating a flat infill lot located behind an existing retail strip, off a major thoroughfare and near a highway, in a growing suburb.

👋 Hey everyone — I’m based in Southeast Michigan and my work focuses on helping out-of-state and remote investors acquire buy-and-hold properties with predictable returns and minimal surprises.A lot of the investors I support are relocating capital from higher-cost states, so my role is usually helping them understand:• neighborhood + school zone stability• realistic rent performance vs advertised rents• renovation scope and risk tolerance• long-term exit flexibilityMy approach is conservative — I care more about protecting downside than chasing numbers that only look good on paper.I’m here mainly to learn, contribute where I can, and connect with thoughtful investors who value strategy and risk awareness in their decision-making.If you invest remotely (or are considering Michigan), I’d love to hear what factors matter most to you when evaluating a market.

I’ve spent a good amount of time running numbers and analyzing rent-to-price ratios, but I’m finding the hardest part is actually narrowing down which towns to target.A few things I’m keeping in mind:I like being near water since values usually hold stronger long-term.At the same time, I want to avoid areas with high flood risk.I’m focused on steady, long-term rental demand rather than short-term or vacation rentals.For those of you already investing in the Carolinas:How do you evaluate towns when deciding where to buy?

That determines 90 percent of the play here.Here’s the step-by-step framework I use when evaluating these in-between parcels:1.

Louisiana, LTR, BRRRR, STR, MTR, etc.Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Cap rate is a tool for for an initial evaluation.

Understood but what I meant was that maybe a test should be mandatory regardless of the financials if the whole point is to ensure someone is sophisticated enough to properly evaluate higher risk investments.

Are you happy with the appreciation of the property and are you making good progress on principal reduction of your current first mortgage. 

Add to that a progressive income tax framework that steps down as the state hits defined financial benchmarks — with a clear path toward zero over time — and the long-term math starts to look very different for operators and investors.Layer in financing conditions, too.

When evaluating deals, keep the analysis simple and conservative by accounting for all real-world expenses and confirming the property still produces solid cash flow.