$50,000 - What to do?

[Alex Smith]

Hello ladies and gentleman, 

I have been following this message board for a few months and have read the ebook from biggerpockets, but wanted to hear some first hand opinions on what you believe would be the best route to generate a profit and continue to grow my portfolio. 

I have easy access to $50,000 cash. I can get a loan for another ~$200,000. I have a close realtor/broker friend and also a few local general contractors, but I do not expect these guys to give out any great discounts to me. I may be able to work a deal with them after the first transaction.

Time is not a concern, but I would like to generate more profit than if I was to invest it in CD or stock market. I live in the outskirts of the Charlotte, NC area and have access to both rural and populated areas. 

What investment would you recommend taking when starting out with $50,000?

[Joe Villeneuve]

What you're asking amounts to the same question as "what car should I buy".  There is no right answer, there may be many wrong answers, but I'm sure there is a "best" answer.  What that is depends on a number of factors not mentioned here.

What are the terms of the loan?

What is your risk tolerance?

What kind of time do you have...specifically?

What is the extent of your knowledge in the following areas:

1 - How Money Works?
2 - Entrance and Exit Strategies
3 - Market (not property) Analysis
4 - Do you have a set of financial goals based on your current financial position as a starting point, and desired future financial position?
5 - The difference between Spending and using Money
6 - ...that's the basic list