Property Investor's Network (Toledo, OH)

One of the first major decisions real estate investors face after acquiring a rental property is whether to manage it themselves or hire a professional property manager. Both approaches can lead to positive outcomes, but they come with different responsibilities, costs, and benefits.

This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of each option to help you make an informed choice for your portfolio.

Self-Managing Your Rental Property

Advantages

Cost Savings
By managing the property yourself, you avoid paying a management fee—often 8 to 12 percent of monthly rent—along with leasing and renewal fees. This additional income can be reinvested into the property or your next investment.

Direct Control
You oversee tenant selection, vendor relationships, and maintenance standards. Without a middleman, you maintain a clear understanding of your property’s condition and can implement your expectations directly.

Hands-On Experience
Managing your own property provides valuable insight into leases, repairs, and local regulations. This knowledge can strengthen your decision-making as an investor.

Disadvantages

Time Commitment
Showings, maintenance calls, rent collection, bookkeeping, and tenant communications all fall to you. These responsibilities can become time-consuming, especially as your portfolio grows.

Emotional Stress
Handling tenant complaints, late payments, or evictions personally can be challenging. It requires a professional mindset and fi ... Read More…

When you acquire property from a seller and simultaneously sell it to a third-party buyer, as a briefly intervening title holder, you may think you don’t need an owner’s title insurance policy. After all, you’re only holding onto the property for a few seconds and not even taking possession of it. So, what’s your risk if an eventual title issue arises?

Even if you own the property for only a few seconds, hours, or days, you’re entering the “chain of title,” or the ownership record. If any title issues arise later, you could be dragged into legal disputes. Some problems are not discoverable through a standard title search, and don’t surface until later:

• Errors in the public records
• Forged documents
• Omitted signers required for effective transfer from an LLC or other entity
• Undisclosed purchase agreements or other contracts
• Undisclosed heirs

As long as the end buyer has an owner’s title insurance policy, they can file a claim for any covered issues that arise. They can also, however, make a claim against their seller to enforce warranties provided in the deed that was recorded to transfer title. If the end buyer did not get an owner’s title insurance policy, then seeking recovery from their seller may be their only option. And even if a title insurer accepts the claim and pays the insured, the title insurer may seek recoupment from the seller or a previous title holder, depending on the circumstances. The ... Read More…

Markets rise. Markets fall. But savvy investors build systems that keep working, no matter which direction the headlines go.

It’s 2025, and something feels eerily familiar. The stock market continues its upward climb, fueled in part by policy decisions designed to keep confidence high. But under the surface? Cracks are beginning to show. Housing inventory is creeping up. Buyer activity is cooling. According to Redfin, the typical home is now spending more days on the market than at any point since 2015.

If you've been investing in real estate long enough, you might be flashing back to 2007. And while history doesn’t repeat exactly, it does rhyme. The question is: how are you preparing?

Traditional financial advice often encourages diversification. But what if you're heavily invested in real estate and prefer control over guesswork?

The volatility of Wall Street isn’t just a matter of risk; it’s a matter of timing. A portfolio that drops 20% right when you need to tap it for income or to replace HVAC can throw off your entire plan. That’s why more investors are turning to alternatives that emphasize stability, control, and liquidity … especially in uncertain times.

#1 Start with cash flow and liquidity.

Real estate investors often live in the land of “lumpy” income: months with big wins followed by dry spells. One increasingly popular strategy is adopting a business-style approach to real estate finances by creating a "R ... Read More…

I want to introduce you to some of the best kept secrets to get more motivated sellers contacting you. But can you keep a secret? 

Getting motivated sellers to contact you first is essential to any successful Real Estate Investor’s business. A truly motivated seller is the key to a good deal; the more motivated the seller, the better the deal. You will find very quickly, as I did, that you will be able to buy a lot more houses at much better prices if you target the right sellers. You will also more likely get the terms and at the price you want when the seller contacts you first, especially in some of today’s really hot real estate markets. You’ll want to target the kind of sellers who truly need to sell as opposed to those who just want to sell, including those sellers in pre-foreclosure. 

Marketing to sellers is also a numbers’ game. The more motivated sellers you are able to locate, the more motivated sellers you will have contacting you, and the more opportunities you’ll have to make good deals. The secret is in learning how to find the truly motivated sellers that no one else knows about. 

