Not very many people across the country are knowledgeable about the MS Coast and the opportunity for investing there. It’s a tough market to find good resources in as an out-of-state investor, but with the right resources in place, it could be the most worthwhile investment area to discover in your lifetime.
The coastal cities of Gulfport and Biloxi have always maintained strong economic engines due to its multiple military bases, seafood, tourism and casino industries, and now Gulfport is in the process of building a superport capable of bringing the coast of Mississippi to a whole new level of economic activity.
In the wake of Hurrican Katrina insurance prices rose drastically, existing home prices skyrocketed, land price skyrocketed north of high insurance cost zones, and tax incentives never seen before were born for investors. Many of these out-of-state tax-incentive-shopping investors were misled by the many crooked agents and builders that flocked into the area after Katrina. Investors were overpromised on rental rates and sold in the areas where these crooks could find the cheapest land…Which of course wasn’t near the economic engines of the area. I did not participate in this and actually turned down a complete subdivision listing opportunity due to my inability to lie, cheat and steal for profit. I told the builder exactly what I saw he was doing and offered to help them do things with the investor’s end result in mind. They elected to sell their souls for profit. It still seems surreal that in the wake of a disaster, there are those that create more disasters for profit.
With all these investor issues that arised because the properties they bought wouldn’t rent, or couldn’t rent for enough to pay the bills, and the subsequent overcrowding of rental properties in outlying areas, foreclosures have become normal in the market. With a huge inventory of foreclosures the rest of the market has also been price effected making well located properties priced well below actual value. In addition, due to the banks lending practices and the extremely high foreclosure rate for out-of-state investors, banks have blacklisted out-of-state investors looking to finance. It’s now a cash market for the taking!
I’ve researched other superport cities across the country and can tell you without a doubt there is something very big coming to south MS. It’s been hard on us for the past few years with Katrina, the recession, and BP oil spill, but all of our coastal infrastructure is new, our beaches are beautiful, the casinos are open and expanding, and we’ve got a superport coming in soon as a response to the multi-billion dollar expansion of the Panama Canal. This area is not to be overlooked if you are seriuos about investing into real estate.
The toughest part to manage here is your in-state resources so be very careful. Mississippi is the Good Ol’ Boy state. I’m happy to answer any questions on this area and look forward to any comments.