Lost vet in need of a vector. Starting out fresh...but where?

[David Reinke]

Hi everyone! Just joined the ranks here at BP and I continue to be amazed daily with the amount of information that is readily available at our fingertips. So much so, that I'm having a tough time figuring out where to start with my current situation. I'm transitioning out of the military currently waiting patiently to start a new career that should allow enough time to jump into real estate investing with plenty of time left over for family and fun...or so I think, ha! My wife and I are undecided on where to settle down but are aiming somewhere between Philadelphia and the Annapolis/DC area. We are considering the idea of purchasing a multi-fam unit and living in one for at least a year before moving onto the next adventure. Side note...we have a 16 month old son and are planning another soon just to put living requirements into perspective. If necessary, we have about 100K to work with and I also qualify for VA loans (zero down with NO PMI...but a funding fee of 3.3% of the loan amount) which can really assist if we are aiming to maximize leverage. I know there's some great stuff out there if you look hard enough but like a lot of newbies, I'm kind of stuck at the starting gate unsure of which direction to leap...especially in this seemingly forever climbing market. Is the timing right? Which area is best? Are multi-fams even a good idea right now? What size should we aim for? If not, what should we pursue? Should I bag the whole idea and just toss our savings into Silver?? These are just a few of the questions jumping around the grey matter every morning before being pelted in the eye with breakfast sausage released from the hand of the aforementioned toddler. He's not too keen yet on expressing his views in a succinct manner but if he could, I'd be asking him too! Thanks in advance for any ideas!