The thing is I've been learning about real estate for almost 2 years and still haven't bought my first property and it's driving me insane .

I would call them and send certified letter signature required or if nearby drive to their last known address.

Places like Tampa, FL, Boise, ID, Asheville, NC, Detroit, MI, and Columbus, OH are seeing growth in tourism and demand, making them great options for STR investments. 

Quote from @Tenzing Palmo: Hello I’m looking for my first investment property in Dallas Texas, I live in nyc so I don’t The trick with new construction in many of the growth cities is that don't allow rentals in the HOAs or have super restrictions. 

Although I am outside of my comfort zone and feel like an absolute tool (I'm lost and that's uncomfortable), my faith, drive, and want to achieve my family and life goals continues to motivate me to get outside of my comfort zone and push for continuous improvement.  

You can look more into syndications, out-of-state turnkey properties in growth markets, or house hacking.

If you’re really set on building a portfolio, this might be a good way to go since it’ll give you the liquidity to take on more properties.BRRRR: If you’re leaning towards long-term rental income and portfolio growth, the BRRRR method could be an attractive option, but you’re right to consider the numbers carefully.

In my opinion, you can make as much money buying cheap houses as you can buying expensive homes.Affordability is an issue for a lot of Americans so I will argue cheaper cities performed better over the past 10 years than more expensive markets / houses.San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA and New York, NY are considered expensive markets.If I look at Zillow's price estimate for homes comparing 2016 and 2024San Francisco - Average Price of home was $1,145,000 and now its 1,262,000(Increase of 10%)Seattle - Average Price of home was $561,000 and now its $848,000(51%)New York - Average price was $561,000 and now its $766,000(37%)Memphis, TN, Indianapolis, IN and Clevlenad, OH are considered cheaper markets.Zillow is showing more appreciation in these markets over the same time periodMemphis - Average price was $73,000 and now its $149,000(104%)Indianapolis - Average price was $107,000 and now its $225,000(110%)Cleveland - Average price was $54,000 and now its $109,000(101%)Population increases and job growth are two indicators that result in appreciation.Two of the cheaper markets listed above(Memphis and Cleveland) are not increasing in population.

Focus on growth areas, understand local regulations, and use your rental history to build credibility with brokers and sellers.Good luck!

Also, the ability to export reports for partners or lenders would be a plus.Essential Data/Analytics: Reliable rent estimates, cap rates, cash-on-cash return, operating expenses (especially maintenance and CapEx), and local market trends like population growth or job market health are key for decision-making