First time REI in the HOUSTON MSA - any suggestions?

[Shahin Momin]

My wife and I are seeking guidance/advice on which sector of the real estate market to focus on in the Houston MSA. Due to us being novices, we look at each sector and think that the market is TOO HOT or its out of our price range. How can we go about taking a CALCULATED risk? We are nervous as this will be our first investment and since both of us have full time careers, we are currently looking for a passive investment where we can invest with someone and learn from the bottom up. Our goal is to gain the experience from the first couple of investments and then to grow/multiply the portfolio. ANY SUGGESTION/ADVICE WILL HELP! THANKS IN ADVANCE.