First Time Investor Seeking Suggestions

[Jeremy Helsabeck]

Hey everyone. I’m new to bigger pockets. I’ve been working in real estate and real estate tech for the past 7-8 years and live in the Denver metro area. 

Because the Denver housing market has been so strong over the past 5-6 years and I was fortunate enough to purchase in 2013 before things got really crazy, I have a decent amount of equity in my home. I’m interested in taking a portion of that equity and hoping to begin my real estate portfolio. BUT, the question is where to invest...

I do not want to invest in the Denver area due to property costs, so I’m hoping for a few suggestions on location and what to specifically look for in a property or two. Any thoughts on Cleveland, Kansas City, Indianapolis, or others? I have approximately 75-125K to invest accordingly.

I would very much appreciate any feedback, suggestions, or things I should make myself aware of before taking the leap to begin investing. 

All thoughts and comments are much appreciated!

-Jeremy

[Subbie Kaur]

@Jeremy Helsabeck

Welcome to BP! 

Smart decision of not investing in a place where property prices are high! You can get a lot of good properties in the midwest! 

Here are some things that we make sure exist in a market that we invest in: 

1. Low property taxes ( really important if you are looking for more cash flow! Low taxes and low property prices are a WIN) 

2. High rental demand( this will make filling units much easier if vacancies do occur, and also we have noticed that in areas where there is high rental demand, tenants will stick around much longer) 

3. Landlord friendly laws ( you want to invest in a state that is more landlord friendly, this will allow you to have a much more positive experience as an investor)  

4. MOST IMPORTANT ( A GOOD PROPERTY MANAGER) This is KEY, you want to work with a property manager that has a good reputation and also is able to educate you about the market. They should know the trends of the market, the demand, and overall just have a clear idea of how their market works! 

Hope that helps! 

Let me know if you have any questions