Whom exactly are you going to be marketing to? Motivation comes in many forms. Sellers need to sell for a variety of reasons. Some reasons have to do with the sellers themselves, such as age, health status, job situations, personal situations, financial difficulties, change in family size or change in marital status. 

Other reaso ... Read More…

 Maximizing Your Appraisal: Expert Tips from a 40-Year Industry Veteran
By Toledo Property Investors Network

At our recent Toledo PIN event, we had the privilege of hearing from Rich Glesser, a seasoned appraiser with over 40 years of experience. His presentation was packed with actionable advice specifically geared toward real estate investors. Whether you’re flipping properties, refinancing a rental, or just want to ensure you're getting fair value, understanding the appraisal process is key to protecting your bottom line.

Here are some of the top takeaways from Rich’s talk — and how you can use them to boost your next appraisal:

📸 1. Take Before Photos of Your Property

One of the most overlooked tools in your investor toolkit? Before photos.
When you purchase a distressed property, make sure to thoroughly document its condition before any work begins. Take wide-angle shots of each room, close-ups of damage, and exterior shots as well.

Why it matters:
Most appraisers never see the “before” version of your project. If all they see is the finished product, they won’t fully understand the scope of the transformation — and that can limit the appraised value. Providing before photos can lead to a “wow” moment and helps justify a higher valuation.

📋 2. Create an Itemized List of Repairs & Improvements

Don’t just tell your appraiser you “put in work” — show them exactly what you did ... Read More…

If you’ve ever sold a rental property and then looked at your tax bill… you know the pain.
Capital gains taxes can eat a big chunk of your profits — money that could’ve gone toward your next deal.

But what if you could legally defer paying those taxes and use that money to level up into a better property? That’s exactly what a 1031 Exchange allows you to do.

Let’s break it down in plain language.

🤔 What is a 1031 Exchange?

A 1031 Exchange (named after Section 1031 of the IRS tax code) is a tool real estate investors can use to defer paying capital gains taxes when they sell an investment property — as long as they use the money to buy another similar investment.

It’s like a tax code loophole — except it’s not a loophole. It’s been around for decades and is 100% legit if done correctly.

In simple terms:
You sell a property → You don’t touch the money → You buy another property → You don’t pay capital gains taxes (for now).

🧾 How It Saves You Money

Let’s say you bought a rental property 5 years ago for $150,000 and you just sold it for $250,000. That’s a $100,000 gain — and the IRS wants a piece of it.

If you do a standard sale, you could owe $15,000–$25,000 or more in taxes depending on your income and state.

But with a 1031 Exchange, you can roll that $100,000 into another property and pay $0 in taxes today. That means you get to reinve ... 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.

🔧 Step 2: Rehab

Now the fun (and sometimes stressful) part: fixing it up. The goal is to make the home safe, livable, and appealing to future tenants — without going overboard.

Focus on what matters most:

• Updated kitchen and baths

• New flooring or paint

• Roof, HVAC, or plumbing fixes if needed

Stick to your budget, and don’t aim for perfection — aim for function and value.

🛋️ Step 3: Rent

Once t ... Read More…

The City of Toledo’s Department of Housing and Community Development is launching a Lead Stabilization Grant Program to support landlords and homeowners in controlling lead hazards in their properties. The grant will open today and close on June 1, 2024, or until funds are exhausted.

To apply for the Lead Stabilization Grant please visit: Toledo’s Housing Grant Application.

Eligible parties include:

• Landlords and Homeowners
• Properties must be built before 1978
• Properties must be located within the City of Toledo limits
• Property taxes must be current

The grant program provides 100% reimbursement of most costs incurred to conduct lead stabilization activities, excluding taxes or fees. The maximum reimbursement amount is $15,000 per unit. Proof of payment is required for reimbursement.

Some examples of reimbursable costs include:

• Clearance exam performed by a licensed clearance technician, lead inspector, or lead risk assessor
• Painting materials
• Doors (interior, exterior)
• Windows (replacement, glass block)
• Vinyl siding
• Roofs
• Basic ground coverings such as mulch for bare soil around the dripline of a property
• A lead risk assessment by a Licensed Lead Risk Assessor
• Work performed by a Licensed Lead Abatement Contractor to remediate lead in a property through abatement or interim controls
• Work performed by an EPA-certified RRP Contractor to control potential lead hazards in a property

Please note all lead hazard control work must be performed ... Read More…