New to REI and Looking to Connect

Nick GiulioniPro Member

Rental Property Investor · Carmel, IN · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 615 votes

Hey Vinit – welcome to the community.

You’re looking in some solid markets for buy‑and‑hold. Indy, Columbus, Raleigh, and Charlotte all have good long‑term fundamentals, but they each behave differently, so getting clarity on your goals will help you narrow down.

A few beginner‑friendly tips:

• Start with neighborhoods, not cities. Each of these markets has A/B/C pockets that perform very differently. Focus on stable B or B‑minus areas with strong rental demand.

• Build a team early. An investor‑friendly agent, a good property manager, and a contractor you trust will shorten your learning curve more than anything you’ll read online.

• Practice deal analysis until it's second nature. Run numbers on 20–30 properties so you get a feel for realistic rents, maintenance, and CapEx.

• Don’t rush the first purchase. Spend time learning the submarkets, comparing strategies, and talking to active investors.

If you ever want to talk through Indy specifically, I’m based here and happy to share what’s been working for me.

Welcome again — you’re heading in the right direction.

Remington LymanBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes

[email protected]614-541-8475 Podcast Guest on Show My Job Laid Me Off, So I Replaced My Salary with Rentals

Quote from @Vinit Kallampad:

Hi everyone,

I’m Vinit, based out of East Bay, CA. I’m fairly new to real estate investing. I’ve been reading and listening for a while, and I’ve realized that a lot of the real learning happens when you talk to people who are actively doing it and understand how things work on the ground.

I’m interested in out-of-state investing, particularly in buy-and-hold markets in the Midwest and North Carolina, places like Indianapolis, Columbus, Raleigh, and Charlotte. I’m still figuring out what makes sense for a beginner and which areas are worth focusing on.

I’m not in a rush, but I do want to move in the right direction and connect with others who invest in these regions. If you have any beginner-friendly tips or insights about these markets, I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks for having me here I’m looking forward to learning from the community.

Welcome to the community! I have been buying in Columbus, Ohio for a while now. Happy to chat with you

Reafco512 Reviews

Joey BanasihanPro Member

Investor · Boise, ID · Member since 2019 · 238 posts · 189 votes

Hey @Vinit Kallampad - welcome! 👋

Totally hear you on wanting to talk to people actually doing the thing… books and podcasts are great, but the real learning kicks in when you start chatting with folks who’ve been in the trenches a bit.

Those markets you mentioned can all work for buy-and-hold — just depends on what you're hoping the property does for you. Are you leaning toward cash flow, appreciation, or trying to set yourself up for a BRRRR somewhere down the line? All of that can point you toward different pockets inside those metros.

Also curious — have you toured any of these areas yet, or are you still in the “gathering info and getting your bearings” stage?

Either way, happy you’re here.

[email protected]

Todd AndersonPro Member

Real Estate Agent · Cape Coral, FL · Member since 2023 · 392 posts · 175 votes

[email protected]651-492-5652

@Vinit Kallampad,

Welcome to the BP community.

I have worked with a number of first time investors from California. They have found that out of state investing is the best option.

You've picked a number of good markets to start looking at. Make sure the markets that you land on our areas that are growing in population and employment. With this type of market, you can more likely expect the property to appreciate.

Anytime that you would like to talk about the process to buy out of state and what to look for I would be happy to help you further. If you have specific questions as you get started, please let me know how I can help.

Best of luck

Alfath AhmedBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

[email protected]614-802-5698

Quote from @Vinit Kallampad:

Hi everyone,

I’m Vinit, based out of East Bay, CA. I’m fairly new to real estate investing. I’ve been reading and listening for a while, and I’ve realized that a lot of the real learning happens when you talk to people who are actively doing it and understand how things work on the ground.

I’m interested in out-of-state investing, particularly in buy-and-hold markets in the Midwest and North Carolina, places like Indianapolis, Columbus, Raleigh, and Charlotte. I’m still figuring out what makes sense for a beginner and which areas are worth focusing on.

I’m not in a rush, but I do want to move in the right direction and connect with others who invest in these regions. If you have any beginner-friendly tips or insights about these markets, I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks for having me here I’m looking forward to learning from the community.

That's awesome that you are getting started. I bought 28 units in Columbus by doing the brrrr method. I have an investor package, neighborhood map, and list of contractors i can share. Let me know if you need anything else.

ReafCo | Ahmed Group 539 Reviews

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Elealeh Fulmaran

Specialist · Member since 2025 · 483 posts · 270 votes

Vinit, you’re thinking like a pro—talking to active operators and narrowing markets is the right move. Two quick tips: pick one market to test for 30–60 days with a tight buy box, and have a local PM sanity‑check rents, taxes, and neighborhoods before you underwrite anything.

Of Indy, Columbus, Raleigh, and Charlotte, which one do you want to run first, and what’s your initial buy box so we can sharpen it?

Min ZhangBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

[email protected]614-412-2912

If you’re just getting started, I’d actually recommend looking at a turnkey cash-flow rental for your first deal. It’s the easiest way to get a feel for being a landlord without jumping straight into managing a rehab or a big project. I’d also try to narrow down your market a bit. You can pick one or two areas that fit your criteria and really dig into the numbers, neighborhoods, and teams there. It’ll make the whole process a lot less overwhelming. Hope this helps, and wishing you the best of luck on your journey, Vinit!

