Gary Cassady talks with Mid-Ohio Real Estate Investors Association members Feb. 28. Cassady said Mid-Ohio REIA is expanding networking events and local partnerships to grow available housing in the Mansfield area.
Gary Cassady talks with Mid-Ohio Real Estate Investors Association members Feb. 28. Cassady said Mid-Ohio REIA is expanding networking events and local partnerships to grow available housing in the Mansfield area.
MANSFIELD -- Gary Cassady said he believes if there aren’t enough local landlords invested in creating quality housing for Richland County residents, out-of-state investors will buy properties without the means to maintain them.
“Some out-of-state investors only care about the money,” Cassady said. “And our local contractors, tenants and businesses talk to each other, so it’s in our best interest to be good landlords. The outside guys don’t have that same motivator.”
Cassady founded the Mid-Ohio Real Estate Investors Association in 2015 to help real estate investors, landlords, sellers and flippers network with each other.
“We take pride in teaching landlords how to be better landlords — keeping their properties up to certain standards if they want to stay in our organization,” Cassady said. “Obviously, we want to be above the minimum standards and reduce the blight in our community.”
Mid-Ohio REIA hosts meetings at Braintree on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. and advertises additional opportunities to network on Facebook.
Cassady said he starts each meeting opening the room up for conversations on whatever attendees want to talk about, followed by a presentation that can help educate attendees on a new or important topic.
Justin Bigelow presents a market outlook to Mid-Ohio REIA attendees Feb. 28.
Cassady lives in Columbus but spends at least one day a week in Mansfield. He said one of his goals with Mid-Ohio REIA is to establish more partnerships and networking opportunities for people who work in real estate.
“Any contact helps you get deals, and we really want a wide variety of members in our group,” he said. “We’ve got people just starting out up to people with 100 units.”
Shortly after Cassady started buying real estate and investing in flipping houses, he said people recognized him and started offering him properties.
“It’s all about your marketing and credibility,” Cassady said. “Someone might give you a property they don’t live in anymore, or a house inheritance that they don’t want.”
Realtor Justin Bigelow from Dream Huge Realty has recently presented market outlooks at Mid-Ohio REIA meetings. He said he earned his realtor’s license after watching HGTV with a friend.
Bigelow said Mid-Ohio REIA has helped him learn different avenues for investing in houses in an effort to beautify Mansfield and Richland County.
“With Mid-Ohio REIA, we’re not selling anything, we’re just trying to connect and maximize our knowledge and network,” Bigelow said. “You can only do so much on your own. It’s so much easier to get opportunities with the right network.”
Bigelow said Mid-Ohio REIA has about 40 consistent members who attend meetings and networking events. He said investors, landlords, contractors or business owners are invited to join the group.
“It’s all to create better housing and better opportunities for everybody,” Bigelow said. “Mid-Ohio REIA isn’t just about housing, it’s about real estate in general, so it can help business owners and even the general public.”
