Co-living—once a niche concept—is now a thriving lifestyle choice for many seeking affordability, community, and flexibility. Whether you're a real estate enthusiast, a social entrepreneur, or just someone passionate about creating intentional living spaces, Ohio offers fertile ground for launching your own share house.

Here’s how to get started.

🏠 What Is Co-Living, Really?

Co-living is more than just roommates sharing rent. It’s a lifestyle built around shared values, communal spaces, and often, curated experiences. Think private bedrooms with shared kitchens, living rooms, and maybe even co-working areas. In Ohio, this can range from informal arrangements to structured group homes with services.

📍 Why Ohio?

Ohio is a hidden gem for co-living ventures. With its mix of affordable housing, vibrant small cities, and supportive business ecosystems, it’s ideal for launching a share house. Cities like Tipp City, Cuyahoga Falls, and Bowling Green offer safety, charm, and community—all essential ingredients for successful co-living.

🧾 Legal Basics You Need to Know

Before you welcome your first housemate, make sure you’re on solid legal ground:

• Occupancy laws: Ohio requires at least 70 sq ft per person in single rooms and 50 sq ft in shared rooms. Read More...

Many people have been taught that land is risky, expensive, doesn’t cash flow, and takes a long time to convert into profit. But there’s one phrase I hear over and over again that really irks me:

“Land doesn’t cash flow.”

While it’s technically true that land doesn’t cash flow like a rental house does, there are several clear and effective ways to make land generate monthly income—and not just from traditional income land like farmland, billboards, or cell towers.

Beyond Billboards and Parking Lots

Sure, you can make steady income by renting a piece of land in a city as a parking lot or storage space—or putting up a billboard or cell tower. Some investors buy rural land near highways and rent the surface space to businesses using trailers or old trucks as mobile billboards. Some of them make more monthly income than most people earn at their jobs.

But that’s not the type of land cash flow I focus on.

My Stra
Read More...

When you’re doing your first few deals—or doing your first few deals in a strategy that you haven’t explored before—you need help.

Maybe it’s help evaluating the deal. Maybe it’s help with negotiation or contracts. Maybe it’s help understanding how to ‘price’ the rent or sale price. Maybe it’s help understanding how the financing will work. But you’ll find yourself needing advice from people who’ve ‘been there, done that, got the T-shirt’ over and over again throughout your real estate career.

This is no small matter; it’s easy to lose a deal (or worse yet, do a bad one!) because there’s ONE hangup. ONE question that needs to be answered or ONE problem that needs to be overcome

1:  EVERY Friday morning at our online Haves and Wants meeting. It’s very common for members to attend with the “Want” of “I need someone to walk me through how to do this subject to deal I found” or “Can someone help me with evaluating a property I’m trying to buy?” and to get assistance either then and the
Read More...

When you’re doing your first few deals—or doing your first few deals in a strategy that you haven’t explored before—you need help.

Maybe it’s help evaluating the deal. Maybe it’s help with negotiation or contracts. Maybe it’s help understanding how to ‘price’ the rent or sale price. Maybe it’s help understanding how the financing will work. But you’ll find yourself needing advice from people who’ve ‘been there, done that, got the T-shirt’ over and over again throughout your real estate career.

This is no small matter; it’s easy to lose a deal (or worse yet, do a bad one!) because there’s ONE hangup. ONE question that needs to be answered or ONE problem that needs to be overcome

1:  EVERY Friday morning at our online Haves and Wants meeting. It’s very common for members to attend with the “Want” of “I need someone to walk me through how to do this subject to deal I found” or “Can someone help me with evaluating a property I’m trying to buy?” and to get assistance either then and there,
Read More...

If you’ve been around the real estate investing world for more than five minutes, chances are you’ve heard someone mention the “BRRRR Method.” No, it’s not about being cold — it’s actually one of the most popular ways investors grow their rental portfolios without constantly needing more cash.

BRRRR stands for Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat, and it’s a smart strategy for building long-term wealth. Let’s break it down step by step in plain English.

🏡 Step 1: Buy

The first move is finding the right property — usually something that’s a bit rough around the edges. Maybe it needs some cosmetic work, or maybe it's been neglected for a while. Either way, you want to buy it below market value so you’ve got some room to add value.

