Where would you invest $12K?

[Richard York]

I'm new to REI but have $12K to invest and really want to begin investing in real estate.

I know there are limited options but I'm open to investing in less desirable areas as long as vacancy rates are reasonably low and it's not in a war zone.

I know there are lots of areas where you can buy a single family home for $10K and rent it for $500+ per month creating a decent positive cash flow.

I've looked at Detroit and ruled it out. Ohio? Rochester NY? Georgia?

In my shoes, where would you make your first purchase?

Thanks in advance!