About Us
About the Columbus Real Estate Investors Association
The members, officers and trustees of the Columbus Real Estate Investors Association (REIA) are pleased to welcome you to our web site! We appreciate your interest in our organization and we look forward to helping you make your decision to become a member one the most life-changing decisions you have made in a long time.
REIA has been serving Central Ohio real estate professionals for 20 years and is one of the largest real estate investing organizations in the country. The purpose of the Association is to advance the real estate investing goals of our members by providing them with information, networking opportunities, training services, local coaching and mentoring, and continuing education.
Our members represent a diverse cross section of the real estate community including investors, landlords, appraisers, property inspectors, mortgage brokers, lenders, real estate service providers, local business owners and Realtors. Our members meet regularly to advance their interest in residential, multifamily and commercial investment properties.
About Steve Zehala, Executive Director, Columbus Real Estate Investors Association
Steve Zehala
STEVE ZEHALA – Steve is 45 years old, married with three kids and was raised here in Central Ohio. Shortly after graduating from college, Steve didn’t waste any time and decided right away that he wanted to pursue a career investing in real estate.
Like many young entrepreneurs starting out, Steve had no money, no credit, and bootstrapped the business borrowing money from family, friends and using other creative financing techniques. Early on, Steve’s primary focus was rehabbing houses and building out a portfolio of income producing properties.
Over this time frame, Steve’s local company, Expert Home Buyers, has become one of the largest real estate investing operations in Central Ohio. Since starting the company, Steve has conducted over 875 real estate transactions. Steve’s experience includes wholesaling, retailing, rehabbing, landlording, foreclosures, estate/probates, note sales, lease-options, land contracting and more.
Steve has held various leadership positions at the Association over the last 13 years and has played a key role in Columbus REIA’s success. In this role, Steve has mentored, coached, and trained over 1,300 real estate investors here in Central Ohio. It has also been said that Steve gives his best real estate advice when tempted by a cold beer and some chicken wings at BW3’s.
Steve’s courses include “Why Real Estate is a Great Investment”, “The Mom and Pop Method of Managing Rental Properties”, “Criteria for Choosing Profitable Real Estate Investments”, “Locating Central Ohio Investment Properties”, “Financing Techniques that Offer Countless Ways to Buy Properties”, “Street Smart Negotiating and Getting Your Offers Accepted” and “Rehab Secrets that Generate Serious Profits”.
Steve is known by his peers as a straight shooting, blunt, and tell-it-like-it-is real estate investor. “No Bull Real Estate” is Steve’s mantra, and he looks forward to forward to sharing with you the cold, hard facts about being successful in this business.
Steve also speaks nationally on various real estate topics. Steve earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University. To request a TV, radio or other media interview with Mr. Zehala please email your request to columbusreia@gmail.com
