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.

These markets offer a great mix of affordability, strong rental demand, and steady appreciation.

If the temperature goes below freezing point, pipes might burst. 

My strategy is to hold it long-term, leveraging the steady rental income while benefiting from potential appreciation.

At first, since mid-2020, the rent was late but steady every month with rental assistance.

Build-to-Rent (BTR): A Steady Income StreamWith homeownership becoming less attainable for many, build-to-rent properties are in high demand.

The most recent peak was in 2023, so we are going to see flat then going into a slow steady increase in prices over the next few years.

If your goal is passive income, it's not going to be in New Jersey when you factor in cost to purchase, management costs, and rent to price ratio, but what you can get is steady appreciation.

Hi Craig,After managing hundreds of properties and investing in 30 rentals myself, I've found Florida to be a great market for long-term rentals, especially in areas like Tampa Bay where there’s steady growth.

It seems like the best fit for your situation—less time commitment, steady growth, and manageable risk.