Hello, New Investor From West Virginia

[Ryan Huddleston]

Hello! I'm new here and to real estate investing and this site and the podcasts have been a huge inspiration.  

A little about me: 

I have a BS in Civil engineering and an MS in Environmental engineering. When I was in college I had one of the best internships I could ask for. I worked for a structural engineer who inspected homes and designed structural repairs.  At the time I didn't realize how much I was learning and how important the experience would be in my life. Fast-forward a few years and I'm starting to invest in real estate, everything I learned from that job gives me a huge advantage in identifying properties that need work but can easily be fixed. 

I am investing where I live, Charleston WV. I did my fist deal in December 2017 and I'm working on 2 more.  The first deal is a flip that is coming along nicely, it should ready for market in about 2 months. I am in contract on a triplex and a quad which will be my first venture into the rental business. Fortunately my dad has several rentals and is a great mentor. I feel more comfortable with flips but I know rentals are what I need to accomplish my goals. 

I would like to branch out into some bigger markets and that is where I have the most questions. I am looking for a market that is mid sized or larger. Im thinking about Columbus, Cleveland, Knoxville, Memphis, and Pittsburgh but I'm open to suggestions.