What to look for in a first investment?

[Alex Nunner]

I am currently looking to start investing in the Atlanta area. As a recent graduate from masters program I have class room experience but no real world experience.  What would be the best place to start I am currently looking at single family homes to up to 8 unit complexes.  If any one had any advice or suggestions I would love to talk about real estate investing. 

[Joe Villeneuve]

OK. You're not going to like this, but that Masters degree in RE, and the "helper" in finance, isn't going to mean much in the real world of REI. You're classroom training is going to give you a lot of basic "basics" on RE...mostly surrounding the legal aspects and the processes. The finance part will teach you very little for REI. Can you use any or all of what you learned? Yes?..but, it will cover maybe 5% of what you need to know.

Here is what you need to learn...all three are equal in importance.  Treat any one of them as the "ugly stepchild", and you lose...and will never know it:

1 - How Money Works...and I can guarantee this has nothing to do with what you were taught in school.

2 - How to Analyze Markets...not properties.

3 - How to design a REI Plan, with focus on your financial goals (personal needs). This is where that 5% mentioned above comes in...maybe.

REI is nothing at all like the stock market. REI success is based on thinking outside the box, then increasing the size of your box.