New College Graduate Moving to Baltimore - Rent or Buy?

[Stephen Day]

Hello! I am excited to be posting in the BiggerPockets forums for the first time. My name is Stephen, I am 22 years old and am getting ready to graduate college. I recently accepted a full-time position with a company in Middle River, MD...just outside of Baltimore. 

I had intended to begin building a Real Estate portfolio as soon as I graduated, but now am hesitant to jump in because of the nature of my full-time job. For my first year, I will be working from Middle River, MD. Then, in July of 2022, I will move to another of my company's locations as part of a rotational program. This process will repeat until July of 2025, where I will finally settle down in a more permanent location of sorts. 

I realize that there is value in renting that manifests in the form of flexibility. However, I also realize that it is, in today's world, easier than it ever has been to manage a property from afar via the internet, so I am not yet willing to take purchasing a multifamily home to "house hack" off of the table for my ~1-year stay in Baltimore. The strategy would be to purchase a cash flowing multifamily property, manage it while I am there, and then pass that responsibility off to a management company upon my departure from Baltimore. Ideally, this process would be repeated for each of the 4 locations I move to during this rotation program.

I am familiar with the process I would need to undertake to make this acquisition a reality and have already spoken with various banks about getting pre-approved for a loan. I am posting today in an effort to see if anyone familiar with the Baltimore area has any advice they would be willing to offer. Additionally, I am looking to make some connections in the area so that I might, in the event where I choose to forego a purchase and just rent, be able to continue my learnings so I can hit the ground running when the time/opportunity presents itself.

Thank you!!