If you had $200k in cash, what would you do?

[Eric D.]

I thought this would be an interesting exercise - if you were starting from scratch and had $200k in cash to apply to real estate investments in New Jersey, what would you do? I thought it'd be helpful for all of us to see one another's perspective on the market.

As for me, I would probably invest in an up and coming area near public transportation to NYC, putting just enough down so I can get a decent cash flow month-to-month. In NJ, I think that would end up being 30-50% down.

What would you do?

[Richard S.]

Pay cash for banked owned homes in a local area you're familiar with and can manage on your own, where there is good cash flow opportunity and a quick ROI (5-7 years). Refinance them after 12-24 months seasoning and rinse and repeat.