1st Timer in California

[Karen Lin]

Hi All,

My name is Karen and I'm currently in the Bay Area. I haven't really dabbled in real estate but have been doing a lot of research lately and decided that real estate investing is a path I really want to explore and be involved in. I'm particularly interested in flipping homes and buying and holding rental properties, but am not sure which one to choose. I know the first step is to focus in on one. Could you please provide any insight on how you decided which path was best for you? Also, from a lot of threads I've read, people are saying that they are investing OOS. For someone who grew up and lived only in California, what would be the best way to understand the market OOS? 

Thank you in advance for any input!