Talk with local brokers. Flying out to potential markets is worth it to make personal relationships with brokers and property managers. Make appointments to talk with the Presidents, Executive VPs, etc. After the meeting make sure to follow up every 10 days even sending chocolates and gift cards every now and then. Once a good relationship is established, you can be sure that you will receive the best pocket listings.
Plan to sell within 3-5 years. Most investors would like to see a return on their money within this time period. If you picked the right market, you could double the investors’ money and sell the property in a hot market getting top dollar.
Pick markets with low unemployment rates. These markets are bound to have a high percentage of occupancy, some could even have a waitlist to get into your property. Look for population centers around the country that have the lowest unemployment numbers this will increase your chance of having low vacancy.
Summary:
Talk with local brokers
Sell within 3-5 years.
Research job numbers.