I get asked this every week and honestly I think ppl overcomplicate it. Everyone wants someone to just say “go to Ohio” or “go to Florida” or “go to Texas” lol but that’s not really how it works. A market can be good and still be bad for YOU. Like a market with $600k houses might look like it has some huge spreads but if you’re new, comping can be harder, buyers are pickier, you don't understand the real cost to rehab, sellers are more sophisticated, and your mistakes are more expensive. Then on the other side, a market with $60k houses might look easy… but now you’re dealing with rough areas, war zones tiny assignment fees, title issues, buyers wanting everything for pennies, etc. So when I’m looking at virtual markets I’m not really asking “what’s the hottest city?” I’m asking: Can I find motivated sellers here AND can I actually move the deals? Because getting the contract is only half of it. Here’s what I’d look at: 1. Are buyers active? Before I spend money in a market, I wanna know if cash buyers are actually buying there. Not just “there’s investors there.” Whats the real days on market for cash deals 2. Is the price point worth it? I personally don’t love markets that are too low or too high. Too low = alot of headache for small fees. Too high = bigger numbers, but usually more competition and more room to mess up. I like the middle. Affordable enough where investors can buy, (300-450ARV) but not so cheap that you’re fighting for a $3k assignment (20-60k). 3. Is there actual distress? In any market, you need a reason for sellers to sell at a discount. Vacant homes, probate, tired landlords, liens, code violations, inherited properties, divorce, tax issues, properties that need work, etc. and don't assume one of these means someone wants to sell, stack lists & followup 4. Can you comp it without losing your mind? This is big for virtual. Some markets are super weird. One street is $300k and the next street is $95k. Some areas have too many rural properties. Some have no clean comps.