All Forum Posts by: Jonathan Styer

Hello @Marshal Amon, you're in the right spot for finding agents who know investing in Columbus. There are many local agents who are investors that post on BP. If you're looking to move in June/July then the time to start looking is indeed now. I would recommend that you start interviewing agents to find a good fit. You're also going to want to start the lending process as well, you'll need to be preapproved to start writing offers. 

Columbus is a very competitive market so you're right to be looking for the right kind of agent who knows the investing piece but also how to structure your offer to win. You're being smart by starting out with a house hack, I wish I had done it that way from the start of my investing career!

Another option is to purchase a flipped home and have a PM assist in placing a tenant. As these guys mentioned above, gonna need to be willing to put a little work in before turning any keys here in Columbus. 

I would start by speaking with your lender and explain what is going on. They are probably going to be your best bet to be able to walk you through this and help. Remember, you're in this together as they has skin in the game too. Good luck!

You're going to need to pay him for his time. No one wants to work for free, so just be upfront and say, I'm a wholesaler, I want an estimate of rehab costs for this home. What will you charge to come up with this estimate? 

To be honest, this is not the smartest way of going about finding out rehab costs, I believe most wholesalers figure it out themselves by going through the home and determining what needs done then adding up those costs. Once you've been doing it for a while this becomes second nature. 

Good luck!

Hi Brandon, I would imagine $90k is not going to get you very far in Southern California. You can do a lot of damage with that amount of money in Columbus, OH and get a great mix of cashflow and appreciation. 

I would start by calling them up and voicing your concerns about the length of time it is taking to find a tenant. If they are getting applications why is nothing coming to fruition? Three months is long enough to find a tenant, so something is wrong. Either it is the rental amount or something with the property. Your PM should be the expert and help to decipher the issue with you. If they can't help after you call and express concerns, look for a new PM. 

Congrats on taking the plunge! Columbus is great for short term rentals. Where is yours located!

It isn't going to happen with any government loans, you'll need private money or cash to do that. 

You're not missing anything. It all comes down to numbers, if you can find a condo where the numbers work with the HOA fee it's not a bad investment as they can be a little more "set it and forget it" with not having to worry about exterior maintenance.

The issue is, most times the HOA fee is going to kill your numbers.

@John Philip Eugenio, a good Realtor should be able to guide you through all your questions about buying an investment in Columbus. They can also connect you with anyone you need whether that be a lender, property manager, and contractors. Best of luck! Columbus is a great place to be investing.