Hi BP! New to REI and living in Durango, CO

[Josh Levey]

Hi BP Community,

I'm Josh, 31 years old, work remote for a startup and live in beautiful Durango, CO. I've been browsing BP forums for a couple of years but reluctant to take the plunge. REI was always a bit nervewracking to me (I always jumped to the "what if" mentality when I'd think about being a landlord), and as a result missed out on the super low rate environment of the last several years, instead investing my cash into the stock market (took quite a beating this past year!). I'm committed to action and will be dipping my toes into REI in the very near future. At present I'm trying to educate myself and soak in as much information on REI as I can so I can make informed decisions (particularly considering that both the higher rate environment and the still-high home prices in much of the country make finding solid, cash-flow positive deals a bit more challenging, or so it seems).

While I would love to invest locally in the Durango area, home prices here are too high for it to make sense from a cashflow perspective. As a result I'm looking at other, more affordable markets around the country. That said, would love to connect with other REIs locally or in nearby regions and hear how you've made it work!

Cheers,
Josh

[Jordan Malara]

@Josh Levey A large factor of where you invest your cash should be based on your overarching goals within real estate. Do you want cash flow to quit your W2, appreciation to build long term wealth, or something else entirely? 

As @Ryan Thomson alluded to, house hacking is a great way to get started in a strong market and benefit from cash flow and appreciation with very little cash out of pocket and low risk. If you're considering CO Springs, hit him up as he is one of the best in the area!