But here’s what separates the long term successful investors from the wanna bes, the hopefuls, and the people attending every seminar and buying every mentorship and never establishing a successful track record1- the ability to IDENTIFY a deal - most deals are not  advertised at a great price - negotiation is needed.

Push through it, you may even need to have a second, consistent paying job and thats OK, until you get established.

Last month city established a tax incentive district on neighborhood.  

When evaluating a property management company, it's important to look beyond just the management fee and consider the full scope of services and costs involved.For example, at our company, we charge a 10% monthly management fee, a $250 lease renewal fee (unless it’s a takeover tenant, which requires additional effort to establish a strong relationship - because usually people are changing pm companies for a reason), and the first month’s rent as a leasing fee.

If it's in the restricted zone (within 31 miles of the coast or 62 miles from an international border, you have the choice between using a bank trust and paying the fees mentioned above or using a Mexican corporation and bearing the costs of establishing and maintaining  the corporation.

A solid broker has established lending relationships.

If you don’t establish the right foundation first, you’re just letting the numbers push you around instead of controlling the deal narrative.I actually built my own underwriting calculator to streamline the qualification process.

Both @Nathan Gesner and @Lauren Stark have provided valuable insights on this.One potential path for you is to join an established team to gain experience.

That time could have been spent working with a committed client that is not only looking for the best terms, but is also looking to establish a long term lending partnership.

Cincinnati has more history and an established feel, while Columbus is growing fast and has a lot of energy.