When Roberta, one of the other moms at school, approached me about becoming a real estate investor, she mentioned she was hesitating because she didn’t know anything about the market or where to invest here in Indianapolis. I was the only real estate investor she knew and, though it was obvious that I was doing well, she wasn’t sure if I should be her only gauge on whether it was worth getting into. Of course, I told her that my success shouldn’t be her only consideration for deciding whether or not to switch careers. But, that doesn’t mean what I do and how well I do it can’t be duplicated. She could easily learn to invest as skillfully as me—and figure out where to buy Indianapolis real estate investment properties that yield potentially good returns, too. So, after dropping the kids back home at our respective houses, we met up again to talk about where she should get started.

Where to Buy Indianapolis Real Estate Investment Properties

I’ve given a few talks in the past at a few of the real estate investment clubs in town on the topic of where to find some of the best deals in the city, but I do prefer the one-on-one chats. In my experience, when someone seeks me out to have a more detailed discussion about becoming an Indianapolis investor or they specifically want tips on buying investment property, they’re already invested in furthering their financial future. And, whether they realize it at the time or not, they’re also moving toward continually improving the city’s future. Buying, rehabbing, and selling houses creates job opportunities, improves property values, and contributes to the revitalization of entire communities. It can also change the lives of distressed homeowners who need to get out from under the burden of caring for a home they can no longer afford. For investors like me, that—plus the potential of realizing a strong ROI—is what makes a good deal great. And, it’s something I really love to talk about.

Of course, you might think that because things are humming along pretty smoothly here in Indianapolis that there aren’t too many opportunities to make a decent living and have a positive social impact by investing in real estate. After all, unemployment in the region is low while the economy overall, including the housing market, remains relatively stable. And, with new companies moving into and around Indianapolis all the time, higher-than-average employment in a city with a lower-than-average cost of living is bound to continue—keeping things on the upswing in most neighborhoods and for most people.
That said, there are always areas where your returns—and your satisfaction—may be greater for the investment properties you choose to buy. The three neighborhoods I’ve recently focused on, and that I shared with Roberta, are below:

• Bates-Hendricks. Bates-Hendricks has been in the local news as an up-and-coming Indianapolis neighborhood since 2014. But, for many of its residents, the transition into a safer, hipper community wasn’t really felt until about 2017 when most of the vacant and abandoned homes in the area started getting bought, rehabbed, and resold by investors. It was around this time that the community at large also put in the extra time and money to attract new commercial and retail enterprises—and, as a result, reality TV producers. By 2018, Bates-Hendricks became the site of Indianapolis’s first televised flip for HGTV. Already experiencing an increase in property values and higher median home sales prices thanks to local revitalization efforts, the neighborhood suddenly started to see a surge in popularity with homebuyers, too. But, as popular as the place has grown, it’s still affordable to get into, even as an investor. As long as you’ve got good real estate investment and valuation tools to help you buy and renovate at the right price, you still stand a great chance of seeing returns on the distressed properties in the area.
• Broad Ripple. At the north end of downtown is the ever transitioning Broad Ripple, one of Indianapolis’s seven designated cultural districts. Home to a diverse collection of restaurants, bars, and shops, this suburban neighborhood attracts a lot of Millennials because of its urban feel and proximity to the downtown area. Since Millennial buyers are one of the fastest segments of homebuyers in the nation, this is a point worth paying attention to. If you can buy houses to renovate and sell with the typical young buyer in mind, your chances of realizing a good ROI on the other end goes up. And, what’s already up in the area are median home sales prices. According to Realtor.com, the median sold price for Broad Ripple homes has jumped to over $267,000 this year. But, more interestingly, is the wide range of prices for homes being sold in the community. Low-income buyers can find properties for less than $100,000 and high-wage earners have options that are over one million dollars. The prevalence of this economic diversity has the potential to expand your portfolio as well—especially if you’re able to get distressed homeowners leads from all walks of life.
• Franklin Township. The relatively small, suburban community of Franklin Township is an area in which families are flocking to in part because of the changes that previous real estate investors have made. Formerly distressed houses have been renovated with families in mind, so spacious yards maintain prominence over built-up McMansions. And, good school districts are close by, crime rates are low, and there is plenty of space for hiking and biking. These factors have helped ignite a population explosion in recent years that has started to squeeze the housing inventory and bolster median home sales prices, like many parts of the Circle City. So, looking from the outside in, it can appear that the time to invest in property here has passed. But, homeowners who are struggling to meet their financial obligations still exist in idyllic settings like Franklin Township. If you have a way to approach them, you might be able to ride the rising tide of median home sales prices in the area when you sell.

These neighborhoods have proven to be a great source of good investment opportunities for me and my real estate investment business. But, because I have a lead-generation strategy in place that finds motivated sellers all over Indianapolis, they aren’t the only areas where I buy, renovate, and sell houses. Homeowners who are in distress due to a job loss, family illness, or the death of a loved one live everywhere. And, so I focus my efforts all over the city if a distressed homeowner finds their way to me.

Invest in a Better Way to Find Deals Anywhere in Indianapolis

Maybe it’s because I’m a parent, but I’ve always been interested in making the world a better place where I can, including in my work as a real estate investor. And, by becoming an independently owned and operated HomeVestors® franchisee, I’d be able to do just that. Since HomeVestors®’ “We Buy Ugly Houses®” national ad campaign reaches distressed homeowners throughout Indianapolis and beyond, I’m given the unique opportunity to connect with qualified leads that are likely to convert and change their lives by lifting their burden at the same time. It’s a marketing strategy that’s, ultimately, about much more than just lifting my bottom line; it’s also about making a living by helping to make a difference in other people’s lives. That, Roberta told me later, was all the consideration she needed to start investing too.

Give HomeVestors® a call today if you’re looking for a way to find the kind of deals in Indianapolis that bring you more satisfaction and potentially better returns.

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