Building a network here can open doors to partnerships, mentorships, and local insights.3.Explore the Blogs and Podcasts: BiggerPockets has tons of content—blogs, podcasts, webinars—that cover everything from beginner strategies to advanced investment tactics.4.Utilize the Deal Analysis Tools: If you’re considering an investment, the deal analysis calculators are invaluable for running numbers and understanding potential returns.5.Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve, whether it’s learning a specific strategy or connecting with certain types of investors.

STRs specifically have supercharged our passive income goals and cut down our initial goal of a 10 yr run to get where we want to be in half. 

She ended up using a 1031 to exchange into a smaller multifam near Austin that better aligned with her long-term goals.

If you can swing it, increasing your down payment to 25% or more might help boost your cash flow and make your investment even more sustainable.Your long-term goal of buying and holding, with a target of 20 properties, is definitely a winning strategy.

So you sacrificed your own success because of something completely unrelated to the tool that would make you more successful and faster. 

Just ensure the new property aligns with your financial goals and cash flow expectations.After completing a 1031 exchange, you typically don’t have to wait long to do a cash-out refinance.

But that extra $7200/year will go a long way in paying down your loan faster, build up another downpayment fund, pay off other debt, etc. 

My goal is to hold these long term. 

@Shawn Tuma & @Chris KayVery difficult in today's market to cashflow putting 0% down:(5-10 years ago it was possible, but prices have increased faster than rents.Your best bet is to find a property that needs work, but will still pass a VA appraisal/inspection. 

They’ll often have insights into the market and can help you find properties that align with your goals.