Do you live there or would you be an out of town investor @Thurben James?  There’s certainly plenty of affordable opportunities to get in the market. The question would be the sustainability of the overall economy and job market. With rising interest rates and the widening wealth gap, first-time homebuyers are by locked out of the housing market, it seems long-term rental demand is solid but of course it would be important to get quality tenants in the better parts of town. I would not anticipate much turnover so could be good cash flow over the long run, the question is the long-term appreciation… depends on your strategy and weather you’d be managing themselves or relying on unknown local property manager, contractors, etc. Which always poses risk.  

I'm an out of state investor. I have mixed feelings about Youngstown and me personally I want to not buy there. 

Depends if you're out of state or not. Also the area of town you're buying. A lot of the deals out on the MLS I'd be cautious of because despite them cash flowing there maybe be problems waiting for you. It's not to say there isn't opportunities in Youngstown but if you're starting out I'd recommend starting somewhere close. If you're priced out of your own backyard then yes keep looking out of state.

I just saw this FB posting @Thurben James!  May be worth considering!

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Hi @Thurben James, the area boasts affordable property prices and potential for high ROI, especially with ongoing local economic initiatives. However, it also faces economic difficulties, high vacancy rates, and slower property appreciation compared to booming markets.

If you're an out-of-state investor without local contacts, examining census data can provide valuable insights into Youngstown, Ohio. This data will help you understand the city's demographics, housing market, and economic conditions. Census profile for Youngstown:
https://data.census.gov/profile/Youngstown_city,_Ohio?g=160X...

 would never buy there

 Why?

 Don't invest in to dumps.  This is not 1803, and Youngstown Ohio is past its prime. Just listen to the song Youngstown by Bruce Springsteen.  

I prefer more Columbus Ohio because it's still growing like crazy here! You can find positive cash flow, the 1% rule, and amazing appreciation. Just look at how many companies are moving and developing here! You have Intel headquarters being built, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Nationwide, etc. Anything you buy in Columbus will be a goldmine in a few years! Happy to connect and answer any questions you have

 Pretty sure one can just Google Youngstown Ohio and know that the place is crumbin' down (get it?).

Any investor looks for places which have a bright future, not one's where their downtown is closed due to crumbling and unsafe buildings.

https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/gas-explosion-in-youngs...

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/03/12/what-buck...

https://ysu.edu/center-working-class-studies/renaissance-who...

https://www.propublica.org/article/these-companies-got-milli...

As Bones would say, it's dead Jim.  Don't blame me, I didn't kill it, it's been dead for a while.. 

LOL! Agreed. I'm loving this thread 😁 Using Springsteen as market research. Unbelievable. 

 Can you elaborate?

 I was curious about this area as well. I get mixed reports. 🤷‍♂️ 

Perhaps I am wrong from the news clippings.  Are they incorrect?  Are there vibrant businesses and jobs that the newspapers are not reporting on correctly? Since your profile states you are from or in Youngstown, please provide your honest opinion of the area.

Enjoy your humble pie then.

Hello!

I currently live in Boardman, just a few blocks south of Youngstown City. I also have a method of analyzing locations to find out how in-demand properties are there compared to surrounding areas. That being said:

Most if the points above are correct, both good and bad. Youngstown as a metro region is still on the decline. The strong industries that built the region are not coming back, at least not soon, leading to way too much housing compared to the amount of people wanting to live here. 
However, while there are too many housing units and the population will likely continue to decline, there are still desirable neighborhoods that even as populations decline, will have the highest demand for housing due to infrastructure and amenities. This allows you to buy into a great neighborhood at a substantial discount, as the stigma of Youngstown will force a discount on all properties in it. In other words, you will get one if the best bangs for your buck here, provided you pick the right spots. Good neighborhoods within the city are harder to find than in the rurual areas or suburbs do to the urban flight still continuing. 

Heres a map of the county (sorry if its a bit hard to decipher.) As you can see, because the city is on the decline, the more Urban the area the less likely it is to hold its value, as they are demolishing many more houses than they are building. 

Heres a more detailed map of the the top right of the county on a magnified level. Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red are A, B, C, D, and F, respectively. 

Quote from @Alexander Blake Summers:

Hello!

I currently live in Boardman, just a few blocks south of Youngstown City. I also have a method of analyzing locations to find out how in-demand properties are there compared to surrounding areas. That being said:

Most if the points above are correct, both good and bad. Youngstown as a metro region is still on the decline. The strong industries that built the region are not coming back, at least not soon, leading to way too much housing compared to the amount of people wanting to live here. 
However, while there are too many housing units and the population will likely continue to decline, there are still desirable neighborhoods that even as populations decline, will have the highest demand for housing due to infrastructure and amenities. This allows you to buy into a great neighborhood at a substantial discount, as the stigma of Youngstown will force a discount on all properties in it. In other words, you will get one if the best bangs for your buck here, provided you pick the right spots. Good neighborhoods within the city are harder to find than in the rurual areas or suburbs do to the urban flight still continuing. 

Heres a map of the county (sorry if its a bit hard to decipher.) As you can see, because the city is on the decline, the more Urban the area the less likely it is to hold its value, as they are demolishing many more houses than they are building. 

Heres a more detailed map of the the top right of the county on a magnified level. Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red are A, B, C, D, and F, respectively. 

 its difficult to understand that map, do you know the best and worst zip codes on the city?