newbie from Bloomington, IN

[Rachel Valliere]

Hi everyone! I am a freelance graphic designer based out of Bloomington, IN. I have no real estate investment experience, other than listening to the bigger pockets podcast for a little while now, and I really want to pursue this in addition to graphic design. I am getting ready to move, and am hoping to buy a duplex and house hack to save money for a year or so, then grow from there. My biggest concern is that I want to be sure I can afford to have a property manager handle my rentals if I decide to move away for a job or am too busy with other work. I have no real idea of what I'm getting into, and I'm not super tied-down right now, so I want to make sure I have some options / exit strategy so I can handle whatever comes up next. Looking forward to meeting you all and learning about this!

[Bryan Blankenship]

@Rachel Valliere Welcome aboard, ma'am! Most of us here have a real passion for real estate, so maybe you'll catch the bug, too! :)

DEFINITELY do your due diligence upfront and have contingency plans 5 ways to Sunday, but don't let that hold you back from doing that first deal. A lot of people are super hesitant on that first deal since it's uncharted territory for them, but then afterwards, they wish they would have done it sooner!!

Property management is one of the hardest parts, and it's often very under-appreciated, honestly. It'd be great if you could establish a relationship with a good property manager in advance of you actually needing one. Sounds like you're on the right track!