If you want to scale flips in Dayton, the fastest move is tightening your buy box and knowing your numbers cold before you walk a house.On a basic flip, I like to see at least 15 to 20 percent margin after purchase, rehab, holding and selling costs.

Better Weather Makes Moving EasierNo one wants to move in the rain or cold.

The headline number looks stronger than the broader trend suggests.For mortgage rates, softer employment momentum can reduce inflation pressure and give the Fed more flexibility later this year.Inflation Falls to an 8-Month LowConsumer inflation rose just 0.2% in January and slowed to 2.4% year over year, down from 2.7%.Core inflation eased to 2.5% annually.That’s the lowest annual rate in eight months.Shelter (which makes up ~35% of CPI and ~44% of core CPI) was modest in January, helping bring the annual number down.Airline fares jumped, but the broader inflation picture was contained.Bottom line: Inflation is moving in the right direction.The Federal Reserve is still cautious, but easing inflation + cooling labor data strengthens the case for eventual rate cuts later in 2026.For buyers and sellers: inflation cooling is generally supportive for mortgage rate stability.Existing Home Sales Slow to Start 2026After a strong December, existing home sales fell 8.4% in January and were down 4.4% year over year.Inventory slipped slightly month-over-month but remains higher than last year.NAR noted unusually cold weather and heavy precipitation may have distorted the numbers.The more important point?

That’s where most people get hurt.If you’re set on Central Illinois and already have connections there, one approach I’ve seen work well is:Start with a light-value or rent-ready long-term rental to build your team and underwriting confidence remotelyTreat your second deal as the BRRRR once you’ve pressure-tested contractors, property management, and exit values in that marketOn wholesalers specifically — be cautious.

-Also on that note, dress up the patio a bit- string lights, fire pit, comfy chairs-Bedroom floors need rugs, it feels cold, especially for  ski cabin-Need to liven it up with some color, preferably skiing and mountain related -I’m assuming the pool is shared, so I would note that in the photoOnce you do all that, get a professional photographer.  

On the first call, most people seem very interested in what I’m offering — things like list pulling, dialer setup, skip tracing, SMS outreach, and cold callers to generate hundreds of prequalified seller leads each month across all states.The issue is: once we get to the point where they say “yes, this sounds good,” the conversation often stalls.

You can find owners by driving for dollars, door knocking, letters, cold calls, SMS campaigns, FB ads, Google ads, etc.

Sounds like you're doing a mix of self-managing and managing for others which makes clean tracking even more important I’m a CPA and real estate bookkeeper and I work with investors across the country who are in a similar spotQuickBooks Online is a great option if you set it up the right way We set up our clients' books so that every property has its own class or location That way you can trackIncome by propertyDeductible expenses by property and categoryWhether each property is making or losing money month to monthIt also makes tax time way easier because everything is clean and categorized for your CPAIf you don’t need full accounting software yet and just want simple tracking Stessa can work too though it has some limitations and isn’t as customizableLet me know if you want help figuring out what’s best based on your setup or need help getting the structure right from the start Happy to point you in the right direction

If you look into Xero, there are also a few helpful YouTube walkthroughs showing how investors set up properties and projects in it. 

Our work covers everything from list pulling, dialer setup, skip tracing, SMS outreach, and cold calling, and we currently partner with 16 investors.