Legal compliance gaps Cleveland LAIC, lead paint laws, rental registration, city violations, inspection requirements, miss one and face fines.Emergency repairs at 2 AM Plumbing overflow from 2nd floor, burst pipes, no heat in winter, electrical failures require immediate local response you can't provide.Rent collection issues Hard to enforce late fees or pursue eviction without local presence and knowledge of Cleveland courts.Tenant manipulation Tenants know you're remote; some exploit this with fake emergency claims or delayed payments.Contractor reliability Can't verify if work was done, done correctly, or if quoted prices are inflated for "absentee landlords."

Investors notice when you’re being straight with them, and it matters.At the end of the day, it’s not complicated: be honest and be reliable.

The key is having a strong property manager, a reliable contractor, and someone local to check on things when needed.

This is where it gets tricky to find a reliable private money lender or commercial hard money lender.Have you been the victim of a loan scam and would you like to report the person or the company to stole your time and money?

A few tips:Build Your Network: Connect with local investors, realtors, and other wholesalers—relationships make deals happen.Marketing: Look into driving for dollars, direct mail, and online leads to find motivated sellers.Contracts & Title: Learn your state’s assignment contracts and work with reliable title or escrow companies early.Leverage Your Background: Your underwriting experience will help you analyze deals quickly and spot profitable opportunities.Focus on building connections and learning the process—deals will follow.

A couple of things that help first-time STR buyers: really dig into seasonality when running your numbers (winter vs summer demand), budget extra for furnishing/marketing since guest experience drives reviews, and line up reliable cleaners/maintenance early—it can make or break your operations.

Key things to look at: seasonality (Hocking Hills tends to stay strong with year-round hiking/cabins), competition (how many cabins or STRs are currently listed), and property management (finding a reliable local team is crucial since STRs are more hands-on than long-term rentals).

The last thing you want is to find out on delivery day that the new unit doesn’t fit through the front door.It might cost a bit more upfront than coordinating separate contractors, but a reliable local supplier who knows you’re an investor will usually go the extra mile and save you repeat trips and stress.

One thing I’ve noticed from investors who started with wholesaling and multifamily is that having a reliable financing strategy early can make or break your first deal.

Key is setting up a reliable local network that can handle day-to-day operations — cleaners, handymen, designers — and then adding a trusted point person or project manager to coordinate deliveries, oversee setup, and make sure things run smoothly.