Generating leads is the CORE of real estate investing. 

A self analysis of these items should help you decide whether it makes sense to proceed with the improvements or if perhaps you are better suited selling the building as-is and re-invest your capital and time into projects that better align with your core competencies. 

Following David Green's Core 4 strategy (realtor, contractor, property manager, and lender) gives confidence to invest anywhere.

I can't believe people want to bring this thread back to life, but since you did:What would compel someone who is just considering a product to read the thread and then comment, before even using the product?

It has some compelling attributes for real estate investing.

If it's going to be your first investment out of state, I would tell you to build a solid team of your CORE 4: with a good Real Estate Agent, Contractor, Property manager, and attorney.

This seems to be falling into soft core political painfulness.

Once you feel you've built a strong team with your first property and have solid systems in place, I would then start buying more aggressively and taking on bigger projects.I suggest reading this BP article on the core 4.https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/core-four-real-estate-teamThat being said, Columbus and is a great market to invest in if you're looking for appreciation.

Following David Green's Core 4 strategy (realtor, contractor, property manager, and lender) gives confidence to invest anywhere.

You need to pull a permit, then the Contractor has to take down the coping and bond beam a couple feet, then core holes in the pool floor (so it wont ever popout of the ground).