Need some advice!

[David Pierce]

Hey guys! Dave Pierce here (active duty military member). My wife and I really want to start actively investing in real estate. I think getting started seems to always be the biggest hurdle for everyone! For us, like a lot of military families, it seems overwhelming given the fact we are always moving every 2-3 years, so how do we get to know the market? I know my home town decently (southern Washington state, Portland, Camas, Washougal, Vancouver)but the prices in the area seem to be almost at a bursting point! I have been thinking about doing some investing in either Dallas, Memphis, or Austin (given the better cash flow from SFH, as well as MFHs). I started talking to an investment firm which finds good rehabs, does the rehabs, and then manages the rental. I am finding it difficult to think of the best way to bust into this market without being on the ground in the location. Right now we have around 30k cash we could use to get started on something, and then we will take advantage of the VA loan when we move back stateside (currently in Germany). Any advice on how to go about doing this thing while moving, and all the complications of being in the military would be great! Also, anyone want to team up or knows some good contacts let me know. Thanks, Dave

[Brody Jett]

Originally posted by @Greg H.:

AGREED. I am on the other side of the mountains from you and in the military as well I have had the luxury to be a little more stagnant than most military career fields. I teach survival school. I just started in the investment side of things. when we move again I will try to buy what I can where ever we go in terms of investment properties. It all depends on what you want as your niche I guess. we have one single family and we just bought our first Duplex all in the same area and all with VA. keep growing your funds so you could buy and rehab your own deals without HML. you could also get a MFH that you could live in and get VA financing and then keep that for when you move to continue buying more MFH where ever you go. use the 30K to fund repairs as you go to boost value slightly. For me when all mine are paid down i will be sitting on a pretty good amount of MFH/SFH.

-Brody