20,000 to invest with should I try to flip or invest in a rental?

[William Kenley]

First off I wanna say hello to everybody! I have been going back and forth about investing in real-estate for years, but I was always gun shy. I would get close, but I would never pull the trigger. I have worked hard these last few years. Now, Im debt free, I have my emergency fund stashed away, and I have 20,000 to use towards an investment. I have been educating myself on real-estate investing. I have come to the conclusion that a flip would be the best way for me to establish some extra capital. Problem is Im in a competitive market (Wash,DC). Either homes go quick here or they are overpriced. I have seen a couple of multi-family homes in low income ares for sale here. I think these properties would be great long term investments,but won't generate much of a return up front.  I don't want to tie up all of my hard earned money in one propertie that has such a small cash flow over a long period of time. I think that investment strategy would stunt my investment growth. I have also toyed with the idea of investing in Baltimore, but Im skeptical of investing in area that is foreign to me. What would you do if you were in my shoes?