I'm looking into purchasing a rental property in the Belmont area of Dayton, OH and wanted to get any insight for this market as it seems concerning that the average rent is higher compared to the actual costs of houses in the area.

Fantastic - I appreciate the insight - thanks @Ian Fortney!

Let me expand on the steps and share additional insights:1.

@Rachel Seymour-NewtonIf the smaller property is a strong deal with solid cash flow and tenant demand, it could make sense to buy now and start gaining experience.

I'd love to connect with you to gain insights into the local market, before making our first move.Happy to meet you all!

I'm not a fan of buying a short term liability (no cash flowing property) in hopes of long term gain through appreciation. 

Be sure to check out the free tools BP provides to help analyze deals you may have and also market insights.

Within minutes of uploading entire disclosure packet, it automatically detects various type of documents (home inspection, TDS, solar, roof, pest etc.) and creates an insightful report of safety risks, costly repairs.

While it’s a helpful quick filter, the bigger picture—appreciation, tax benefits, loan paydown, and compounding growth—often tells a much better story over 5-10 years.The key is balancing cash flow and long-term gains.

If you do a 1031 exchange, you can defer both the capital gains tax and the depreciation recapture, which is a nice benefit.