we just managed to get ong to run all new lines and separate meters for our whole apartment complex at no cost to us. 

The model opens a pool of possibilities for owners who are prepared to hold and manage the property long-term.

The title company will handle clearing the title but won’t manage personal agreements.

@Corbett BrasingtonIf you are communicating with the seller directly, better to have less people talking to the seller.The realtor can have some roles as follows1) Connect you with his references for property management / contractors / title companies / etc2) Give you comps to indicate what the property is worthBest of luck

A great way to get started if you currently have a W2 job is to buy a house hack like a duplex or a fourplex where you can move into one of the units and continue to rent/manage the other units.

One of my bizz partners sold his garbage company to waste management for 75 mil his balance sheet is a crack up.. house in Napa valley house one in Lake tahoe hunting ranch some commercial in downtown Napa. and a big huge wad in triple net munis  and zero debt.

I lived there for a couple years and I met this guy who has bought and managed a ton of property there. 

My partner and I have a couple units we manage as well in Washington DC.

If you move, renting in NYC and buying an out-of-state property could work, but make sure you have a solid plan for managing it.If you stay, buying in an affordable market and living there for a while could be a good option.

@Alba Cheung,your property manager should have already handled this and you should not be involved.