If you invest in any city where rents have not historically outpaced inflation, then no matter how many properties you own, you cannot achieve long-term financial independence.So, how can you safely and successfully invest remotely?

@Stephanie Ridgway Achieving and maintaining asset balance is a never ending battle!! 

Yes, we tend to over-rehab (because we replace everything that is getting near the end of its design life and new plumbing, new roof or new windows don't really get you a higher ARV even though they cost a lot).Textbook BRRRR's are hard to achieve in today's market. 

Not a downturn, but a correction that’s separating well-priced, well-presented homes from those chasing yesterday’s prices.Here’s what’s happening and what it means for both sides of the table.Overall Market SnapshotMedian Sales Price: $314,000 (down just 0.2% year over year)Sales Volume: Up 2.7% from Q3 2024Days on Market: 44 days, up 46.7% from last yearList-to-Sale Ratio (S/OLP): 97.1%, down 0.9 pointsSeller Concessions: Paid in 58.6% of transactions (up 1.1%)Months of Supply: 3.9 months, still a solid seller’s market below $750KIn plain terms, homes are still selling, but buyers are taking their time and overpricing is punishing sellers more severely than it did a year ago.For Sellers: Pricing Precision Matters More Than EverAbout 59% of homes were overpriced when they hit the market this quarter, and 46% of sales required a price reduction before selling.That mistake cost sellers an average of 7.1% off their original list price and added more than three extra months on the market3Q 25 Greater Huntsville Quarte…3Q 25 Greater Huntsville Quarte…Top 2 Takeaways for Sellers:Price it right the first time.Sellers who listed competitively from day one achieved 100% of their asking price in just 11 days.

The “FHA 4-unit → cash homes → debt-free” route hits a nice balance between growth and risk reduction.A few things to watch out for though:FHA Rules: You’ll need to live in one of the units for at least 12 months to satisfy the owner-occupancy requirement.

What really matters is whether the property can truly achieve the rents you’re expecting and whether the fundamentals (location, condition, tenant pool) support your long-term goals.

Property Condition & Amenities: it’s important to, “Maintain to the Neighborhood.”Key metrics for each Property Class:Class A Properties:Tenant Pool: Majority of FICO scores 680+, no convictions/evictions in last 7 years.Tenant Default: 0-5% probability of eviction or early lease termination.Section 8: Class A rents are too high and won’t be approved.Vacancies: 5-10%, depending on market conditions.Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Class B Properties:Tenant Pool: Majority of FICO scores 620-680, some blemishes, no convictions/evictions in last 5 years.Tenant Default: 5-10% probability of eviction or early lease termination.Vacancies: 10-15%, depending on market conditions.Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 1-3 years for positive cashflow, balanced amounts of relative rent & value appreciation.Section 8: Class B rents are usually too high for the Section 8 program.Class C Properties:Tenant Pool: Majority of FICO scores 560-620, many blemishes, but should have no convictions/evictions in last 3 years.

Which market will help you best achieve those objectives?

What systems do you use to achieve scale?

In the process of converting a working line of credit balance to a fixed loan against an existing property.