All Forum Posts by: Marc Rice

Hello everyone

I’m a 19‑year‑old finance student living in California and hoping to buy my first rental soon. Local prices feel out of reach, so I’m looking at other states.

If you’ve bought out‑of‑state, how did you pick a market and put a good team together? Any tips, resources, or stories would really help.

Grateful to learn from you all!
—Jack

I am a Financial Literacy/Government teacher in Central Ohio but love investing in real estate.

Currently own 6 doors across Ohio and Alabama. I have done several flips along the way. Looking to BRRRR or flip in Ohio, Indiana and Alabama.

Hello everyone! I currently own a few properties in Columbus, OH with my wife. We are planning to start managing our own properties one at a time as we start getting comfortable. We seek constructive feedback and advise guiding us through this process. Thank you in advance for letting us be a part of this supportive community.

I am trying to get into the short term rental game. I am very new to this but not new to RE investing, I am a commercial developer in New York. I want to expand business outside of New York with Short Term Rentals. Does anyone have any tips, sources, websites or anything really to help me find markets good for STR investing? Also if you have any reading suggestions for any STR topics that would be awesome.

Hello, I live in Seattle, WA. The market here is very expensive and mainly focused in building ADUs and appreciation. As this will be my first out of state investment, I'm looking to do more turnkey/light renovations, class B- or better neighborhoods, and focused on monthly cashflow rather than appreciation. Will be doing mostly cash. I know this is a unicorn of a buy box but any help would be great. Focused in Michigan or Ohio as I'm original from there, but any wisdom would be great!

Hey BP, 

Are there any Section 8 investors in Cleveland? I'v been looking for a outstate market and Cleveland looks affordable compared to NY. My current strategy is built around subsidized rent and was wondering what Section 8 looks like in Cleveland. Are there enough tenants with market rate vouchers in demand for housing? Is it easy to find subsidized vouchers? What are some good C class neighborhoods that are good for section 8? 

Any info on out of state investing and section 8 specifically would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi all! I'm an active real estate investor focused on opportunities in the Cleveland area, primarily working with the BRRRR strategy. I'm currently looking to connect with experienced and dependable general contractors familiar with the local market. Excited to build a strong team!

Hi BiggerPockets community! 👋

I’ve been lurking on the forums for a bit and finally decided it’s time to jump in and introduce myself.

I’m a brand-new investor based in Los Angeles, and I’ve set a big goal: buy 10 rental properties in the next 6 years, starting with my first one before the end of this year. I’m 34, work full-time in a job I love (so moving is not an option), and after crunching the numbers… I’ve realized investing locally in California just doesn’t make sense for my strategy or budget.

So, I’m preparing to become an out-of-state investor — and I’ll be honest, that’s the part that intimidates me most. The idea of buying a property in a totally unfamiliar market, from afar, and needing to build a trustworthy team in that area… it’s both exciting and overwhelming.

Here’s what I’m already doing to prepare:

• Listening to BiggerPockets and BP Rookie podcasts religiously (they’re my road trip buddies now).
• Reading The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner.
• Browsing these forums about 20 minutes a day.
• Considering taking the BiggerPockets Rookie course (would love to hear honest reviews if you’ve taken it!).

Obviously, there’s so much more self-education I need to do beyond just these things — but that’s where I’ve started. I’m currently dedicating about an hour a day to learning, and I welcome any suggestions for what else I should be diving into at this stage.

Right now, I haven’t selected a market yet — I want to make a well-informed decision, not just follow trends. I’ve got ~$150K ready to put toward my first property and am more than willing to travel for due diligence, but I need help building a smart, strategic roadmap.

If you’re an experienced out-of-state investor, I’d love to hear:

• How you chose your market(s)
• How you built your team remotely (agents, PMs, contractors, etc.)
• Any mistakes you made early on that I should watch out for
• Encouragement or success stories that helped you feel confident despite the distance

I know the road ahead won’t be easy, but I’m so determined to do this right. Appreciate any advice, insight, or even just a “you got this” from others who’ve been here before.

Thank you in advance, I can't tell you how much I appreciate any guidance! 🙏

—Shyla

Hello. the area where I live (northern VA) isn't the best for multifamily / rentals.

Would it be a better idea to take the money I have and use it as a downpayment for a house hack in Northern VA or invest out of state in rentals or multifamily?