First Time in Columbus, OH – Weekend Scouting Trip & Hoping to Connect!

[Rebecca Cho]

Hey everyone,

I'm doing a scouting trip to Columbus, Ohio this weekend (driving in from NJ so it's a long drive). I’d love any tips or feedback on my plans below to help make the most of the scouting trip. 

Also, it's my first time ever in Columbus & I’m a total newbie real estate investor, so any local insights would be super helpful.

Planning to:

- Tour a few listings with realtor + check out open houses

- Drive around different neighborhoods to get a feel for them (we’re staying in Dublin, but not focused there)

- Visit SFH rental communities and new home developments (Ryan Homes, Pulte, Khov, etc.)

- Narrow down which areas & property types best align with our investment goals (likely SFH or small multifamily)

Also hoping to connect with anyone while in town (May 3–5, Saturday to Monday). If you’re a local investor, lender, contractor, property manager, etc and open to a quick 15-min coffee, I’d love to connect.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any feedback, neighborhood recs, or want to connect, I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance,
Rebecca

[Rebecca Cho]

Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my earlier post! All your advice has been super helpful - my recent Columbus scouting trip went well, thanks to all the great insight I got here!

I just submitted an offer on a house I really like. It’s an older home (built in 1970s), and the original owner lived there for about 50 years. It probably needs $10–15k+ of work to be rent ready. I offered all cash but didn’t waive inspections. My agent, who’s been great and is an investor himself, said there are already multiple offers, some over asking and some waiving inspections. He suggested hiring an inspector to do walkthrough inspection during tomorrow’s open house to help decide if waiving the inspection makes sense.

Since this would be my first deal, waiving inspections makes me a bit uneasy. I’d love to get your thoughts on a few things:

1. Have you done a walkthrough-style inspection before waiving contingencies? Would you recommend it for a first-timer?

2. Any red flags to watch for in a 50+ year old home during a walkthrough inspection? The listing agent shared the following disclosures: there have been drainage issues in the laundry room, though the exact cause is unknown since the seller inherited the property and hasn’t lived in it. Termites have been seen around the garage area in the past, but no damage is currently known.

3. As an out of state investor, how do you stay grounded in a competitive multiple-offer situation and not get swept up in just trying to win?

4. How do you ballpark rent ready costs beyond what your agent tells you?

Really appreciate any advice - thank you!!!