Specialist · Tampa, FL · Member since 2018 · 96 posts · 40 votes
Hey BP!
I am looking to connect with real estate professionals/investors in Lakeland, Florida. I feel like Lakeland may get lost in the shadow of the Tampa/Orlando markets. I'm located in Tampa, but the margins of the deals I am seeing over in Lakeland makes the area extremely intriguing to me.
There is a Polk County REIA meeting that I attended last month over in Lakeland that I will definitely attend again.. just looking to get other people's feedback on investing in the Polk County area!
Clermont, FL · Member since 2017 · 37 posts · 43 votes
8y
From an Orlando-area perspective: I know people who commute all the way from Lakeland specifically because they could get a better deal outside of the Orlando market. If the market remains hot in Orlando I expect Lakeland to appreciate, especially considering the new hiring at Disney every year.
That being said, there are some other factors here. There are a lot of small towns between Orlando and Lakeland (And I imagine between Tampa and Lakeland) that would probably be a first pick for commuters over the midway point of Lakeland. You will probably see appreciation at every point between Tampa and Lakeland before Lakeland.
That being said, I think Lakeland is a nice little town with a stronger economy than other places further from I-4. Their downtown area is set up for growth and there is a lot of variety in the market at a low price range (SFH, MFH, etc)
Rental Property Investor · Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2016 · 32 posts · 32 votes
6y
I’m a full time Investor based out of Tampa Bay but am now actively looking in Lakeland area. I am there at least once a week driving the neighborhoods. I love what I see happening to the area. Anyone have a good hard-money lender in Lakeland they recommend?
I am also open to partnering on some deals.
Rental Property Investor · Plant City, FL · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 379 votes
6y
July 2nd at 6:30pm will be the next PCREIA meetup. Find them on Facebook, meetup.com, or the website PCRIEA.com for all the details. The current meetings are on Zoom
Lender · Frisco, TX · Member since 2019 · 546 posts · 270 votes
6y
Hey Mike, I'm in the Tampa Bay area as well. Definitely would recommend Lakeland- there's a lot of good renters there with the Amazon warehouse, GEICO, and other big corporations like that in the area who pay their employees well enough to afford a decent rent. My parents live there as well and absolutely love it. Polk county taxes are super cheap too, so it's very affordable
Hi everyone! I know this post is a couple years old but if anyone is looking for a Lakeland BP meetup, we are starting one up in January! Message me if you are interested and I'll send you the details.