High income VS real estate related job for new investor?

[Jason Warren]

Hello Everyone!

I will be relocating soon (still deciding where) and will begin investing in residential buy and holds within a year using conventional loans and down payments I already have saved. In the meantime, I would like to work in real estate to help me learn the area and the industry. I am interested in property management or appraising, but it seems like many of these entry level jobs pay 50% or less of what I could be making as an engineer. The experience is probably worth the pay cut, but I am concerned about qualifying for loans. Would it be better to take a higher paying job until I get a loan or two squared away then get into a real estate job? Could anyone who made a similar decision share their experience?

Thanks!