New member from Santa Barbara, Ca

[James M.]

Hello,

I'm a young (late 20's) IT professional looking to expand my investments beyond index funds, but faced with a bit of sticker shock when seeing real estate prices in my local area.  I've always had an interest in investing in small 2-4 unit MF buildings, but don't see how it's possible in my area for a new investor.  I've heard the majority of sales in the area are purchased with cash, and while I have a decent amount of liquid cash available, it would be a stretch for me to make a 20% down payment on anything here besides a manufactured home or a condo.

Looking forward to learning how one can get started in what seems to be a very crowded market.