And do you have a specific area in mind, or are you still exploring?

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

While Colorado's market can be challenging due to high prices, exploring suburbs like Colorado Springs or Pueblo, or even considering out-of-state markets in the Midwest or Southeast, can open up better cash flow opportunities.

Currently exploring investing in South-East Spain (Almeria) for STR.From what I read as US-resident, it's much more advantageous to invest via a Spanish SL (able to deduct costs in the tax + less transfer tax in the purchase). 

Moreover, as others have noted, explore investment opportunities in your market before considering purchasing out of state.

Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

I’m open to flipping, renting, or exploring other strategies.My mantra is to test new things “fast and cheap,” so I’ll probably begin investing locally in CT before considering otehr markets across the US. 

Gradually scale by researching high-growth markets, partnering with experienced investors, and exploring financing options like SBA loans.

I have heard the summer time season peak is not as large as the winter time but I would still think you would get travelers looking to explore the Colorado Mountains in the summer. 

Hey Matt,With $50K in a self-directed IRA, there are several strategies you could explore to generate both short- and long-term returns, depending on your risk tolerance and investment goals.