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Min ZhangBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

[email protected]614-412-2912

Welcome, Vinit!

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Patrick DruryBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH & Cleveland OH · Member since 2021 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes

[email protected]614-412-4565

@Vinit Kallampad
If you are looking in Columbus, I recommend areas like Hilltop, Linden, Eastmoor/ Whitehall, and Franklinton. These are areas where you can cash flow in Columbus because the rent-to-price ratio is favorable. Out of these areas, Franklinton and Linden are seeing some of the most developments. With things like the ONE Linden plan in Linden, which is a 50M plan to improve the neighborhood. Of that 50M, 25M was allocated for the construction of a new recreational faculty that has since been completed. Franklinton has been seeing lots of developments like the completion of Gravity Phase 1 and phases 2 and 3 on the way. As well as coffee shops like Bottoms Up Coffee are moving in and small microbreweries like brew dog and Land Grant.

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Jimmy LieuBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes

[email protected]614-300-7535

Quote from @Vinit Kallampad:

Hi everyone,

I’m Vinit, based out of East Bay, CA. I’m fairly new to real estate investing. I’ve been reading and listening for a while, and I’ve realized that a lot of the real learning happens when you talk to people who are actively doing it and understand how things work on the ground.

I’m interested in out-of-state investing, particularly in buy-and-hold markets in the Midwest and North Carolina, places like Indianapolis, Columbus, Raleigh, and Charlotte. I’m still figuring out what makes sense for a beginner and which areas are worth focusing on.

I’m not in a rush, but I do want to move in the right direction and connect with others who invest in these regions. If you have any beginner-friendly tips or insights about these markets, I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks for having me here I’m looking forward to learning from the community.

Hey Vinit, welcome to BiggerPockets and great job taking the time to learn before jumping in. All the markets you listed have solid fundamentals, but if you’re looking for something beginner-friendly with strong long-term upside, definitely keep Columbus, Ohio high on your list. I moved from Portland to Columbus in 2020 to invest and now own 10+ rentals here, and the macroeconomics have been on fire—population growth, job growth, and huge companies moving in like Intel, Amazon, Google, FB, Honda, Microsoft, LG, and more. It’s still one of the few major metros where you can pick up properties in the $120–180K range that hit the 1% rule and cash flow from day one, plus the appreciation potential has been really strong because of all the development happening. Out-of-state investors do really well here because it’s affordable, stable, and landlord-friendly, so it’s a great place to start if you want simple buy-and-hold investing. Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!

Jimmy Lieu, Red 1 Realty4.9120 Reviews

Christopher Brock

Investor · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2017 · 25 posts · 10 votes

Vinit, I live in Charlotte, and would be happy to provide my thoughts on the city / neighborhoods, if you need it.

Mike PaolucciBusiness Member

Realtor · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2022 · 501 posts · 553 votes

[email protected]614-892-9184

Quote from @Vinit Kallampad:

Hi everyone,

I’m Vinit, based out of East Bay, CA. I’m fairly new to real estate investing. I’ve been reading and listening for a while, and I’ve realized that a lot of the real learning happens when you talk to people who are actively doing it and understand how things work on the ground.

I’m interested in out-of-state investing, particularly in buy-and-hold markets in the Midwest and North Carolina, places like Indianapolis, Columbus, Raleigh, and Charlotte. I’m still figuring out what makes sense for a beginner and which areas are worth focusing on.

I’m not in a rush, but I do want to move in the right direction and connect with others who invest in these regions. If you have any beginner-friendly tips or insights about these markets, I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks for having me here I’m looking forward to learning from the community.

Hey @Vinit Kallampad, great to see a fellow bay area investor. I'm originally from SF and started off the same way as you back in 2021.

Biggest tip I can provide is to make sure you've got a good idea on what is going on in your target market (economic / population drivers). That'll give you a great idea on the market's potential moving into the future.

Like a lot of others here, I'm pretty bullish on Columbus moving into the future. I've seen some great returns with my properties over the years.

Happy to answer any questions you might have and share some of my OOS investing experiences & mistakes. Good luck with your investing!!

Reafco - Mike Paolucci 512 Reviews

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Marc RiceBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes

[email protected]614-363-2787

Quote from @Vinit Kallampad:

Hi everyone,

I’m Vinit, based out of East Bay, CA. I’m fairly new to real estate investing. I’ve been reading and listening for a while, and I’ve realized that a lot of the real learning happens when you talk to people who are actively doing it and understand how things work on the ground.

I’m interested in out-of-state investing, particularly in buy-and-hold markets in the Midwest and North Carolina, places like Indianapolis, Columbus, Raleigh, and Charlotte. I’m still figuring out what makes sense for a beginner and which areas are worth focusing on.

I’m not in a rush, but I do want to move in the right direction and connect with others who invest in these regions. If you have any beginner-friendly tips or insights about these markets, I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks for having me here I’m looking forward to learning from the community.

Hi Vinit, most of the Midwest markets will make sense if you're looking to invest out of state, especially Ohio. Happy to help you with all my experience and contacts here

Marc Rice | Investor Friendly Agent at Reafco Tailwind Team574 Reviews