All Forum Posts by: Joshua Janus

I use a combination of rentometer and zillow which seems to be an accurate gauge of the area. 

@Eryk R Wnek 12 deals seems solid for your first year! Do you know how to properly analyze a rental property so you can gauge the return on your investment? Do you know which loan you need, and the requirements for it? Do you know the property type, price range and area(s) that you think are the best to start out in? Having complete and concise answers to these questions will lower your anxiety, mitigate your risk and set you up for success!

-Josh

This seems a little too complicated for the return it will net to both of you if things don't go sideways. Are you able to find an off market deal? Does she have reasonable loan options?  Got to be something simpler and more conventional than this route. Seems like a great idea in theory if it truly does work out as intended. 

Unless if you can add value, raise the rent and create a net positive cash on cash return that you are happy with I would sell this property. Plenty more opportunities to get a better return with the equity you have in that property. Investing close to home or out of state in a hybrid cash flow and appreciation market such as Columbus, Ohio would be a better idea in my opinion. 

Try cold calling! I do this a few hours every day and have found some really solid off market deals with returns the market is not offering. Just play the numbers game, be consistent and find an effective way to skip trace. 

Do you have a w2 job? Do you have 2yrs of tax returns from being self employed? You will need to meet either one of these requirements, on top of credit, savings and others in order to qualify for an FHA loan to house hack that way you can get the owner occupied 3.5% down. Working intentionally to meet these standards will help kickstart your wealth building. Good Luck!

*I am not a tax professional and this is not advice or guidance. Please seek professional tax and legal advise elsewhere. 

There definitely is! I cold call on a daily basis and find off market properties with older owners that are ready to get out of the game and properties are distressed, rented under market and have plenty of equity that you can buy into. Find some good avenues to prospect for properties and just stay consistent!
-Josh

When you are using the calculator, are the property taxes, vacancy rate (shouldn't be very high) accurate? You might be accounting for too much on those ends which aren't allowing positive cash flow to show. What areas are you looking at in the Akron and Cleveland areas? I would probably avoid Toledo as Cleveland and Columbus will provide you the most opportunity for cash flow with stable appreciation in comparison. 

Are you able to find statistics on the renter's population in that area, or how it has changed in the last few years? That should definitely answer some questions for you. 


I would also suggest looking into Columbus, Ohio. The population is growing, the area is appreciating better than the market average and more companies are constantly moving into it. It is a great place to find a hybrid property that produces some solid cash flow with good appreciation. There are lots of OOS investors that focus in this city. 

I cold call a few hours a day and combine that with working closely with realtors that are investors themselves. They will have a much better idea of what is a good deal and are always looking for cash flowing or appreciation potential.