New Member from DC

[Rob N.]

I am a 26 year old DC resident, currently renting an apartment. I plan to move to a lower-cost city (ideally Atlanta) in about two years and begin investing in RE. I expect to have enough saved for a downpayment on a smaller rental property by then. 

I've read the Beginners Guide from BiggerPockets and have been a lurker on the blog section for quite a while. While I don't currently plan on investing for another two years, I'm looking to become more active in this community so I can plan appropriately and be prepared when it's time to pull the trigger.

Currently my long term goals regarding RE are to invest in a small multi-family property, reinvest profits (and additional savings from my full time job), and grow over time to hopefully own larger apartments. I would be willing to purchase out of state, but one thing I'd like to learn more about is how to choose the right markets and which resources to use to find the best deals. 

I'd greatly appreciate any initial advice from the community and look forward to being more involved.