Contractors can make or break an investment. And in today’s market, investors cannot afford blown timelines, disappearing crews, or budget‑destroying surprises. The safest approach is a disciplined, zero‑nonsense vetting process that protects the project, the property, and the bottom line.

This is the aggressive, cautionary framework used by investors who refuse to get burned.

🚫 1. Start With a Non‑Negotiable Rule: No Deposits

Professional contractors with stable businesses do not need large upfront payments.
Deposits create risk, reduce leverage, and reward contractors before they’ve earned trust.

Safer alternative:

• Pay nothing upfront for labor
• Pay only after work is completed and verified
• If materials are required, you purchase them directly

If a contractor insists on a deposit, treat it as a red flag and move on.

🧾 2. Buy All Materials Yourself

This eliminates:

• Markups
• Substitutions
• “Lost receipts”
• Delays caused by contractors not picking up supplies
• Disputes about what was or wasn’t included

Buying materials yourself keeps control where it belongs — with the investor.

Contractor provides labor.
Investor provides materials.
Simple, clean, and fully documented.

🔍 3. Verify Licensing, Insurance, and Legitimacy Before Anything Else

Before discussing price, availability, or scope, confirm:

• Active state contractor license
• Liability insurance
• Workers’ com ... Read More…

 **** This is not legal advice. Always consult your own attorney/lawyer.

🐾 What Makes an ESA Letter Valid in Ohio

Ohio follows federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) rules for ESAs, and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) enforces them. The validity of an ESA letter depends on the credentials of the provider and the quality of the assessment, not on registration, certification, or online “licenses.”
Below are the requirements supported by Ohio’s professional board guidance and federal housing rules.

✅ A Valid ESA Letter in Ohio Must Include:
1. Written by a Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP)
Examples include:
• Psychologists
• Licensed professional clinical counselors
• Licensed social workers
• Psychiatrists
• Other clinicians with appropriate scope of practice
Ohio’s Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist Board states that providers must have education, training, and experience to assess ESA needs ohio.gov.

2. An Established Therapeutic Relationship
The provider must have:
• Conducted a face‑to‑face assessment (in person or telehealth)
• Evaluated the client’s mental health condition
• Determined the ESA is part of treatment
Ohio explicitly warns against letters issued without a therapeutic relationship or based only on client self‑report ohio.gov.

3. A Disability‑Related Need
The letter must state that:
• The individual has a mental or emotional disability
• The ESA helps al ... Read More…

If you got into real estate anytime in the last decade, you’ve spent most of your investing life in a market where prices went up, inventory stayed tight, and competition never really let up.

There are some real advantages to that kind of market. Flips, both wholesale and retail, sell fast. Renters are easy to find, and rents usually climb every year. The headlines are upbeat. Everyone feels smart.

It’s fun to be in the real estate business when the wind is always at your back.

The downside of that kind of market is, of course, that everyone wants to be in it. And that means that great deals are hard to come by.

When homeowners and investors are all racing to buy, prices get pushed up and profit margins get squeezed.

Finding deals that actually pencil out as long-term holds or really profitable flips becomes the hardest, most time-consuming part of the business. We find ourselves doing deals that are pretty marginal—because, well, they keep working out as long as the market stays hot, and prices keep going up.

But the one constant in the real estate market is change…and that’s what we saw in 2025.

Buyers hesitated. Inventory grew. Rents and house prices didn’t.

Logically, most of us get that lower sale prices and flatter rents aren’t a problem as long as purchase prices and payment terms come down even more.

Slower sales and less competition = more motivated sellers.

More motivated sellers = lower prices and better terms. ... Read More…

When I was 2 or 3 years old, my mother took me on trips to the library almost every week. While she checked out the latest mystery novels, I always went to the same shelf in the children’s section and pulled down the same worn, tea-colored book called “I Can’t, Said the Ant.” I must have made my mom check that book out 50 times. I had every word memorized, every illustration emblazoned on my brain, and every character befriended in my daydreams.

In case you missed out on this epic, the basic plot is that a teapot falls off the counter and breaks its spout, and if it isn’t put back up, it will die some horrible teapot death. All of the denizens of the kitchen—from the dinner bell to the pie to the pot—beg the (oddly, single) ant in the kitchen to get the teapot back to the counter and repair the broken spout.

Much rhyming ensues (“I can’t bear it, said the carrot” is one that still sticks with me), and ultimately, the ant, who initially, as you might guess from the title, doesn’t see how he can manage it, rounds up a work crew of insects and rescues the unlucky teapot from the floor.

Yes, this is going somewhere.

To this day, dozens of years later, I still think about that ant and his creative solutions to an impossible task when I think about the people I meet for whom “I can’t” is the final answer and the much smaller group of people I meet for whom “I can’t” is jus ... Read More…

If you're using AI tools in your real estate investing business—or thinking about it—you're not alone. Technology is reshaping how we analyze markets, screen tenants, and make investment decisions. But here's the thing: powerful tools require responsible use.

Why This Matters Now

AI can process mountains of data in seconds, spotting trends and opportunities we'd never catch manually. That's incredible. But AI also learns from historical data, and if that data reflects past discrimination or biased decision-making, your "smart" tool might be making unethical (and illegal) recommendations.

Three Quick Rules for Ethical AI Use

Keep humans in charge. AI should inform your decisions, not make them. Your market knowledge, gut instinct, and ethical compass still matter. When something feels off about an AI recommendation, dig deeper before acting.

