You just need to understand a number of things as to how they apply to REI:1 - How to Analyze Markets2 - How Money Works3 - How to design a REI Plan...and stick to it.4 - How #'s 1 - 3 are connected and completely dependent on eachother.5 - What Risk, cost (to you), profit, leverage, and loses are.6 - Why you never ever spend your seed money, only your profit. 

Read the Forum posts, read the Blogs, listen to podcasts, YouTube, and spend a little time just soaking up knowledge and other peoples' experience (and mistakes).Commit to studying a little every day and I assure you that in no time, by the end of this month, you will know a lot more than you do know and feel much more confident.Then you take your first step by asking yourself, what type of real estate investing do you want to start with? 

I've been studying multifamily real estate and actively saving seed money for my first deal in 2020.

I'm completely new to this, so I'm soaking up advice!

If you are an existing renter in a rent controlled unit, you are happy for a few years as you soak up the below market rent benefit. 

There are many possibilities with your capital and situation and just to plant the seed: I would look into areas with a high price per sq ft. and either buy a Single Fam.

Excited to soak up knowledge from pros.

Being very picky about details, I notice the small things like when the property is advertised as newly rehabbed (new doors, appliances, cabinets etc) more often I see dings on the brand new door (I saw in one property in KC) or cabinet doors not aligning etc.

Going to a Than Merrill 3-day event helped plant the seed in me with ideas. 

@Garrick Wong - Congrats on making the decision to act on the education you've been receiving/soaking in.