Stick to Your TypeWarren Buffett once said, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”Apply this principle here:Decide on your property type.Say no to anything outside of that type.You can always pivot down the road, but starting with focus is crucial to building momentum.

•Pausing payments if necessary•While building home equity with loan paydown from rental income, I'm also rebuilding the equity within my WLI with the same rental plus my current active business.

Go straight into focusing on creative finance, subject to, and minimal cash down deals and build from there.I want to hear your thoughts on what direction to take here if you were in my shoes given these constraints (full time job and a few thousand saved) and you want to optimize for passive income first, then value appreciation?

To build momentum, I’d start small, assemble a reliable local team, and ensure the properties I invest in have strong fundamentals.

Relationship Building: How will you get to know the borrower?

Build your network by joining local real estate investor meetups or online communities like BiggerPockets.

In The Tampa Bay Area local investor in the items inside the home/business but looking to get with the right people to build a team.

I had been discussing this property with the owner for a while and saw its potential—distressed but with strong fundamentals and built-in equity.The deal was a great opportunity to apply creative financing, secure a property with minimal upfront capital, and build long-term cash flow.

Renting could allow you to focus on paying down debt and saving for a larger down payment, while buying now could help you start building equity or even generate passive income through house hacking.

New agents may struggle with periods of no income while waiting for deals to close.Solution: Budget wisely, build a financial cushion, and prepare for slow months.