If he has a heavy interest at 15/16 I would be curious if there is entry level or internships for him to get into, whether that's with a wholesaler, agent, property manager, etc.

I'm sure there are agents and investors with deeper insights, but for most of us, a consistent, long-term approach—similar to dollar-cost averaging when investing in index funds—seems like the most practical strategy.That being said, I am also interested to hear what others have to say though, so thank you for the post!

When you ask such an open-ended question like where in America should I invest if not California, you open yourself up to every real estate agent telling you their market is good.

This is America ... anyone buying property should enlist the services of a licensed agent.

I'm biased and can provide reasons and data to show that using an agent will protect you, get you more money, less stress and so on.The reality is you can do it yourself, but tenants generally don't cooperate with showings and that causes lots of problems for buyer to access the unit to show, inspections, appraisals etc.

Renters see that the whole neighborhood is available for rent and they push to see who will give them the best deal (or which agent will cut them a deal). 

Because it's better to hire a professional agent to represent you.

@Wade Roberts I don't know anything about Murphy NC but I'm sure connecting with a Bigger Pockets real estate agent in that area would give you the insights you are looking for!

The monthly payment will be after talking to my agent about $2,400 per month.

its creating some friction with brokers that are representing buyers  Listing agents no change.the commish is becoming a negotiation just like a home inspection..