Denton County offers opportunities in suburban and college town markets, while Grayson County provides affordable entry points with cash-flow potential.

Reduced energy costs also leave more room in household budgets, making housing—whether rented or owned—more affordable for tenants and buyers.

The best areas to consider include East Point, West End, Kirkwood, Decatur (outside city limits), and Marietta, each offering a balance of affordability, appreciation, and rental demand.

@Yael DoronIf you're working with a $150,000 budget and aiming for high ROI through rental income, consider nearby areas around Phoenix that still offer affordability and growth potential.

How can a PMC afford to do more than the bare minimum, when owners only want to pay the bare minimum?

In addition to Wishing Well Hills, Decatur, Brookwood, and Smyrna/Marietta, you might also look into Powder Springs, Austell, and parts of Douglasville, as they offer more affordable options with solid rental markets.

They will be able to guide you through setting up financing, creating an investment plan, getting subs set up, and creating an execution plan.A good investor focused Realtor should be able to guide you on what markets you can afford, help you focus on your personal risk tolerance, and find a property that fits your skill set and financial goals.The more educated you are as an investor the better, but the right Realtor is going to unlock a wealth of information that is going to super charge your knowledge of investing, and help expediate your plan. 

I am hoping to get suggestions for better tools that are still affordable for new investors like myself.

@Chris CoreThere are real estate investment opportunities across various markets, particularly in the Midwest and Southeast regions, which offer affordable purchase prices for most investors.

Your VA loan will be crucial to your real estate investing growth, especially since it affords you the potential opportunity to own more than one property, depending on your overall allotment.For active military personnel, that conundrum of where to invest and where you will end up is always part of the issue that sometimes causes analysis paralysis so it's great you have one in VA Beach already.