Need help getting started in real estate

[Max Butler]

My name is Max Butler and I hope someone will be able to give me some helpful advice on how to get started in real estate investing. Currently I am in Georgia for AIT learning how to become a satellite communications operator/maintainer for the National Guard and once I return to central Missouri I plan on continuing my college education and pursuing a degree in cybersecurity. I have always been interested in real estate investments and plan on investing in real estate as a secondary income. I am wondering if anyone could give me a few tips on how to start this journey and what some of the do's and dont's of real estate investing are. Right now my plan is to start small and purchase a duplex so that I can rent out one side and live in the other so that the tenant will hopefully cover the mortgage payment, but my problem is finding capital for a down payment and not knowing what my primary source of income will be when I return home. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Max Butler