Know what your tools are doing. If you can't explain how your AI screening tool selects tenants or values properties, that's a red flag. Black-box algorithms create liability. Choose transparent tools and verify their outputs.

Test for bias regularly. Run identical applications through your system with only protected characteristics changed. Different outcomes? You've got a problem that needs fixing before it harms someone or lands you in legal trouble.

The Bottom Line

Fair housing laws exist for good reasons, and AI doesn't give you a pass. In fact, using AI without proper oversight can multiply discrimination at scale ... Read More…

 Ohio has enacted Senate Bill 155, a landmark measure regulating real estate wholesaling, with strong bipartisan support and broad backing from industry and consumer groups. The law introduces mandatory disclosures, enforcement mechanisms, and new protections for property owners, reshaping how wholesalers operate in the state.

📜 Key Legislative Milestones

• Senate Bill 155 (SB 155) passed unanimously in both the Ohio Senate (June 2025) and House (October 2025).
• Sponsored by Senators Andy Brenner (R-Delaware) and Katherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati), with critical support from Representatives Marilyn John and Josh Williams.
• The bill has been signed by Governor DeWine and will take effect 90 days after.

🏠 Core Provisions of the Law

• Mandatory Disclosure Requirement: Wholesalers must provide a written disclosure to property owners before entering into a contract. This disclosure must:
• Identify the party as a wholesaler.
• Clarify that the wholesaler does not represent the homeowner.
• Advise the homeowner to seek legal or real estate professional guidance.
• Explain that contracts may be assigned to third parties for profit.
• Warn that the offer may be below market value.
• Homeowner Protections:
• If the disclosure is not signed, the homeowner can cancel the contract at any time before closing.
• Failure to comply constitutes an unfair or deceptive practice under the Consumer Sales Practices Act, enforceable by the Ohio Attorney General.

⚖️ Enforcement & Accountabi ... Read More…

Tax expert and investor Scott Ellsworth is joining us to share his best advice for year-end tax planning: what you can still do this year to lower your 2025 tax bill, what’s changed thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill, and what you might be missing if you haven’t talked to your CPA in a while. Listen in here

&ck=09ae8196-2c44-45f2-97a8-524764065b2b ... Read More…

Most investors treat taxes as something to worry about in April. They file, they pay, forget about it and then they get back to doing deals. Taxes are an afterthought, not the forethought, but the best investors I know think about taxes year-round. Tax strategies help guide their funding decisions — and nowhere is that more powerful than in how you use your retirement accounts.

The IRS Already Gave You a Framework

Congress designed retirement accounts to encourage savings. The contract is simple: you get tax deferral (Traditional IRA) or tax-free growth (Roth IRA), in exchange for leaving the money alone until retirement. But what most people don’t realize is that the investment options extend well beyond what Wall Street offers. With a self-directed IRA (SDIRA), you can invest in what you know — including real estate. You get to leverage your knowledge.

That means the property down the street, the private loan to a local rehabber, or even a share in a commercial partnership could all be held inside your IRA.

Why Real Estate Fits So Well

Real estate has always been attractive to investors for its tangible value, cash flow, and appreciation. Inside an IRA, those returns compound tax-advantaged. Rental income flows back to the IRA tax-deferred. Profits from a sale can be reinvested without immediate tax. And if you’re using a Roth, qualified distributions down the road could be completely tax-free.

For investors who already spend their weekends a ... Read More…

Do you realize that you can build your fortune through buying vacant land? 

              You’re saying:  “No way!!” 

              I am saying:  “Yes…WAY!” 

There are lots of great ways to make a lot of money in real estate, not the least of which is buying and selling vacant land. This is an effective way to do real estate deals with no hassle, no rehab, no insurance and no worries of vandalism and theft. Plus, there is virtually no competition for these properties since many investors are simply not going after this incredibly lucrative portion of the marketplace. I was actually in the real estate business for several years before I discovered this very profitable part of the market. In addition, in this current market buying and selling vacant land is another good strategy to continue making money in the real estate business. 

              If you live in an area that is particularly rural, then buying and selling vacant land is a more lucrative means of doing real estate deals. Since it can be more difficult to find homes to purchase in more rural areas, vacant land is definitely the way to go.  There are several different ways to find vacant land deals. 

One is to simply drive around and look for ... Read More…

 Cincinnati, OH — October 30 – November 2, 2025

This year’s National Real Estate Investing Summit brought together the best minds in real estate at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio — and it didn’t disappoint. For four packed days, investors from across the country came ready to learn, adapt, and make the deals that will shape the next wave of real estate success.

Hosted by OREIA (Ohio Real Estate Investors Association), this 40-year tradition remains the Midwest’s biggest and most respected investor gathering. From high-level keynotes to hands-on workshops, it offered one clear message: what worked two years ago won’t work tomorrow — but the right strategies still win big.

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The Market Has Changed — and So Have the Rules

Interest rates, insurance costs, and property taxes are all up. Margins are tighter. But this year’s Summit made one thing clear: there’s opportunity everywhere for those willing to adjust.
Sessions focused on:

• Creative deal structures — seller financing, sub-to, lease options, and partnerships.

• Emerging asset types — shared housing, mid-term rentals, and notes.

• Tax-smart investing — strategies for keeping more of what you earn.

• AI and automation tools — streamlining lead generation, property analysis, and marketing.

For Greater Dayton REIA members, these sessions hit home. The conversations around co-living and mid-term rentals are e ... Read More…