Southern California and Midwest Investors

[Josh Thomas]

Hello all! I’ve been observing in the background for a few months I wanted to finally reach out with an introduction along with seeking some advice.

I'm current living out in San Diego where I purchased my first property with a VA loan in 2017. A small 2/1 to get my feet wet with hopes of renting this property in the future as my neighborhood is having a lot of growth! I've been interested in real-estate for a few years but it wasn't until I found BP in early 2019 that I realized there were resources out there which could actually help me make some things happen!

SO, as we all know, SOCAL isn’t ideal for hitting the ground running when it comes to building your portfolio. Obviously out of state investing is huge in this community and everyone has their preferred markets. The Midwest is clearly popular for those of you who are seasoned as well as those of us like myself who are starting out. Being from Ohio myself and having family and friends who still reside in Akron and Cleveland, this location seem like a no brainer!

With that said I'm currently out of the country for a few months and my goal is to be armed and ready to actively pursue my first deal within the next six months. Having a fair amount of money in savings I feel like I do not need to be ultra-focused on generating funding in these markets (a large starting barrier removed). I am however experiencing some paralysis on where to direct my efforts next... Although theoretically I have some boots on the ground, I have zero connections to anyone actively investing in these markets. I have not yet settled on a specific location or property type although starting with small multi has always been the first thought. I know Cleveland has been hot for a few years but there must be some of you out in the Akron area? Looking at the MLS in all the various Cle neighborhoods it seems like every property is marketed towards anxious investors like myself... Is over saturation of concern?

Upon my return to the states I hope to have the opportunity to build some relationships with those San Diego based investors who are crushing out of state. Now it’s all about picking a strategy and positioning myself to make my first deal. Any advice on where to direct focus is greatly appreciated!