New to real estate

[Gregory McBroom]

I am new to real estate but am excited to get started.  I currently live in Jersey City.  I am looking for one of the following: a) a single family house that I can live in for a couple of years and then rent out or b) a 2-family house where I can live and rent out the other section.

I work in the Chelsea area of Manhattan and am trying to find a location in North Jersey (e.g. Jersey City, Hoboken) where I can afford to buy, generate good cash flow on a rental, and have a fairly easy commute to NYC.  My target cost is around $400K-$500K.  Any suggestions on areas, how to start looking, etc?  I appreciate the help in advance.