New Investor in Boston Area

[Joseph Alie]

Hi All,

This is my first post, and I have been reading the forums and trying to listen to as many podcasts as possible so I am very excited about the wealth of content here at Bigger Pockets. I am a 24 year old working in New York currently but moving back to Boston in July. I am hoping to buy a rental property in the boston area or in an area within commute of Boston. Would love to discuss any tips for beginners or ideas of good areas to invest in for a first-time rental property. I'll be working long hours at my new job in Boston so I've been considering property management companies to assist with that side of things. Does it make sense to use a property management company after purchasing my first rental property or would it make more sense to hire one employee to oversee the property? Would love any insight into the process and the topics I've touched on above. I'm planning to continue to save money until I move back to Boston then purchase a rental as soon as possible (assuming the economics makes sense) so I can begin taking advantage of the tax benefits before potentially starting business school in a few years when I will not be earning income. I'll be moving to Boston with two friends so I've been considering purchasing a unit near my job that I could live in and rent out to my friends or just purchasing a place I could rent out to other tenants since my job is in the more expensive Back Bay area.  Looking forward to networking with all of you and learning more as I continue this journey! I know that getting your skin in the game is probably one of the best learning experiences so excited to get started.

Best,

Joe