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Top 10 markets to buy a rental property

In these metro areas, small real estate investors can expect to find great home deals and double-digit returns on their investment, according to RealtyTrac.

Oklahoma City

mom pop real estate oklahoma city
This three-bedroom rancher is listed for $135,000 -- well below the national median.
  • Median home price: $131,000
  • Median rent: $1,176
  • Return on investment*: 10.8%

The Oklahoma City housing market, which sprawls into nearby Canadian County, is an especially good place to invest in rental properties.

Not only are homes here well below the national median home price of $210,000, but the area offers a wide variety of new homes to choose from and schools that appeal to buyers, according to Mike Malone, a local real estate agent. This brick ranch home, which lies in the southeastern suburb of Mustang, was built in 2009 and is listed for just $135,000, for example.

As a result, a wide variety of people are investing in the area, from professionals looking to diversify their holdings to retirees trying to maximize their income. "People are buying rental properties because they can't make any money on CDs," he said. "It doesn't take much brainpower here to make 10% buying to rent."

For further information: Trulia

Source: RealtyTrac and RentRange.
*Return on investment is also known as gross rental yield, which is the percentage of profit or loss from an investment that is calculated by dividing the annual gross rental income by the purchase price or market value of the property. Ratings were calculated by comparing gross median rents (the return on investment before accounting for taxes, maintenance fees and other costs) for three-bedroom homes to median home price. All of the markets were relatively strong economically, with unemployment rates below the national average.
  @CNNMoney - Last updated September 30 2013 07:32 AM ET

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