So an identical neighborhood (income, crime, school quality, etc.) can cost you as much as a $100k less on the South side simply because your neighbors are brown or black as opposed to white.this right here is the gem advice.  

Germantown has plenty of opportunities, especially if you keep an eye on areas with improving infrastructure or schools.

But then moving to actually renting while our children finish school and investing out of state instead. 

I am a 23 year old who recently graduated from college with a business degree focusing on real estate finance and development.

However, prices on $1M homes haven't really appreciated all that much and we are looking to move to something much smaller near where our kids go to school. 

That's great to hear that you're graduating and you want to get into multifamily.I would start off in a commercial real estate firm, learn the systems, the sales/buying process, how to analyze deals etc...

Im old school...my cpa is in the building next door and I like doing business face to face.

I am starting real estate school soon to get my license but here in Florida I was told I can buy as an investor without. 

And a lot of start-up companies are migrating to this city as well because of the OSU campus that has thousands of talented students graduating and looking for positions locally.Everything that’s going on here in Columbus is attracting investors and other businesses from all over.

FHA and Conventional loans will allow schooling to count as work history.