There are many markets that fit this description.

It's obviously not just the Fed.You have Chevron, Southwest, Meta, Estee Lauder, Starbucks, the list goes on. 

I met a contractor through the project that's become a solid 1st call for my next flip and a good friend in the process.

The rental market is already showing signs of recovery:Spring Is Coming: Historically, the rental market picks up momentum in the spring as tenants prepare to move during warmer months or ahead of the school year.Early 2025 Trends Are Positive: In just the first week of January, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in rental applications, suggesting pent-up demand from renters who delayed their searches in November and December.What Landlords Can Do NowTo make the most of this recovery, consider:Refreshing Your Listings: Update your photos, descriptions, and pricing to ensure your properties stand out.Offering Incentives: Temporary discounts or move-in bonuses can help fill vacancies quickly.Being Patient: The market is already bouncing back, so don’t panic if your property takes a bit longer to lease than usual.What’s been your experience?

I do believe we have a good property manager and the photos and description of the listing are well done, so not sure what else to do at this point.

Did have high quality photos/ great listing title and description?

I think by the description these guys are brokers .. so they tack on fee's to the direct lenders fee's   Kind of like peer st..  

I'm an investor here in Columbus OH myself and have seen the city's solid and steady growth with strong economic fundamentals driving the market like major companies moving here (Meta, Intel, Google, Amazon, etc), job growth, and population growth.

Based on your description, Party 1 seems like the safer choice.

Also thank you for the great description of your business and its history and inner workings.