Want to succeed as a real estate investor? Know your market. Each of REI Nation’s eleven markets (and counting) has been thoroughly analyzed and vetted for their wealth-building potential. Little Rock, Arkansas is no different.

When we first expanded into new markets at REI Nation, the first two areas we targeted were Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston, Texas. The reasoning behind this move comes down to a few key factors: in the end, both markets displayed not only growth opportunity, but tenacity in a post-Great Recession world. 

Speculation is a natural part of the real estate world. We’re always looking for the next big thing and, at the same time, preparing ourselves for worst-case scenarios. In a post-Great Recession world, can you really blame us? That said, it’s important that, particularly in buy-and-hold real estate investment, we are prudent in our analysis and decision-making.

So far, most of the buzz in Texas has been centralized to Austin and Dallas. However, Houston is experiencing some real estate and economic buzz that is worth mentioning. As we head for the middle of 2019’s third quarter, it’s valuable for investors to step back and evaluate both the markets they’re involved in as well as those that show promise and opportunities for the future.

Over the past several months, murmurs of an economic slowdown have been steady. While some would see this as a cause to worry, we know that this is all a part of the natural economic and real estate cycle. There is nothing to fear from the natural ebb and flow of things, provided other red flags are not present.

It seems like all around us there is news of economic crises. Many of us are glued to the news of stock market drops, trade wars, and impending recessions. But what we don’t always see is that, on a smaller scale, there is a lot of promise happening—especially in Houston.

The survey is in: it’s more expensive than ever to live in Houston. While Space City still boasts one of the more affordable markets for its size, residents used to its level of affordability may find the temperature of the housing market just a little too hot for their tastes.

In the real estate investment game, we’re big advocates of stopping in on the markets you invest in when you have the chance. While we know that it isn’t always possible for everyone, we do think that there are so many great benefits in actually seeing your investment market firsthand.