Finding Deals in Columbia SC

[Ryan Copeland]

Hello BP,

I have been trying to identify deals in the Columbia SC market for months now. I started off on the MLS and in the past couple of months I got on a few wholesalers lists. These are the challenges I'm finding in this market.

• Low priced properties are in low rent areas
• Wholesalers have discounted deals, but now low enough to BRRRR
• Higher rents & good tenants are in the key school zones, but all of those properties are too expensive for REI
• The non-owner occupied taxes (3x residential) will kill a deal
• The listed MF properties have a high asking price, lots are really old (60-100 yrs) and either will require a ton of work or if the work is done, the asking price is significant.

For those of you out there who are currently investing in this market, how are you finding deals?  In the past 2 weeks I've started driving for dollars and I'm cold calling owners (no luck yet). I'm looking at the wholesaler deals, but I haven't seen anything that fits my criteria (or most anyone's from what I can tell). I'm using the BP calculators and after running the numbers the properties don't even warrant an offer.

I'm just looking for some insight here. I'm hungry to gain success in REI and won't stop til I meet my goals, but geez...this is feeling like a hard battle.