Readers should seek professional advice.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Connecting with locals who have experience in this area is a fantastic way to gain insights and avoid common pitfalls.Since you’re looking to buy in the next 12 months, I recommend starting by networking with other investors and real estate professionals in the area.

If you’re willing to do the work as well as a professional management team for the same price he can keep some money “in the family” by hiring you. 

No tenant-made upgrades allowed, unless they're professional quality.

I've seen a lot of face-value high earning professionals be lousy to their neighbors over time, so do not pick sides.

Imagine making millions of dollars throughout your career and then having to pay Uncle Sam 30-50% every year instead of compounding that cash over time.This is exactly what real estate professionals have learned to mitigate.To reduce their taxable income, they buy a building every year, do a cost seg, and use depreciation to reduce their tax liability dramatically.Their personal wealth snowball grows much larger and much faster than their W2 counterparts who give most of their money back to the government each year.Following this strategy as a real estate professional is one of the best ways to end up with a much larger net worth at the end of your career.

I know they might be easy to borrow from, but you might want to look at more professional funding sources in the longer term.

I am here to learn, connect, and hopefully grow both personally and professionally.

If you think you might be in a similar situation, make sure to consult a professional.