Newbie help- getting started

[Ryan Gordon]

Hi everyone! Over the next year I'd like to start to develop my real estate portfolio. In an ideal world that would look like owning rental properties that I could see myself living in in the Boston area and maybe buying some properties around the world (in Playa del Carmen, Mexico) for example. I'm curious on what your thoughts are for starting out, whether it's even possible to start out in Boston (my understanding is that prices aren't exactly cheap), and whether owning properties in Boston and abroad would end up being too much of a bifurcation of attention and irrationally costly with the teams needed to support these investments in such separate geographic areas. In your experience, what would be best the best way to start out and work up my portfolio to my vision in that "ideal world". Appreciate your thoughts, critiques, and time!