Hi all,I have recently stabilized my very first duplex in Troy, New York (near Albany) and am very excited to be officially in the landlord game in this area! 

Seems pretty easy to setup.You could add a feature to a spare room or game room or whatever with little work.

I'm just getting started in the area and @Timothy Smith has been a major game changer.

Please comment, and feel free to add me on Bigger Pockets or my socials Even with the outcome of this project, I still love this game and believe it is the best vehicle to retirement 100%!!

This is a long game and the market is dynamic in the short term.  

if you already sent him some money and he now wants more then I can tell you that you have run into a fake lender scammer.. on line profiles mean diddly squat.U can play the private lender game all you want.. just never ever send them any advance fee's unless you pay for a 3rd party appraisal directly to the appraiser..

As for experienced investors, once you know the game you'll crush everywhere.

No one has more "skin in the game" than a PMC as they have to deal with the property every day until an owner sells or fires them.Also recommend finding your own Inspector and not one referred by an agent.

It is part of the game as with any other potentially high-reward endeavor but it doesn't have to affect your well-being.That said, your vanguard account is a good reminder that there are other avenues to consider outside of RE.I'd recommend continuing to diversify by exploring other RE options.

So I looked at some local markets like Sacramento where I'm from and familiar with the neighborhoods but the cashflow would be so negative that I'd be paying out of pocket every month.Now I'm more inclined to buy a single family in KC as it seems the rates won't drop anytime soon so would like to get in the investment game sooner than later and hope for a rate drop in few years to refinance.I have been looking on Zillow, and recently connected to an agent to run numbers and seems I could make about $100-$300 after mortgage payment and insurance.