Quick tip:
The numbers need to work. A good rule of thumb is the 70% Rule — buy for no more than 70% of the after-repair value (minus repairs). If the ARV is $200K and you need $30K in rehab, try to get it for around $110K or less.

 I attended last week’s meeting and noticed that many members described themselves as beginners who are trying hard but haven’t found success yet. The two most common challenges they mentioned were a lack of knowledge and a lack of money.

If this business were truly that complicated, I would never have achieved any success myself. When I got started, there was no internet and no personal computers—just a few books at the library by authors like William Nickerson, Robert Allen, and Albert Lowry. Interestingly, the advice in those books is still relevant today and echoes strategies found in real estate books from as far back as 1925: buy a house or small apartment building, renovate it, and rent it out. While the tools and methods for finding deals have changed, the basic concept remains the same.

The most important factor in achieving success in any field is a strong desire to succeed. But you should also ask yourself: Am I doing this just to make money, or do I actually enjoy the business? Many people who fail in real estate get involved because they fall for get-rich-quick pitches online. If you don’t enjoy the work, it’s unlikely to be worth your time or money.

Now, regarding money—there are plenty of people with wealth who are looking for a safe return on their investment. Have you considered simply asking?

If you're just getting started, I encourage you to reach out about the problems you're facing. Let’s work together to find solutions.

Lordy, people, there are SO many ways to put together real estate deals. SURELY there’s one out there that you’ll like/understand/benefit from.

If you don’t like full-on wholesaling—maybe because ugly houses repel you, or some of the areas that work well aren’t neighborhoods in which you want to spend time, or you don’t like making super-low offers—then learn how to do creative deals, and flip those.

Creative financing techniques—buying properties using seller-held mortgages, contracts for deed, lease/options, and subject to the existing loan—are usually thought of as ways for you, the buyer, to control real estate for some period of time so that you can exercise some exit strategy that requires control.

For instance, you might buy a property subject to the existing loan so that you can renovate it and rent it for the long term. Or you might get a “split funds” seller mortgage for a year because you intend to renovate and resell the property within that year. Or you might control the property with a lease with the option to buy so that you can sell it with a lease with the option to buy (with, o
Read More...

 🏢 National REI Summit 2025: The Ultimate Gathering for Real Estate Investors

Mark your calendars—October 30 to November 2, 2025—because Cincinnati, OH is hosting the nation’s longest-running real estate investor conference: the National REI Summit 2025. With over 40 years of empowering independent investors, this summit is more than an event—it’s a movement.

💼 Why You Should Attend

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting your journey, the National REI Summit offers a powerhouse lineup designed to elevate your game:

• 🎤 Top-Tier Speakers
  Hear from industry leaders who share real-world strategies that work in today’s market.

• 🛠️ Hands-On Workshops
  Roll up your sleeves and dive into sessions that help you level up your deals—from rehab estimating to creative financing.

• 🤝 Unmatched Networking
  Connect with serious investors from across the country. Build relationships, find partners, and grow your network.

• 📈 Actionable Insights
  Leave with tools, tactics, and confidence to navigate the current real estate landscape.

🎟️ Early Bird Tickets Available

Spots are limited, and early bird pricing won’t last long. If you’re serious about investing, this is your
Read More...

🎉 GDREIA’s 46th Annual Picnic: A Celebration of Community and Real Estate Success

The Greater Dayton Real Estate Investors Association (GDREIA) recently marked a major milestone—its 46th Annual Picnic! Held in a welcoming outdoor setting, this beloved tradition brought together over 70 members, guests, and local officials to celebrate nearly five decades of empowering independent real estate investors.

🏡 A Gathering of Leaders and Learners

This year’s picnic wasn’t just about good food and sunshine—it was a vibrant showcase of community engagement. Attendees included prominent local officials such as:

• Willis Blackshear
• Andrea White
• Judy Dodge
• Phil Plummer
• Carolyn Rice
• Rodney Creech

Their presence underscored GDREIA’s growing influence and the importance of real estate investment in shaping Dayton’s future.

🍽️ Food, Fun, and Fellowship

From sizzling grills to heartfelt conversations, the picnic offered a chance for members to unwind, connect, and reflect on their shared journey. Families and friends mingled freely, enjoying:

• Delicious food and refreshments
• Engaging group activities
• A relaxed
  Read More...