Soon-to-be collage graduate considering Indianapolis

[Evan G.]

Hi all. I'm going into my final year of college and beginning to apply for full-time positions. I'm looking for a good city to invest in real estate with the savings from my job once I graduate. My current goal is to start with house hacking and move on to long-term single-family rentals. I also like the idea of BRRRR once I get more experience in real estate. When looking for locations to invest in real estate, Indianapolis shows up often for having good cash flow and projected appreciation. What can you tell me about investing in real estate in Indianapolis? Is it a good place for someone starting out in real estate interested in long-term portfolio growth? Are there area-specific obstacles or opportunities that I should consider before choosing Indianapolis?

[Tyler Lingle]

Here's a short synopsis on Indy investing (as a realtor with 150+ transactions & 12 doors in personal portfolio): 

- Indianapolis has all the right metrics for a stable investment: average appreciation 3-5% per year, consistent population growth, low unemployment, highest % of GDP growth last 5 years of any Midwest city. 

- Indianapolis is VERY competitive in the fixer-upper & multifamily realms. Especially on the market. You have to have the right team in place and have knowledge of the marketplace, it's not a beginner friendly market IMO. 

- All the gains in real estate come from network effect & relationships. Go to the meet ups locally, hire an investor minded realtor, talk to multiple property managers. Get a local vantage point with local relationships, otherwise you'll be one of the MANY investors that stay for awhile but sell / exit quickly because they didn't build a strong foundation...

My two cents! Happy to connect!