06/03/2026
Everyone’s heard of driving for dollars to find real estate deals…
This year, I’m starting running for rentals. 🏃♂️🏠
In all seriousness, one of the most valuable things you can do when investing in a new market is get boots on the ground and truly learn the area. Real estate is incredibly local. Even within the same city, one neighborhood can be completely different from the next.
A street with well-kept homes, strong pride of ownership, and growing demand can turn into a very different story just a few blocks away.
When you’re buying rentals to hold long term, you’re not just buying a property. You’re buying into future appreciation, rent growth, tenant demand, and the overall trajectory of an area.
That’s why every morning I try to run a different route and explore:
🏠 Homes currently listed for sale
🔨 Properties that need some love and could be off-market opportunities
🏘️ Hidden ADU and infill opportunities
🚧 Areas seeing new development and investment
📈 Neighborhoods that feel like they’re on the rise
You can learn a lot from spreadsheets, data, and online research. But nothing replaces seeing a market with your own eyes.
Whether you’re driving, walking, biking, or running, spending time in the neighborhoods where you want to invest can give you insights that you simply won’t find behind a computer screen.
The best investors know their market better than anyone else.