The weight of my failures bore heavily upon me, casting a shadow over every aspect of my life.In the midst of my darkest moments, when it felt like I was drowning in despair, I found myself at a crossroads, teetering on the brink of surrender.

Started over 20 years ago by buying a second hand Home study course by Carlton sheets. 

I was originally considering house hacking with a multiplex (and I have over six figures I could put for a down payment) in Philadelphia but it seems that the only places where I could cash flow right now would be in far west philly or in neighborhoods that are boring or not so safe, would be a longer commute to work areas, etc. 

I think it would look boring to have everything one color.  

Study the market.

Right now I am in the study and evaluation phase and I may not need the TSP loan by the time I get to the first deal, but just trying to soak in the pro and cons of all options.Your feedback is definitely some strong food for thought on why it might be preferrable to avoid a TSP loan or keep it as a last resort when I am sure I can pay it back quickly.Thanks again for the thoughtful comment.Sincerely,Joe

@Carter McGillTo begin investing in real estate, you must educate yourself, decide on your investment strategy, evaluate your financial status, study the area market, connect with other local investors, find investment opportunities, secure financing preapproval, carry out extensive due diligence, submit an offer, and move forward.Learn about real estate investment by reading books, listening to podcasts, using the internet, and connecting with knowledgeable investors.

Right but also... do you want to have a bunch of boring LTRs, or do you want to own a frat house and be able to tell your grandkids about it? 

You want to know where they have studied, how often have they done that procedure, how amazing is their success rate etc. etc right?

Having a safety net for unforeseen expenses is crucial.Failure to Exercise Due Diligence: Investigate possible investment properties thoroughly, especially through title searches, property inspections, financial analyses, and rental market studies.