David,Before you choose a lender, I suggest you attend a seminar conducted by Joe Massey at Castle & Cooke Mortgage.

I was 19 and attending UCSB when we bought it.

Find and attend a local Biggerpockets meet up, find real estate investor clubs, talk to realtors who specialize in investment real estate, etc.Clean up your personal finances.

I also prepare a list of questions I want to get answers for (which is my purpose for attending the networking event).

Find and attend a local Biggerpockets meet up, find real estate investor clubs, talk to realtors who specialize in investment real estate, etc.

All this can be done starting tomorrow using paid advertising and attending live events such as local real estate investing meetings.

@CJ DeBergStart attending all the local investor meetings you can.

Especially after one of these scam seminars blows through town and gets a few fools to attend.

Anyone can give you a contract, but it doesn't mean it would hold up in court if you ever get there.And all real estate is local - each state is different - so you need to be attending local investor meetings to learn what to do and not do in your area.

But you should at least attend some meetings and let them know you are a homeowner in the community and that you're interested in being an active participant.