One of the most telling indicators of housing market health is inventory. We all know that a careful balance between supply and demand determines the strength of the real estate market. But the housing supply seesaw has been one-sided for a long time…high demand, low supply!

We get it – houses are expensive, now more than ever. It’s only natural that investors would turn to low-cost properties. On the surface, there’s clear appeal: less capital upfront for an income-generating rental property. Why wouldn’t you go with the cheapest houses you can find?

If you’re like many people, you like to browse real estate listings. Sometimes, you come across a property with a shockingly low price tag in a great part of town. You might think, “Wow! What a deal!” Then, you start looking at the pictures and realize that the whole thing has been stripped down to the studs, and it would take double the asking price or more to get it habitable. Oof. 

That opportunity might excite some more hands-on, flip-minded investors, but it’s not for us. At that point, it’s pretty evident that the property will cost you far more than the seemingly low asking price. But it’s not always so obvious. Some properties may not look the best – they’re serviceable – or be in the best neighborhood, but they’re affordable, so why not?

Well, we’re here to tell you. Here’s why investors shouldn’t target low-cost properties.

For real estate investors, it’s relatively easy to look at all the news coming out about the real estate market and lament. You might feel like there’s no place for you anymore, and investing is too hard. Believe us, that’s not the case! Part of the problem is that many of these reports and analyses look at overall medians and averages. 

While these are concise ways to talk about overall trends in the country, investors need to zoom in. The real estate market is not uniform. It varies, and investors must take advantage of it. We found these maps by ResiClub (courtesy of Fast Company) helpful in illustrating this point.

These maps effectively represent median home prices within individual markets across the country. While the $380,000+ median price sounds scary, we must recognize that that number doesn’t reflect every market.

So, what do these maps tell us about the real estate market…and investing?

As investors, the benefits and risks of property locations are paramount to our success. We all hear location, location, location, but why does it matter so much?

The question of location is the biggest in real estate. We know just how important the “where” is in purchasing properties! While you want to invest in a robust and growing market, you also want to be wary of overhyped areas. Finding that sweet spot is tricky.

You asked, we answered!

Did you know that REI Nation invests in a number of built-to-rent (BTR) neighborhoods across our markets in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama? 

Since 2003, REI Nation has helped passive real estate investors build quality investment portfolios in several of the top real estate investing markets in the U.S.

In this week's property update, we're bringing you to Birmingham with a round up of properties that put the "Home" in Sweet Home Alabama!

Birmingham is a city comfortably pulled in two directions, with growing suburbs as well as a growing downtown “renaissance.” Restaurants, shopping, and other business amenities are booming, while Birmingham retains an affordable cost of living for young professionals and families alike. 

At REI Nation, we love markets like Birmingham, and we're excited to share that we have both newly built and recently renovated properties available there now!

Take a look at just what we have in store, starting with the Willow Ridge neighborhood. And don't forget, this week is your last chance to take us up on our 2 FOR 2022 offer!

Don't fa la la before following along on this property tour! Click to watch the introduction to a recently renovated single-family rental in Memphis, Tennessee, along with your tour guides Matt and Malorie.

Also, don't forget to scroll down to find out why now is the best time of year to invest with us!