Looking to invest with 50-100k

[Aaron H.]

Hi all,

I am new to the REI market and wanted to get some insight on how to maneuver through the seemingly treacherous landscape of real estate.

I have access to 50-100k, and instead of putting it into a CD (collecting nothing) or trying to beat the stock markets (not gonna happen), I felt that investing in real estate would be a more lucrative, hands-on way to invest in something tangible and hopefully create an income stream from.

My goal is to eventually purchase my own home and finance it through other investments (ie other properties or homes). 

Where would be a good place to start? Should I contact a real estate investment agency to help me pool my money in promising land/housing developments, with hopes of seeing an annualized or monthly return, or should I just invest in a basic real estate stock or bond?

I am extremely flexible and don't expect to see any huge ROI for the next 3-5 years (I'm in my late 20's).

Any advice, experiences, etc would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Aaron