Newbie Investor - Looking to build new connections

Cleveland OH, Akron OH · Member since 2021 · 3 posts · 12 votes

I am first time investor with no experience in Real Estate, Canadian National, have 50K for fix and flip or BRRRR properties, looking to connect with agents, lenders and contractors who do this everyday primarily focused in Cleveland and Akron area, want to work with someone who can help and guide me through the process on what to look for in a neighborhood, how conservative I should be with rehab budget and execute with a plan.

I have visited Cleveland thrice but currently I am all over the place, want to understand it more through a agents perspective.

Thanks.

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Jenna Fawley

Lender · Pickerington, OH · Member since 2026 · 49 posts · 39 votes

2mo

Love this and welcome to Ohio investing! Cleveland and Akron can both be great markets, especially for BRRRR and value-add deals, but they’re definitely areas where knowing the specific neighborhood and even the street can make a big difference.

I’m an Ohio mortgage broker and work with a lot of investor loan scenarios, including fix-and-flip/rehab financing and DSCR loans. Being a Canadian national doesn’t automatically take you out of the running either, there are options depending on the property and how the deal is structured.

With $50K, I’d just be careful not to put every dollar into the purchase and rehab. Holding costs, closing costs, surprises during renovation, and reserves can add up fast, especially on your first one.

I’d be happy to connect and help you understand the financing side, run through deals with you, and help you figure out what numbers make sense before you jump in. Excited to see another investor looking at Northeast Ohio!

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Jenna Fawley
Lender · Pickerington, OH · Member since 2026 · 49 posts · 39 votes
2mo
Love this and welcome to Ohio investing! Cleveland and Akron can both be great markets, especially for BRRRR and value-add deals, but they’re definitely areas where knowing the specific neighborhood and even the street can make a big difference.

I’m an Ohio mortgage broker and work with a lot of investor loan scenarios, including fix-and-flip/rehab financing and DSCR loans. Being a Canadian national doesn’t automatically take you out of the running either, there are options depending on the property and how the deal is structured.

With $50K, I’d just be careful not to put every dollar into the purchase and rehab. Holding costs, closing costs, surprises during renovation, and reserves can add up fast, especially on your first one.

I’d be happy to connect and help you understand the financing side, run through deals with you, and help you figure out what numbers make sense before you jump in. Excited to see another investor looking at Northeast Ohio!
1 Reply
Golan Corshidi
Rental Property Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2018 · 100 posts · 61 votes
2mo
Nice congrats! I invest in Cleveland and happy to give you referrals for the people we work with there. Feel free to send me a message and good luck.
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- Samuel Batista
  Member since 2025 · 3 posts · 2 votes
  1mo
  Quote from @Golan Corshidi:
  
  Nice congrats! I invest in Cleveland and happy to give you referrals for the people we work with there. Feel free to send me a message and good luck.
  
  Hi Golan, my name is Samuel. I’m also starting to invest in Cleveland and came across your comment. I’m currently looking for reliable contractors and other local service providers to work with. Would you mind sharing some of the referrals you use in the area? I’d really appreciate it. Thanks!
  
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- Golan Corshidi
  Rental Property Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2018 · 100 posts · 61 votes
  1mo
  @Samuel Batista of course I'd be happy to help. Send me a message
  0 Reply
Jimmy LieuBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
2mo
Quote from @Sharan Sudhir:

I am first time investor with no experience in Real Estate, Canadian National, have 50K for fix and flip or BRRRR properties, looking to connect with agents, lenders and contractors who do this everyday primarily focused in Cleveland and Akron area, want to work with someone who can help and guide me through the process on what to look for in a neighborhood, how conservative I should be with rehab budget and execute with a plan.

I have visited Cleveland thrice but currently I am all over the place, want to understand it more through a agents perspective.

Thanks.
Welcome to BP, Sharan! With $50K and being new to investing, I'd probably focus on getting really clear on one strategy and a small group of neighborhoods before worrying about finding the actual property. For BRRRR especially, you want an agent who understands investor deals, a contractor who can give realistic rehab numbers, a lender who understands your situation as a Canadian investor, and a property manager who can verify rents and tenant demand. I'd also be conservative on rehab and always leave a contingency because older Midwest homes can surprise you once work starts. Since you're already looking at Ohio, I'd consider comparing Cleveland and Akron with Columbus as well. I moved to Columbus in 2020 specifically to invest and have built my rental portfolio here, and I've found the combination of job/population growth, rental demand, and appreciation potential makes it worth researching alongside the higher cash-flow markets. Most importantly, pick one market, learn the neighborhoods really well, and build your local team before jumping into a deal. Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!
[email protected]614-300-7535
Jimmy Lieu, Red 1 Realty4.9122 Reviews
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Evan HoppleBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2023 · 285 posts · 420 votes
2mo
Quote from @Sharan Sudhir:

I am first time investor with no experience in Real Estate, Canadian National, have 50K for fix and flip or BRRRR properties, looking to connect with agents, lenders and contractors who do this everyday primarily focused in Cleveland and Akron area, want to work with someone who can help and guide me through the process on what to look for in a neighborhood, how conservative I should be with rehab budget and execute with a plan.

I have visited Cleveland thrice but currently I am all over the place, want to understand it more through a agents perspective.

Thanks.

I have a neighborhood grading map of Cleveland that I can share and can give you my take on the different areas from an investment perspective. There are parts of Cleveland where it can be tough to get reliable management.
Happy to share my resources and help point you in the right direction.
[email protected]614-924-8151
Reafco Real Estate
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Marc RiceBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
2mo
Quote from @Sharan Sudhir:

I am first time investor with no experience in Real Estate, Canadian National, have 50K for fix and flip or BRRRR properties, looking to connect with agents, lenders and contractors who do this everyday primarily focused in Cleveland and Akron area, want to work with someone who can help and guide me through the process on what to look for in a neighborhood, how conservative I should be with rehab budget and execute with a plan.

I have visited Cleveland thrice but currently I am all over the place, want to understand it more through a agents perspective.

Thanks.

Happy to connect and help you with this!
[email protected]614-363-2787
Marc Rice | Investor Friendly Agent at Reafco Tailwind Team574 Reviews
Website View Page
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Nicholas FloydBusiness Member
NY · Member since 2026 · 322 posts · 103 votes
2mo
That's amazing, I'm a business funding consultant and I run into a lot of people who want to get started flipping properties. They one thing that I notice is they want to put all of their savings into their first projects which I highly disagree with, I understand how ambition can cloud reason at times but a better option would be to have reserved financing available just in case you need more capital or even better you don't want to put most of your savings into a project. I would like to connect with you further to see if theirs any value that the two of us can add to each other
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