researching emerging markets

The telephone is a great tool for researching new markets to invest in. Here are some of the questions I ask realtors and economic developement staff.

Questions to Ask Realtors to determine if you have found an emerging market to invest in.

1. Is your market a buyers or sellers market? { if it’s a sellers market when did it change from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market}.


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2. Is your market appreciating? {if it’s appreciating how much and what’s the source of information}
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3. What is the inventory of unsold homes on your MLS now? What was it 6 months and 12 months ago?
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4. Where are the buyers coming from? {we want to know if the buyer’s are mostly from out of state coming for the new or expanding job opportunities.}
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5. What is the most sought after property, { you need to know what type of property is in demand to position yourself with the easiest to sell property}.
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6. When did your market start to change from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market, or visa versa? { you want to know how long the market has been in it’s current phase}.

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7. Which direction is the growth heading? {you want to determine where to purchase in the path of future growth}.
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8. Have you seen new employers come to town? Have you seen existing employers expand their operations in your town?
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Questions for Economic Development Agencies to determine if you have an emerging market to invest in.

1. How many jobs were created in your MSA,{metropolitan statistical area} in the last year?

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2. What type of jobs were created,{You need to know what type of jobs were created to determine the average income for the workers. This helps you know what price range of homes the new employees will be looking for}.
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3. Do local politics help or hinder growth in your MSA, {You want to know if there has been legislation passed to give tax breaks to new employers to entice them to relocate}.
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