I am searching looking for a real estate investment property

[Voley Martin]

I am a new pro member. My plan is to buy something in the next 90 days to a year that I can cash flow at least $100 a month after all expenses are accounted for; i.e. property management, taxes, insurance, cap expendetures etc. What are some of the best markets to get started in?  colombus/springfield OH seems at least somewhat promising to me. 

[Nicholas L.]

@Voley Martin

hello.  you may get a lot of suggestions on markets around the country for this.  whether you can get 'cash flow' depends on a lot of factors, including lots of costs that everyone just totally ignores when they talk about 'cash flowing' month 1.  or even year 1 or year 3.  there's two types.

1. start-up costs.  your closing costs and points on your loan, inspection, appraisal, rent ready costs and touch-up, paying a full month's rent plus sometimes a fee to a PM.  these can add up to thousands and thousands of dollars.  and in my book you are not cash flowing until these are paid off.  these are not equity and you don't get them back.  do that math - estimate closing costs and see how long it takes to pay off at $100 a month.

2. monthly costs - which I am heartened to see you are considering since you mentioned capex.

Columbus is a perfectly fine market IF you can set yourself for success there.  you can't and shouldn't pick it solely because someone else said so, or because the price point is lower.  where you are i would at least consider eastern PA.

hope this helps

just trying to be realistic