Investing in Dayton

New to Real Estate · Columbus, OH · Member since 2023 · 31 posts · 39 votes

Hi all. I'm from Columbus but have been looking into Dayton as a potential location for my first investment property. What are some pros and cons of investing in Dayton? I'm not too familiar with the city so any information is appreciated. Would love to connect with some Dayton investors as well. Thanks in advance.

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Simon Ashbaugh

Realtor · Columbus Ohio, Cleveland Ohio · Member since 2022 · 849 posts · 830 votes

You live in the one of the best investment markets in the country, why not get a househack 2-4 unit?

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Marc RiceBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9mo
Quote from @Codey Wendel:

Hi all. I'm from Columbus but have been looking into Dayton as a potential location for my first investment property. What are some pros and cons of investing in Dayton? I'm not too familiar with the city so any information is appreciated. Would love to connect with some Dayton investors as well. Thanks in advance.
Dayton often has some deferred maintenance work. I suggest you look at some more markets before investing.
[email protected]614-363-2787
Marc Rice | Investor Friendly Agent at Reafco Tailwind Team574 Reviews
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Drew SygitBusiness Member
Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
9mo
@Alfath Ahmed and @Marc Rice why you two responding to a 2-year old thread?
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Jimmy LieuBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
9mo
Quote from @Codey Wendel:

Hi all. I'm from Columbus but have been looking into Dayton as a potential location for my first investment property. What are some pros and cons of investing in Dayton? I'm not too familiar with the city so any information is appreciated. Would love to connect with some Dayton investors as well. Thanks in advance.
Hey Codey,welcome to BP! Dayton can be an okay market for cash flow because of low property prices, but if you’re looking at long-term growth and strong fundamentals, Columbus really stands out. The city is booming with population growth, job growth, and big companies like Intel, Amazon, Google, Honda, Facebook, Microsoft, and LG expanding here, which drives both rental demand and appreciation. You can still find properties in the $120K–180K range that hit the 1% rule and cash flow from day one, which is harder to find in Dayton when you factor in long-term potential. Columbus also has more landlord-friendly laws and a more active market, so your investments tend to be easier to manage and scale over time. Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!
[email protected]614-300-7535
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Arman AhmedPro Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 925 votes
8mo
@Codey Wendel
Even though this post is a bit older, Dayton has continued to attract investor interest for similar reasons discussed back then. Pros still include relatively low entry prices compared to larger metros, steady blue-collar and healthcare/education employment, and solid rental demand when you’re in the right pockets. Cash flow tends to be more achievable than in higher-priced markets. Cons haven’t changed much either — neighborhood selection matters a lot, tenant quality can vary block by block, and strong property management is critical if you want this to be passive. For anyone investing there today, the biggest difference is being more conservative on rehab costs, rents, and taxes, and leaning heavily on local data and boots-on-the-ground partners.

[email protected]614-418-6081
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