Given your goals, Indy could be a great fit—affordable pricing, solid appreciation, and strong Section 8 demand with reliable property management options.

Reliable property management is everything, especially as out-of-state investors.

The key is building a reliable local team—property managers, realtors, and contractors you trust.

It is about creating a balance between being open to new tenants and protecting your property interests diligently.By fostering a more secure leasing process, you can ensure that your properties remain profitable and that your relationships with genuine tenants are based on trust and reliability.

One challenge was coordinating rehab work within tight timelines to minimize holding costs, but we navigated it by hiring a reliable contractor.

I am not terribly concerned with networking to find reliable contractors for renovation work.

Hard money is expensive.Some questions to ask yourself to assess risk:Do you have access to a reliable contractor who can complete the work on time and stick within a budget?

Some gurus tell practicioners of sub-to to hide transaction from the lender by saying the lender doesn't care as long as the payments are being made.

Wholesale, foreclosure, and seller financing can work too, but I’ve noticed that careful analysis and having reliable local contacts often deliver the best results over time.So as you two gear up for your first flip, how are you balancing the potential risk with your long-term goal of buying rentals?

First, it fast-tracks your learning as an investor - you are forced to develop better time management skills, build your network of reliable contractors/ handymen, etc..Second, when you are ready to transition to a property manager, you are well equipped to evaluate and hire the right company.3.