All Forum Posts by: Jimmy Lieu
Jimmy Lieu has started 97 posts and replied 2114 times.
Post: Looking for a contractor to run flips together
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Dave Halevi:
Hello y'all,
My partner and I are flipping houses in Columbus.
we're looking for a great contractor to team up with and scale.
It has to be someone who's investor-friendly and has previous experience with full rehabs.
If it's u, or if you know someone, please DM me. :)
Hi Dave, happy to connect and share my GC referrals.
Post: Looking into purchasing a rental property Dayton, Ohio out of state
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Kiril Nikolaev:
Quote from @Jimmy Lieu:
Quote from @Mitchell Truong:
Hello and thank you in advance for any advice! I'm really new to investing out of state. I'm looking into purchasing a rental property in the Belmont area of Dayton, OH and wanted to get any insight for this market as it seems concerning that the average rent is higher compared to the actual costs of houses in the area. Wondering if the vacancy rate is higher in the area as it seems more advantageous to just buy a house and pay mortgages rather than renting. Thank you again for all your time!
Hi Mitchell! While prices are low (under $200k), there's absolutely a rental demand - especially for working class and professional tenants who aren't ready to buy. That $1400 rent actually makes sense given the low purchase prices. In most Ohio markets, investors can achieve solid cashflow with much lower initial capital investment. Try to look for well-located properties near employment centers. And if you're open to checking out another market with strong rents, positive cashflow, and 1% deals - I recommend Columbus OH. Columbus is an absolute goldmine right now - it's got robust job growth, a booming tech and university scene, and consistent strong rental demand. Happy to send over some resources regarding the Columbus Ohio market and why it's a great market to invest into!
Hi @Jimmy Lieu I'd be curious to find out more about your experience in Columbus. I am in Ontario Canada, but looking to explore the Ohio market due to its proximity to Toronto and very attractive cap rates. I see you're a real estate agent, but do you invest in real estate personally as well?
Are you able to share insight about multi-family as well?
Hi Kiril, yes I'm also an investor here in Columbus OH. I moved from Portland OR and I now own a successful rental portfolio. Happy to connect and answer any questions you may have.
Post: Looking to buy my first investment property
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Lolo Druff:
I am looking to buy my first investment property, and my goal is to continue building this portfolio every year until I can live off my rental income entirely. I have about $400K to deploy, but would prefer to buy several duplexes rather than 1 more expensive building. I live in CA but am open to investing anywhere that makes financial sense. Cash flow is important of course, but so is appreciation, so I want to ensure I have a balance of both. Is it wise to buy some units with high cash flow and low appreciation, and others with lower cash flow but high appreciation to diversify my portfolio?
I was looking in Columbus OH but the market is so saturated and it's been difficult for me to find cash-flowing deals there. Any deal that I've found seems to have sold within the last 2 years, and its alarming as to why it's back on market again unless they have problems with the building and/or tenants. I'm open to all suggestions regarding different cities that meet my requirements and would love to chat with some realtors who have local experience working with investors.
Hi Lolo! Columbus has definitely gotten competitive, and you're right to be cautious about properties that are cycling back to market quickly. But we're still seeing solid opportunities here with good cash flow and appreciation potential. I own a 7-figure rental portfolio here myself. And when a property cycles back to the market, it's not always a red flag – sometimes it's just market dynamics at work. Happy to connect and answer any questions you may have.
Post: Need advice on what to do with Up to 200K
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Jadan Williams:
Hello bigger pockets experts, I currently live in california but will list my house for sale within the next couple months i want to use between 100-200k for an investment but not sure how to go about it. My original plan was to find a 4 plex in california buy using fha loan, move out after the first year and generate cash flow and appreciation, but after looking at properties it became clear to me that’s not possible with todays market and interest rates. I now am looking all over the country, thinking of trying to find a duplex that’s has land where i can add more units in the future, or just a small apartment building, honestly I dont know at the moment just wanted some feedback from people who know more than me
Hi Jadan, I was in the same shoes when I was priced out of where I lived (Portland OR) so I decided to move to Columbus OH. I started with a house hack then purchased my own rentals/BRRRRs and now I own a successful 7-figure rental portfolio. Columbus is rapidly growing, with the population, job market, and growing tech scene driving strong rental demand. We are still seeing positive cash flow deals here with lots of potential for appreciation. Happy to send over some resources on why Columbus is a great real estate market to invest in!
