New to real estate/just starting

[Christopher Roome]

Hey everyone! I'm just deciding to get into real estate. I'm in a position to buy a house and keep my townhouse and rent it out as an income property and while researching all of this I've come to the realization that real estate is my ticket to gain freedom. I live in north central NJ. I have a good amount of equity in my townhome and am looking to either HELOC or cash out refi and using that to buy another property. Im unsure about investing near where I live since I will already have an investment property there or look for a better market (prices are astronomical here). Im also back and forth between a BRRRR or turnkey. My aim is to have 2 properties than move to multi family. Any advice on markets/strategies for my situation? Excited to start this next chapter and connect with people, just RSVP'd to my first meet up!

[Jonathan Greene]

A HELOC is a better bet now than a refi due to rates. You are probably sitting on a nice rate and you would be upgrading into a much higher one. Where in North Central Jersey as the options are different for you depending on where you want to be. You want to buy a single-family to live in now and then sell it and get a multi later? You might be best serve, depending on financing, to look for that multi and house hack first.