Convince me! Why should I invest in Columbus, OH?

Question

Hey, I'm planning to invest my first ever investment property. People told me to invest in Columbus, OH. Can anyone convince me why should I start looking & investing in that area? Thanks!

Daniel Judge · Answer

Recommend checking out how many students attend Ohio State vs. Yale. People pay rent with money, not their SAT scores.

Alfath Ahmed · Answer

Columbus is a great market for all investors. You do have to be cognizant of where you invest if you want to maximize your appreciation. I personally like to invest in Old North, Old Town East/King Lincoln Bronze Ville, Merion Village, Driving Park, North Linden, Hungarian Village, Bexley, and North Hilltop. Solid locations for investors.

Rick Albert · Answer

You can make money in almost any market. You just need to learn and understand it. Right now you are going to get a lot of real estate agents saying their market is best.

Columbus has been on many lists for places to invest. My concern with these "top lists" is that the data is based on past events, which basically means old news and you may have missed the boat.

With that said, I would actually focus on your own backyard and house hack if you can. This allows you to put less money down, you need a place to live anyways, and the interest rates and fees tend to be better than for investors.

Jimmy Lieu · Answer

Hi Hansel! You should invest in Columbus Ohio because the macroeconomics look so good for this market - population is growing, job growth is growing, and so many companies moving and developing here (example - Intel headquarters, Google, FB, Amazon, Nationwide, Honda, etc). Additionally you can still find positive cash flow, the 1% rule, and you get AMAZING appreciation here. When you do buy rentals, you get very landlord friendly laws and you'll never have to go through a 12 month eviction. Lastly, the price is super cheap and you can still buy positive cash flowing rentals for 120-180k purchase price! Tons of my out of state clients are successfully BRRRRing and flipping here in Columbus! Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!

Carlos Scarpero · Answer

Columbus is decent but getting expensive. Dayton is also worth a look.

Jayson Cain · Answer

Hi @Hansel Gunawan, I'm based in Southern California, but I have started my out-of-state real estate journey in Indianapolis. Now, I have a portfolio of Short Term Rentals and Long Term Rentals. I've started looking at Columbus because my business partners have found success doing Mid Term Rentals there and the returns are solid. I’ve also helped other investors with their DSCR loans and flip projects in Columbus. Happy to share my experiences and chat with you more if you're interested.

Shane Faherty · Answer

Hey @Hansel Gunawan I'll give you 4 major investments that will have a big impact on the greater Columbus area.

1. Intel Investment in New Albany - Intel is investing $20B for 2 Fabrication centers with a proposed total of 8 Fabrication centers (Potential $100B investment). This will become the largest chip manufacturer in the world.

2.Honda/LG Energy Investment in Jeffersonville - Honda & LG are partnering up together to invest $4.5B in a new EV battery plant in Jeffersonville. This is going to create 2,200 new jobs.

3.Amazon Investment in New Albany - Amazon is planning a new fulfillment center in New Albany that is going to create 1,000+ jobs.

4. Facebook Investment in New Albany - Facebook has plans to build 2 new buildings onto their 2 existing data center. This investment is expected to create 1,500+ jobs.

Investments like these will impact the housing market in Columbus and prices have already begun to rapidly appreciation in these areas. The greater Columbus OH region is expected to double its population in the next 10 years. As we've seen home builders are already struggling to keep up with demand so properties will appreciate very well and cash flow if bought early in this area.

I just helped a investor with two DSCR loans in this area. If you are looking for a lender for your investment property I'd love to help answer any questions!

Patrick Drury · Answer

@Hansel GunawanIt's a solid hybrid market of cash flow and appreciation. Columbus has lots of job opportunities and population growth. It’s great for investing from out of state since it’s landlord-friendly and has a low barrier of entry and cash flows.

Peter Dorinsky · Answer

@Hansel GunawanColumbus has seen rapid economic development in recent years. Many big-tech companies have established themselves here or are expanding into the Columbus market. The biggest news lately is Intel's $20 billion investment to build chip manufacturing plants in Licking County, which is projected to create thousands of new jobs. This is the largest private-sector investment in Ohio history. In addition to Intel, companies like google, facebook and amazon are expanding and building more data centers in Columbus. Columbus is also home of The Ohio State University, one of the largest universities in the nation, which currently building a $1.79 billion inpatient hospital expansion. There is a large retail scene in Columbus as well, with big retailers such as Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret and Big Lots all having headquarters in Columbus. If you're looking for an investment property that will cash-flow and appreciate I think Columbus is a great market to be in. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.

Convince me! Why should I invest in Columbus, OH?

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