Single family homes or multi family homes for cash flow beginner?

[Trellis Alexander]

So I’m currently recognizing my financial position. I plan on working an second job to get more income. I ran across an old friend I went to college with and I told him my plan to get into real estate. He said he’s good friends with a broker and knows a house he could possibly get with 0 down. This should be something I look forward into doing with my friend not having any knowledge in real estate? I mean I’m reading a book on how to invest by BP, and I’m working and trying to build credit. But I’m wondering if buying an multifamily home would be worth more while? If I build credit and do an conventional loan, 20-80. Me and my partner go have and half on down payment? https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/7316-Penrose-St-Jacksonville-FL/16684952/ I seen this multi family home and started wondering because 20% of 185k is 37k. Half of that between a partner is 18.5. I’m a first time home owner so would I have perks of using that to my advantage?

[Spencer Hilligoss]

@Trellis Alexander - sounds like you're in the brainstorming stage of developing your strategy, which is an exciting time!

I took a look at the Loopnet property you linked above. Have you run analysis on it yet to see how it performs as a rental?

Assuming you have put work into educating yourself on how to analyze rental properties (books, podcasts, dozens of analysis practice runs, digging into the BP forums on similar threads), then the next step would be to run a full analysis on the market+submarket and the deal itself, to see how it performs as a rental. The calculators here on BP are rock solid (in my opinion) and perfectly fine to use when analyzing real deals.

If you run the numbers and it still meets your investing criteria (e.g. monthly cashflow), the next step would be to checkout the property in person.

To your question above: "This should be something I look forward into doing with my friend not having any knowledge in real estate[?]"

I think anyone should be encouraged to jump into real estate if they are willing to put in the sweat equity (hard work) and effort in to educate themselves, first. You "make money on the buy," as they say... and you'll want to know how to spot a good deal and pass on the landmines.