Real estate investments should grow in value over time and offer positive cashflow. If your property does not provide cash flow, you will have to inject money into the property continually.
Even though you only have a percentage of the equity in your cash, you take 100% of the benefit of the property’s growth through leverage to purchase another property.
Cashflow provides a margin of safety as an investor. It allows you to save money towards capital expenses, future renovations, and unexpected emergencies.
When evaluating properties for sale in these zip codes, look at average days listed, listing interest, sold price vs. for sale price for a sense of market dynamics