New Investor in Columbus OH

[Ember Meadows]

Hey guys I am a new real estate investor. I have really enjoyed this site. A few questions for you, I have come into this thing and taken some massive action-including sending letters to people who recently inherited property, bandit signs, massive craiglist emails and am getting ready to do the yellow letters. My focus has been "wholesaling" and trying the no money down approach. One reason is because I have heard over and over that is where new investors should start.

However I do have some money in a 401k that I am considering rolling over to a Self Directed IRA and buying some bank owned property. I do not want to give up on wholesaling-as I do have some potential deals I am working now, and I definitely want to do a few regardless of how long it takes-just to have that experience under my belt. I have heard some investors say never use your own money. I have heard other investors say wholesaling is great because you can do it with no money but it is the hardest-and make it seem like its for those with no other options?

So my questions are this: would you recommend I use a self directed IRA with my own money to get some property?

Do investors who have been around awhile-what is the most common way they finance? Do many actually continue to do wholesaling with no money even after they are more experienced?