Until the pandemic, the Oregon Coast was very off the radar and while market demand and valuations have steadily climbed, there is still relative value to be found.

I have been working on sourcing deals in Lafayette as well, but the market is pretty thin here compared to the options even just on the MLS in Indy. 

Even going with a company like Midsouth, it is always a good idea to have someone on your team that can give insight into the market and the area. 

It's tough with a market like that to start in.

Additionally, joining local real estate investor groups or forums can be valuable, as members often share updates on regulatory changes and best practices.To automate and make the process more efficient, consider using tools like AirDNA or Mashvisor, which provide data on short-term rental regulations and market trends across different locations. 

It was a cost of $0 to enter this transaction their way, and it could have been a cost of $0 to enter it the right way so it was secured (if they even still wanted to do the deal in the first place).  

I've started my journey in the expensive Seattle market and found house hacking a duplex gave me a tremendous boost as my first property.The top 10 advantages that played out quite well:1.

You should know markets and understand rentals business well.

It sounds like you won't have any trouble qualifying..In Oregon there are some tenant laws that can restrict active CAP rates, but those with current market rents (or that can attain them near term) can approach double digit return rates.

I would look into the Columbus market.