Hocking Hills Has Always Been Part of My Story

I was born and raised in Logan, Ohio, in the heart of Hocking County. My childhood home sits on more than four acres bordering Wayne National Forest, and my parents still live there today. Growing up, being outside was simply part of everyday life. I spent countless hours exploring the woods with my siblings and cousins, walking trails with my parents, and enjoying the kind of childhood where there was always somewhere outside to explore.

You might assume that growing up here meant I spent my childhood hiking Old Man's Cave, exploring Rock House, and visiting all the places Hocking Hills is known for today. Not exactly.

Like a lot of people who grow up somewhere special, I didn't fully appreciate what was right in my own backyard. We had the woods and trails practically outside our door, so the places visitors traveled hours to experience weren't necessarily where we spent our weekends.

In fact, I didn't really understand that I lived in a tourist destination, until later. 

Seeing Hocking Hills Differently

At the age of 19, I worked at one of the few hotels in Logan at the time. Summer and fall weekends would come around, the hotel would fill up, and visitors would ask me where they should hike, where they should go for dinner, and what they shouldn't miss while they were in town.

I remember wondering why so many people were choosing to spend their vacation in Logan, Ohio.

I had been to places like Old Man's Cave and Ash Cave, but I hadn't explored most of the trails and attractions people were traveling here specifically to see. To me, Hocking County was simply home.

It took leaving and eventually coming back to experience the area through a completely different lens before I really began to appreciate what had been around me all along.

Today, hiking is one of my favorite things to do, and I still find places throughout Hocking Hills that make me wonder how I lived here for so many years without discovering them sooner. 

Finding My Way Back Through Real Estate

I didn't move far from home. I eventually settled in neighboring Fairfield County and began my real estate career in 2012, initially working primarily with traditional residential buyers and sellers throughout Fairfield County and the Columbus-area suburbs.Over time, more of my business began bringing me back toward Hocking County.

Former classmates reached out. Then their families. Referrals followed. I started working with more rural homes, acreage properties, cabins, and buyers looking for something very different from the traditional subdivision home.

I loved it.

After years of walking through houses where one could sometimes feel a lot like the next, I found myself increasingly drawn to properties with acreage, woods, unusual architecture, incredible settings, and a little more personality.Then I began working with investors.

Around 2021, as short-term rental investment in Hocking Hills was growing rapidly, I started working with more investors and buyers, including many from outside Ohio, who were looking for cabins and vacation rental properties.

That's when I realized I had found the part of real estate I enjoyed most. 

Where It All Comes Together

Working with buyers and sellers of short-term rentals and vacation properties brings together so many things I genuinely enjoy.

I've always loved real estate and homes. I have a background in finance and an MBA, and I'm also the person who genuinely enjoys digging into numbers and analyzing data. Add my love of travel, unique vacation properties, and the hospitality side of short-term rentals, and this part of real estate feels like a natural fit.

Today, a large part of my work involves helping buyers and sellers with cabins, vacation homes, land, and short-term rental properties throughout the Hocking Hills region.

Some of my clients are purchasing their first investment property. Others already own multiple short-term rentals or are completing a 1031 exchange. Many live several states away and arrive knowing very little about the geography of Hocking Hills beyond what they've been able to learn online.

That's where local knowledge becomes especially important.

Hocking Hills isn't one single, interchangeable market. Two properties that appear fairly similar online can offer very different locations, settings, access, privacy, amenities, and rental potential.

Understanding those differences is one of my favorite parts of what I do. 

An Investor's Perspective

It's easy to fall in love with a beautiful cabin in the woods, but
I want to know whether the numbers make sense, too.

When I'm evaluating an investment property with a client, I don't want to look only at what the current owner earned last year. Historical performance is useful, but it doesn't always tell us what a property is capable of doing.I like digging into comparable short-term rentals, occupancy, revenue, guest capacity, amenities, location, acreage, setting, and the characteristics that are helping similar properties perform well.

Sometimes a property is already performing near its potential. Sometimes it's underperforming because of dated interiors, weak photography, poor marketing, management, or simply because maximizing rental revenue was never the current owner's goal. Other times, there are limitations that aren't easily fixed.

My job isn't to convince you that every cabin can become a high-performing Airbnb with a few new throw pillows and better pictures. It's to help you look at the entire property, understand its strengths and weaknesses, and make a more informed decision about whether it fits what you're trying to accomplish.

If I don't think a property or location makes sense for your goals, I'll tell you. I'd much rather help you find the right opportunity than simply help you buy the next available one. 


Beyond Real Estate

When I'm not working with clients, there's a good chance you'll find me on a hiking trail. I love exploring new trails, visiting local restaurants and small businesses, and discovering new places throughout Hocking Hills and beyond.

I also love to travel, especially a good road trip to the mountains. Wherever I go, I usually find a way to fit in a hike and a great local restaurant or two, and I'm probably listening to a podcast about personal development, business, or real estate along the way. I'm always looking for an opportunity to learn something new. 

Let's Connect

If you've made it this far, thanks for taking the time to get to know me a little better.

If you're considering buying or selling an investment property, cabin, or vacation home in Hocking Hills, I'd absolutely love to help. Whether you already have a specific property in mind or you're just beginning to explore what's possible, reach out anytime.

I promise I'll make time to talk Hocking Hills real estate with you, even if you catch me between a showing and my next hiking trail.