Prices are still affordable in the $120–180K range, you can find deals that hit the 1% rule and cash flow, and the macro factors are strong with population and job growth plus huge employers moving in like Intel, Amazon, Google, Honda, and Facebook.

I moved here from Portland back in 2020 to invest and now own 10+ rentals, and the macro picture here is really solid—population is growing, job growth is strong, and there’s a huge wave of development with companies like Intel, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Honda, Microsoft, LG, Anduril, and more.

Any heuristics or “deal breakers” that have stood the test of time for you — regardless of macro conditions?

For example, in Columbus, Ohio the macro story is on fire—population is growing, jobs are booming with Intel, Amazon, Google, Honda, Microsoft, LG and more building or expanding here, and housing is still affordable enough to hit the 1% rule and generate positive cashflow on day one with properties in the $120–180k range.

On top of that, the macro picture is really strong here: population growth, job growth, and tons of major companies moving in like Intel, Amazon, Google, Honda, and Microsoft, which all push long-term demand and appreciation.

The macro picture here is on fire: population growth, job growth, and huge developments like the $26B Intel plant plus Amazon, Google, Facebook, Honda, Microsoft, LG, Nationwide, and more moving in.

It’s one of the few cities where you can still buy in the $120–180K range, hit the 1% rule, and cash flow, plus the macro story is really strong—Intel’s $26B chip plant, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Honda, Microsoft, LG, etc. all growing here.

Step 1 for me is MACRO, Is now a good time to buy?

That’s about 1 in every 758 homes.July alone saw a 13% increase compared to last year, the highest monthly jump so far in 2025.What makes this more interesting—or worrisome—is the uneven geography:Alaska (↑55%), Rhode Island (↑51%), Utah and Wyoming (both ↑46%), and Colorado (↑41%) are seeing the sharpest increases.Per housing units, states like Nevada, Florida, Maryland, South Carolina, and Illinois are riding the foreclosure wave fastest.Contrast that with the macro picture:Inventory levels are swelling—active home listings are up almost 25% year-over-year—providing more opportunities for buyers.Mortgage rates dropped slightly, with 30-year fixed rates nudging down to 6.58%—the lowest point of 2025, but still elevated.And in a twist, the Federal Reserve is stuck between supporting housing and fending off inflation fueled by booming AI investments.So here’s my investor brain asking some real questions:Are these rises signaling local economic strain—not a national crisis—creating focused opportunities?

@Mike Dymski, in my experience raising institutional capital early in my career, I would disagree about "following a sponsor" for years, and actually many of the deal level analytics (a majority of institutional investors invest in funds not deals), but your point is generally correct.Ultimately, what I see a lot on these forums is that a lot of people are relying on the investment manager to also educate them on macro economic conditions, which will always carry a natural bias towards their types of offerings.