New Investor Seeking Advice - Nashville/Birmingham

[Courtney Cook]

Hi! I'm fairly new to the BP community, have been listening to the podcast since January, watching the webinars, bought most of the books and am currently reading Brandon's "How to Invest in Real Estate." I'm looking for my first deal and have been told by lenders that I have a "unique situation." However, I doubt that I'm the first person to be in this situation, so I want to share my story and thoughts so far, and see if anyone else has been on a similar path, and hear how you navigated it.

I was laid off from my job in Los Angeles in March 2020 and moved to Nashville in November. I'm from Birmingham and that's where most of my family is. Nashville and Bham are the two markets I'm looking at right now to begin investing.

I'm looking for work, but haven't found it in my industry (events) so far, so I'm still unemployed.

I will be a first-time home buyer with a good credit score, but I don't have a downpayment (that money was spent on my move!).

Since I don't currently qualify for conventional lending, and don't have a downpayment for an FHA loan, I'm looking for a private lender or a partner. A lender just told me about a DCSR loan and I'm looking into the feasibility of that.

Based on what I've been learning on BP and from the forums here, I was initially looking for a house hack in Nashville, but have begun thinking that a flip may be the best idea to start so that I can make money to invest into the next property. I'm interested in a BRRRR as well, but think the flip is still my best beginning option. I have agents in both Bham and Nashville who are working with me, and I'm also looking for off-market properties in the neighborhood where I live just outside of Nashville. Because I have time right now, I'm planning to transfer my event management skills to general contracting and hire subs for the rehab.

There are so many creative options out there, but based on what I've shared, does my strategy of finding a partner or using a private lender to purchase and rehab a flip to then have some money to invest in the next property sound like a good strategy to those you who have been doing this or who've been in a similar situation? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts, affirmations, corrections, and any other good stuff you have to share. Thanks so much!