As others have said, the first step is determining whether you would like to be active or passive. 

@Beth Anderson always work backwards to determine a purchase price.ARV minus profit/equity minus Rehab+10-20% minus carrying costs = purchase offerThis is a simplified example, but demonstrates the concept.

All of the businesses you own come into play when your Solo 401k eligibility is being determined.

I do not wait for others to determine my destiny.

There are lenders that will finance newbies, even at 100% of the purchase & rehab, but if the numbers do not make sense, the chances of that deal getting to the table are thin (especially if the lender wants to help borrowers succeed, not help them fail).The lender's underwriter looks at every deal, but especially the lesser experienced operator's deal to determine what is exposed vs what is the return.

I recommend thinking on these topics to determine the best way to get started investing. 

.● Determine the anticipated holding term for the property.● Know the initial capitalization rate (going-in cap).● Project the exit capitalization rate (exit cap).When facing objections while raising capital, it's important to dig deeper to understand the true underlying concerns.

With a HELOC, determination, due diligence, and a bit of luck, I am confident that I will achieve success in this REI.

I have a number of very seasoned investors who have determined that these are "good investments" for them. 

It sounds like we will determine the best path with a CPA to make sure we both have equal ownership in the property.