Skip to content
×
Pro Members Get
Full Access!
Get off the sidelines and take action in real estate investing with BiggerPockets Pro. Our comprehensive suite of tools and resources minimize mistakes, support informed decisions, and propel you to success.
Advanced networking features
Market and Deal Finder tools
Property analysis calculators
Landlord Command Center
ANNUAL Save 16%
$32.50 /mo
$390 billed annualy
MONTHLY
$39 /mo
billed monthly
7 day free trial. Cancel anytime
Real Estate Deal Analysis & Advice
All Forum Categories
Followed Discussions
Followed Categories
Followed People
Followed Locations
Market News & Data
General Info
Real Estate Strategies
Landlording & Rental Properties
Real Estate Professionals
Financial, Tax, & Legal
Real Estate Classifieds
Reviews & Feedback

Updated about 16 hours ago on . Most recent reply

User Stats

9
Posts
15
Votes
Claudia Buchegger
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Columbus, OH
15
Votes |
9
Posts

Made over a 40% Return on my Cleveland Duplex

Claudia Buchegger
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Columbus, OH
Posted

Investment Info:

Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.

Purchase price: $120,000
Cash invested: $70,000
Sale price: $195,000

I bought a duplex in Cleveland with my sister in 2023 for a purchase price of $120,000 and we sold it in 2025 for $195,000. We made a 40% return on our money after all expenses and cash flow. It was a great learning experience but I decided to sell it in 2025 because I believe in Columbus as a growing and thriving city and would rather focus my efforts on Columbus rather than Cleveland.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

This was the first property I ever bought and I learned a great deal from it. I wanted to buy a cheap property as my 1st investment so I would not be afraid to make mistakes and could learn as much as possible.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

I was living in California when I bought this property and had to rely on a realtor in Cleveland, which he ended up lying to me about several things that I realized after closing when I visited the property myself. It motivated me to get my real estate license in Ohio so I never had to deal with a dishonest realtor again and could negotiate/represent myself and others. I found this deal myself on the MLS after analyzing 900 properties in Cleveland and realizing that this duplex was undervalued.

How did you add value to the deal?

I made some minor improvements to increase the value far beyond what I put into it. The duplex had opportunity for a value increase.

What was the outcome?

I sold the duplex after 1.5 years and made over a 40% return.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

I learned tons of lessons:
- There are some dishonest realtors out there, do your due diligence when finding a team of people to trust
- It is worth it to take risks and make mistakes, but learn from them
- You can make a lot of mistakes with a property but still sell it at a big profit and make a good return
- Do not trust photos to accurately represent the condition of a property
- Choose tenants wisely, determines your experience

business profile image
Claudia Buchegger, Realtor & CPA
5.0 stars
2 Reviews

Most Popular Reply

User Stats

9
Posts
15
Votes
Claudia Buchegger
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Columbus, OH
15
Votes |
9
Posts
Claudia Buchegger
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Columbus, OH
Replied
Quote from @Jaycee Greene:
Quote from @Claudia Buchegger:

Investment Info:

Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.

Purchase price: $120,000
Cash invested: $70,000
Sale price: $195,000

I bought a duplex in Cleveland with my sister in 2023 for a purchase price of $120,000 and we sold it in 2025 for $195,000. We made a 40% return on our money after all expenses and cash flow. It was a great learning experience but I decided to sell it in 2025 because I believe in Columbus as a growing and thriving city and would rather focus my efforts on Columbus rather than Cleveland.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

This was the first property I ever bought and I learned a great deal from it. I wanted to buy a cheap property as my 1st investment so I would not be afraid to make mistakes and could learn as much as possible.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

I was living in California when I bought this property and had to rely on a realtor in Cleveland, which he ended up lying to me about several things that I realized after closing when I visited the property myself. It motivated me to get my real estate license in Ohio so I never had to deal with a dishonest realtor again and could negotiate/represent myself and others. I found this deal myself on the MLS after analyzing 900 properties in Cleveland and realizing that this duplex was undervalued.

How did you add value to the deal?

I made some minor improvements to increase the value far beyond what I put into it. The duplex had opportunity for a value increase.

What was the outcome?

I sold the duplex after 1.5 years and made over a 40% return.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

I learned tons of lessons:
- There are some dishonest realtors out there, do your due diligence when finding a team of people to trust
- It is worth it to take risks and make mistakes, but learn from them
- You can make a lot of mistakes with a property but still sell it at a big profit and make a good return
- Do not trust photos to accurately represent the condition of a property
- Choose tenants wisely, determines your experience

Nice result, @Claudia Buchegger! Did you spend more than $12k in rehab? And why did you put so much money down on the property? Your LTV was ~ 42%.


 Thank you! It was a little over $12k for rehab, the cash flow for the year paid for it in full and more. I put more money down to cash flow more initially, however, I have now changed my strategy to putting down as little as possible so I can buy more properties and scale. The appreciation was great for this duplex. 

business profile image
Claudia Buchegger, Realtor & CPA
5.0 stars
2 Reviews

Loading replies...