For myself, I work in the Metro DC area so I knew that buying there was out of my range so I looked into a market close by that can both accommodate my lifestyle and add value.

For example, if inflation averages 5% and rents grow only 3%:After 10 years, today’s $10,000/month lifestyle = $8,250 in real termsAfter 20 years = $6,807After 30 years = $5,616Unless rents increase faster than inflation, you can not achieve long-term financial independence.

It would be nice to get some lifestyle lift in this next deal (ie, we use it)3-Long term multi family in Pueblo, Grand junction or similar B market: too hard to manage from afar?

That said the market has corrected so hard here that there are finally some deals to be had as people have rushed to ditch even turn-key places.We just recently had a client pick up a themed home in Champions Gate similar to mine above and another I manage that both do around $135k annual gross revenue at a purchase price of $715k.  19% revenue on purchase price turnkey with no additions is tough to find these days.That said, whether it's finding a themed one turn key or doing the theming yourself, theming is an absolute must if raw returns factor into your decision at all.If you're buying as a lifestyle asset, personal use, etc then it's reasonable to do without it.

Be comfortable with your lifestyle while living in a construction zone.

We’ve been seeing a ton of movement from out-of-state investors exploring these areas for different reasons — affordability, growth potential, and lifestyle plays.Curious what other investors are seeing or hearing in these markets.

Hey Evan, solid list of markets you’re looking at...those all have pretty different strengths depending on your goals.I work with investors in a few of those areas (Arizona and Texas especially), and what I’ve seen is people usually narrow down their choice by looking at three things:What kind of tenant base they’re comfortable serving (workforce housing vs lifestyle renters)Property taxes and insurance costs (big swings between states)How involved they plan to be in the management sideIf you’re still figuring out what kind of market fits your investing style, I can connect you with a few people who started out-of-state and built small portfolios in those same regions.

Many are not so great on how to operate an apartment.Personally, I am a long time member of Lifestyles Unlimited.

Closing down this thread because this thread breaks rule Q "BiggerPockets is a real estate forum, not a forum for religious or political debates, discussions, or proselytizing."

If your goal is to pay as minimal interest as possible, then pay as much money towards your principal as early and as often as you can.If your goal is to maximize growth while minimizing risk, I would take a careful look at your interest rate, what your expected return is in real estate and consider using extra funds to buy cash flowing assets as a discount and use that to fund your payments and lifestyle without overleveraging.