Newbie from Charleston, SC

[Jason Ellis]

Hello everyone! I'm Jason, and I'm an engineer who recently moved to Charleston fresh out of grad school. I'm currently renting, but I'm in the market to buy my first home because I'd like to start building some equity. I'm leaning toward a condo or townhouse because I like the idea of less upkeep, but I'm not married to that idea. I realize that I likely will not live in this home long term, so I thought I should look at it as more of an investment property than a traditional home. Hopefully in the near future, I will want to settle down with a family in a more traditional home and I can either rent this place out or sell it for a profit. In order to do that though, I need to make a smart purchase, and that is how I came across Bigger Pockets. I do love what I do, so I don't see myself doing REI full time, but I could see myself buying a few properties using a buy and hold strategy and setting myself up for the future when I'm done with engineering!

I'd love to hear some advice from the experts on here about what type of property to buy and how to get started.  I've been looking through the information on the site, and I'm learning a lot!  I've also been emailing real estate agents to find the right one, and I'm thinking of working with a buyer's agent that I met with.  But perhaps I should speak with an agent that specializes in investment property.  Does anyone have any recommendations for a good investor's real estate agent in the Charleston area?  Thanks for listening and good luck to everyone in their investing!