Saving money and getting started in RE

[Oscar Contreras]

Hello BiggerPockets,

This is essentially my introduction. I am brand new to this and I am trying to learn as much as I can before I get started. A little bit about myself, I am 23 years old, active duty in the military. I am married and my wife is just as eager to start investing in RE as I am. Our goal is to have a portfolio of rental properties.

I have a few questions, what was your first step in starting real estate specifically rental properties? My wife and I are very close to getting our 6 month emergency fund fully funded. Is an emergency fund essential before getting started? After our emergency fund, we should have a savings rate of about $1,400 a month. Should we continue saving for a 20% down payment or is that just playing it too slow? I know we qualify for a 0% down VA loan but is too much leverage too risky?

Thank you!

Regards,

Oscar c