Tips for newbie in Fresno?

[Christine Cogan-Mesa]

I'm about to take the leap and invest in my first rental home. The motivation behind this is to generate some steady income for my mom's care (I'm trustee/POA). I'm searching with my RE agent now for a single family home in Fresno to rent out and hold for the long term. I've never managed/owned a rental before. I'm not particularly handy, although open to learn some basic skills as I go. Any tips for a newbie like me? Also, would you recommend a management company for the first year at least? If this goes well, I'm hoping to purchase another rental within the next year.

Thanks!  I'm learning a lot from the posts I've read so far.