Prior to analyzing financials for a potential multifamily acquisition, there are two things we must know about a property; the what and the where. What type of property, in terms of quality, and where it is located. Without first distinguishing these characteristics about there is no reason to devote time to a review of income and expenses. This post is about the where.
The Where - People
Using public information, we can identify a number of data points that assist in determining the relative financial strength of an area based on who lives there; such as average age, income and educational attainment.
Block Group. Block Groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people, with an optimum size of 1,500 people. The census block is the smallest unit of geography for which Census 2000 data are tabulated.
Census Tract. A census tract is a small geographic area. The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a nationwide set of geographic units that have stable boundaries. Census tract numbers are unique within a county. A census tract will have from 1,500 to 8,000 persons with the optimal number being 4,000 persons.
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Careful selection of MSA's can greatly decrease the probability of making an inferior investment. A metro area contains a core urban area of 50,000 or more population, and a micro area contains an urban core of at least 10,000 (but less than 50,000) population.
The Where - Markets and Cities
Primary Market. These are markets with over one million people in the MSA with all the amenities of a big city from airports (usually plural) to cultural access and cross-industry jobs. They are well defined, well known and have a cultural identity. Examples: Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles.
Twenty-four Hour Cities. Primary markets with thriving down towns and never-say-sleep districts. Examples: New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco. Note that 24-hour cities are often known by their name alone, even by just their airport code: SFO, MIA, ATL.
Secondary Market. Secondary markets are smaller than primary markets but with similar synergy's sized to the population. The are usually self-sustaining, but without the expansiveness and do not possess the cultural heritage of primary cities. They may have a single professional sports team, or multiple farm teams. They will have a single primary commercial airport. Examples: Omaha, Nebraska, Birmingham, Alabama, Little Rock, AR, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN.
Tertiary Market. These markets may be in the sphere of influence of a primary or secondary market, but based on size and distance, they are.... tertiary. Examples: Waco, TX, Savannah, GA, Topeka, KS.
Frontier Market. These markets are further from primary and secondary cities than tertiary markets. Reviewing property in frontier markets requires local market expertise as they are often excluded from industry reporting data. They are the job center for their area, they possess solid community endeavors and will likely have a small commercial airport. Examples: Dubuque, IA, College Station, TX, Bloomington, IL.
Let's get linked: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwilhoit
About This Blog
Multifamily Insight is dedicated to assisting current and future multifamily property owners, operators and investors in executing specific tasks that allow multifamily assets to operate at their highest level of efficiency. We discuss real world issues in multifamily management and acquisitions. This blog is intended to be informational only and does not provide legal, financial or accounting advice. Seek professional counsel. We discuss best practices in multifamily management and methods related to how to buy apartment complexes. Our focus is sharing strategies and tactics that can be implemented and measured. For more information, visit: www.MultifamilyInsight.com