Right now I am focusing on building a strong buyers list before I really hit the ground running on marketing for sellers.

This includes networking, learning from experienced investors, and strengthening your financial position.If you’re starting with limited capital, setting up an LLC and building a strong credit profile (700+ FICO) can open up financing opportunities.

Pacing yourself is key, especially as you get hands-on experience managing maintenance and tenant dynamics.Since you have a strong W-2 income, you're in a great position to leverage creative financing options as you grow.

I know there is not a ton of resources that don't require large financial commitments, just wanted to see if anybody knew of cheaper alternatives. 

Nonetheless, I am committed to ensuring that agents are compensated for their efforts in showing and placing tenants in our properties. i pay the agent first month rent but I expect them to do the background etc. 

One key piece of advice is to make sure to build strong team around you.

If there isnt a long term commitment where he takes you to collections and destroys your credit for quitting early, $700/mo invested in yourself will not bankrupt ya or matter much 5 or 20 years from now. 

So it's very easy to criticize these markets if you've never been here or really know anything about the area and are just making broad, sweeping generalizations, but if you have a strong team on the ground who can help you buy in the right neighborhoods and maximize your returns, you can do very well in this market, and I'm sure Detroit as well.I had a buyer who bought a duplex in Cleveland for 85k last year.  

With an average monthly profit of about $1,175 after expenses, it’s proving to be a strong investment.If your parents sell their home and want to move in, you’d need to weigh the trade-offs—losing that steady revenue vs. the stability of a long-term tenant.

Instead of jumping into an expensive Long Island market with negative cash flow, consider investing in a Texas market like San Antonio, Houston, or DFW suburbs—these areas offer strong rental demand, lower property taxes than NY, and better cash flow potential.