All Forum Posts by: Jimmy Lieu

Hey folks,

I'm looking to buy my first multi-family and first property in total. I currently live in the Denver, Co area, but I am looking in the following markets: Lansing, Mi and Cleveland, Oh. Would anyone be available to grab a coffee or beer? I'd love to pick your brain about how you got started, mistakes and lessons learned...etc.

Thanks,

Robbie

Hello everyone, my name is Gobena. I will be moving to Decatur Illinois soon and would love to connect with realstate investors and Agents around that area. Champaign,springfield,Decatur or Bloomington! 

Hello, my name is Ethan Tomlinson. I am a 22 year old college student at BYU-I. It’s been a dream of mine to house hack the moment I have learned of it, which was four years ago. Listening to countless podcasts and reading tons of books, etc. Since then it’s been on my mind. Aged 19-21 I served a mission for my church in the New England area, but since I’ve been home I’ve been saving money. To get to the gist of things…

I'm wondering if anyone in this local area of south east Idaho knows a lot about the process of getting your first house hack. Costs, getting pre-approved for an FHA loan, who to talk to first. Etc

I have two part time jobs and in total I bring home between 2800-3000 a month. I have no debts, I only have to pay for groceries and gas right now so I’m able to save about 2300-2500 each month after paying my living expenses each month.

Other things to know:

My current savings are about 20k and I have 4k in a Roth.

My credit score has been 750+ for quite some time now

I have only had my two w-2 part time jobs for about a couple months, before then a lot of my labor was 1099 or even just being payed cash, and if I remember correctly you need 2 years of income to get approved for an FHA loan generally.

So what steps should I take to inch closer to obtaining a house hack? It’s killing me more and more not being able to start this, i definitely haven’t done any deal analysis in a while with the calculators, but I used to a lot years back. 

if it helps, ask me questions too! I bet I’m overlooking a lot of things. I greatly appreciate all comments and I will listen, as you reading are the likely seasoned veteran, not me.

Hey everyone,

I am from Illinois and actually closer to Peoria than Champaign, but choices were limited. I am getting into Real Estate investing but am a rookie looking to connect, learn, network, and pick up any lessons along the way. 

Thanks in advance to all.

Jai

Multifamily investor currently based in Connecticut, relocating to Columbus in Fall 2025. I specialize in 2–3 unit buy-and-hold rentals with a focus on cash flow, value-add opportunities, and long-term wealth building. I currently own property in  CT and I’m planning to scale to 5+ doors in the Columbus market over the next few years. Always open to connecting with investor-friendly agents, lenders, or local partners focused on lean, ethical growth.

This is my first time posting here. I am purchasing my 4 plex units, have rental property andairbnb property. But also have been interested in flipping/ selling a home for as long as I can remember. I kind of want to do it for a hobby and make extra cash. I saw Michigan Indiana Ohio are good places. I live in Louisiana. Where would anyone recommend and how do I start? Ty

Hello, my name is Sofia Contreras and I'm a new investor  in the area of Ashville NC , ready to learn and start getting my feet wet. I'm learning the ins and out of wholesaling but my end goal is to fix and flip and buy and hold properties. Great a portfolio of rental properties and generate cash flow. If you are in the area would love to connect and learn from experience investors that are willing to help someone that is brand new to this business.

Hey BP community,

I’m a California-based investor looking to build a long-term out-of-state portfolio in the Midwest. I’ve narrowed down my focus to three markets for now:

Milwaukee (WI), Columbus (OH), and parts of Michigan (open to cities like Grand Rapids, Lansing, or suburbs of Detroit).

I’m at the stage of interviewing investor-friendly realtors and would love to hear how you screen and vet agents in these markets. My goal is to buy 1–2 buy-and-hold properties this year, then scale gradually.

Here’s what I’m asking realtors so far:

• Do you work with out-of-state investors regularly?

• Are you an investor yourself or familiar with analyzing deals?

• Can you help me with rent comps, cap rates, and neighborhood breakdowns (A-D class)?

• Do you have a network of reliable property managers, lenders, inspectors, or contractors?

• What areas do you recommend (or avoid) for long-term rentals in your market?

• How responsive are you, and what’s your communication style?

• Can you send me sample deals or recent investor purchases you’ve worked on?

What am I missing? What other questions or red flags should I watch out for?

My Current Approach (Open to Feedback):

• Focused on Milwaukee, Columbus, and Michigan for affordability and rent-to-price ratios

• Interviewing 3–5 realtors in each market

• Gathering referrals from BP, Facebook groups, and local investor meetups

• Asking for CMAs, past deals, and insight on ideal zip codes for cash flow

• Tracking all interactions in a spreadsheet to rate professionalism, experience, and communication

Would love feedback on how I can improve my process—especially as a long-distance investor trying to build strong relationships with boots-on-the-ground partners.

If you’ve invested in any of these markets, I’d also appreciate your take on:

• Best neighborhoods to invest in (or avoid)

• Local challenges or surprises

• Team-building tips specific to your experience

Thanks in advance! Appreciate any advice, referrals, or feedback you’re willing to share. I’m here to learn and make smart, intentional moves.

Hi everyone, 

Excited to learn from this community. I am a corporate tech business professional based in CA, SF Bay Area. I have my real estate license, and I am looking to diversify in out-of-state real estate investments as a flip or med/ long term rental, single family. Would consider short term based on market. 

What I’m seeking:

• Connection with experienced investors in CA who are successfully managing out-of-state properties

• Insights on your investment strategy, market selection criteria, and property management approach

• Potentially shadowing opportunities to learn your process firsthand

What I can partner and offer in return to start:

• Support in Sales prospecting approach- identify ways to refine the approach to finding off-market properties or finding relationships with agents in target markets

• Data-driven decision frameworks – My experience implementing metrics-based systems could help optimize property analysis or portfolio performance tracking

• Marketing communications skills – Whether it’s creating compelling rental listings or communicating effectively with potential sellers, I can share strategies

• Customer success principles – These can directly translate to tenant relations and retention strategies that maximize occupancy and minimize turnover

I'm approaching this with humility as a newcomer to REI but bringing the discipline, data-driven hunting mindset that has served me well professionally. I'm NOT interested in get- rich- quick schemes or quick shortcuts, so pls do not reach out if that is the case. I am interested in building relationships with successful investors who might be open to sharing their experience and wisdom.

If you're open to connecting or can recommend someone who might be, please reach out. I'm also interested in any local REI meetups or groups that would be worthwhile. Thx and looking forward.

Hi everyone! My name is Prateek. I’ve been working in healthcare for the past 10 years, and I came across BiggerPockets while reading Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner. That book really shifted my mindset and got me excited about building financial freedom for myself and my family through real estate.

I'm especially interested in multifamily properties and the BRRRR strategy (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat). I've been diving into podcasts and learning as much as I can, and my goal is to purchase my first multifamily property or complete a BRRRR deal before the end of this year.

I’m excited to be part of this community and connect with others on the same journey!