Should I start/Where to Start with Real Estate Investing

[Jimmy Hall]

Hello,

I've read several books and have had a solid mentor over the past couple years. I just joined bigger pockets, although I've been listening to podcasts for a while. I've wanted to get into real estate for the past couple years ever since I started my new career during covid. I need advice on if it's time for me to get into real estate this year or not in my current situation. I'm an airline pilot and my girlfriend (fiance in the next few months) is a doctor in physical therapy finishing residency this year. We are both in our mid-twenties and really just want to get started investing/owning a home and be successful. Together we make ~200K and will go up pretty rapidly over next couple of years. With that comes debt from school and 2 cars totaling 250K (n0 credit card debt). We have 50K in the bank and saving for a house, wedding, etc.

What would you do in our situation? Should we just pay our debt off over the next 3-4 years and keep renting? I've wanted to buy a house, fix up and live in for a year or 2 before getting renters. Should we look at multi-family? Any advice would be great. Maybe this is more so geared to finance rather than real estate, but is it okay to invest in real estate with debt (low interest rate school loans)?

Thank you for any responses! I'm new but hoping to be a lifelong member and successful investor.

-Jimmy