Post: Is $23k Liquid Reasonable to Start Section 8 Investing in OH?
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Guenevere F.:
Hi All!
This will be my first investment property. I currently live in Washington State, and am looking to invest in OH, providing housing for Section 8. I’m a full time property manager in my 9 to 5 and manage 138 doors. I’m wondering if $23k of my own liquidated funds is reasonable to start looking for an investment property? Any thoughts and comments welcome as I am very new and open to learning from seasoned investors. Thank you all! 🙏🏼
Hi Guenevere! I agree with the comments here that $23k will not be enough for now. You should budget around 2-5% of the purchase price for closing costs. For reserves, you'll want 3-6 months of potential expenses saved (repairs, vacancies, unexpected costs). Since Section 8 properties often need some work to pass inspection, you may need around $10k or more for potential upgrades or repairs. Ideally, you'd want closer to $40k-$50k to feel truly comfortable and have a safety net for your first investment property. But this shouldn't stop you from connecting with lenders this early. I have Section 8 rentals myself so I'm happy to connect and answer any questions you may have.
Post: New member from Cleveland, OH
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Allen McCann:
I am a new member from Cleveland, OH. I am looking forward to connecting with the Bigger Pockets network.
Hi Allen, welcome to the BiggerPockets community! If you're expanding your search beyond Cleveland, you may want to check the Columbus market. Great macroeconomics with growing population and job market. We still see 1% deals here that bring positive cash flow and have potential for appreciation. Happy to send over some resources on why Columbus is a great real estate market to invest in!
Post: super excited to start investing
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Dennis Knapp:
I Have one double that I live in i bought as an investment just to help pay my mortgage. I've taken a couple real estate courses but Big Pockets is the best and I have been binge watching for the last 2 weeks and im super excited to start investing im looking to do the Brrrr strategy and looking to pick up small multi family properties and possibly off market flips.
Hi Dennis, welcome to the BiggerPockets community! I've done quite a lot of BRRRRs here in Columbus OH myself. And we're still seeing deals here that are positive cash flowing with lots of potential for appreciation. Happy to connect and answer any questions you may have.
Post: Looking for a quality General Contractor to do few repairs/renovations
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Vishal M.:
So I purchased our first ever property in Columbus and unfortunately the property needs some immediate repairs and also some renovations in the long term (1-3 years). This property will continued to be used as a rental property and I am out of state homeowners
I am looking for a quality General Contractor to do few repairs for now and renovations in the near future.
I tried few big names https://thejaecompany.com/, https://www.elevate-remodeling.com, https://rrisler.com/ but either they dont do all types of repair or they are too expensive
Any recommendations?
Hi Vishal! Happy to connect and share my list of preferred GCs.
Post: Real Estate attorney
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Dennis Knapp:
anyone have a good real estate attourney in ohio? im in Cleveland. im guessing they should be from the same state and possibly the same area. thanks,
Hi Dennis, happy to connect and share some helpful contacts.
Post: Hello BiggerPockets! New PRO here
- Real Estate Agent
- Columbus, OH
- Posts 2,194
- Votes 1,658
Quote from @Maria Jeanette:
Hello BiggerPockets community! I'm Maria J from New Jersey, passionate about real estate investing for a couple months now. I'm particularly passionate about PA, NC and OH.
Outside of real estate, I enjoy trying new restaurants.
Excited to learn and connect with you all!
Hi Maria, welcome to the BiggerPockets community! My advice is to check for markets that fit your investment strategy and goals. And when investing out of state, make sure to work with a local trustworthy professional who will have your best interest and understands your needs. If you're interested in OH, you may want to check Columbus OH. The economy is rapidly growing so we see both cash flow and appreciation potential here. Happy to send over some resources on why Columbus is a great real estate market to invest in!