This is part of why the forums are pretty vapid, significantly more so than they used to be.

I've spent the better part of 2024 reading up on those markets and learning everything that I can about REI in general - now it's time to dive in and get to it. :)  I would not consider Cleveland a growth market, but we've certainly got some really cheap properties. 

The worst PM imitation I ever had the misfortune of employing

For a first time investor, I definitely recommend house hacking for most people as homeowner loans are by far the best in terms of rate and LTV. 

Buffalo, New York, has once again been named the nation’s hottest housing market for 2025, marking the first time a city has held this title in consecutive years.

Most (not all) HELOCs require that the property is titled to an individual (not LLC) and are full doc, meaning your employment history, income, DTI etc will be factors.

My sacrifice… no haircuts and no fast food. 1 job full time, 1 full time side hustle. 0 debt at the time other than student loans.

Hyattsville and surrounding areas are more affordable than other parts of the metro. 

Here's why:The Multi-State Chess Game:• Client had properties in 3 states• Each state has different deadlines to assess taxes• Federal changes trigger automatic state assessments• Timing the response saved $45K in state taxes🏠 Real Estate Investor Pro Tip:States can't assess back taxes if their statute of limitations expires before federal changes finalize.

I enjoy helping Bigger Pockets members save time and money.Thanks Jay, I may get in touch!