I have read a lot of posts and books on creative finance, however I am not able to borrow from family and friends until I have a deal or two under my belt.

I am eager to get my first deal under my belt but as you said don't force it.

Once you have a few under your belt this gets easier and you have a track record to show potential investors.

Welcome to BP i am in centralJersey i have a couple of properties under my belt but definitely learning all teh times and still feel like a newbie.

I'm sure that you will get a deal under your belt soon.

I still have trouble with this lesson, however, because I'm so excited to get units under my belt that I will sometimes accept a deal with only a little bit of meat on the bone as opposed to the recommended 20-30%.

Once you get a few deals and years of experience under your belt you'll have the know how and confidence to bring on partners, if you even still want to at that point.

Like Nick said, I would be very hesitant to touch your nest egg without at least exhausting or thoroughly evaluating all the other possibilities in your tool belt.  

Compare that to the relative ease of getting downtown from East Durham which also has the Golden Belt and the some new restaurants and redevelopment along Angier/South Driver and it becomes hard to make the case for the NCCU area being better for appreciation over the next 2-10 years.Redevelopment is (probably) coming to NCCU neighborhoods.

Dustin Sanders