Rentals create cash flow, and that's what we want as real estate investors, but you need cash on hand for unforeseen circumstances.The AC needs to be replaced, that's $7K to $10K or more depending on the size of the house and if you have one rental, it will eat all your cash flow, same to replace a roof, etc, or if tenant trash the home, you need money to fix it again.To me personally a nice rental portfolio that is healthy consists about 10 units, so if you have an issue with a house the portfolio can cover the repairs and still healthy, but when starting you need to have cash on hand just in caseYes, there are multiple strategies you can use to hack your way to buy your first rental with minimum cash, but I would start wholesaling or fix and flip a few deals to create that cash as fast as possible

Put aside a healthy allowance for vacancy on the other side and repairs on both. 

That is really the epicenter of growth in Metro Phoenix for the next decade.Since Metro Phoenix has a healthy inventory of homes in your buy box and interest rates are keeping many buyers on the sidelines, it's a good time to be a buyer in Metro Phoenix.Hope this helps,Melanie

(Healthy body healthy mind)I'm an agent and Property Manager in the Pocono Mountains area.

We also have healthy IRA's and will both qualify for social security in the future.After being a landlord for nearly 25 years,  I'm thinking about selling it all and moving the money into immediate income annuites or some other fix income vehicle so we can travel and live a less stressful lifestyle.There doesn't seem to be an easy way to avoid capital gains and I realize many of these fixed income investments don't hedge against inflation. 

With the cash flow play you need to buy low, negotiate hard on price, expect no appreciation and get a very healthy cash flow, nothing marginal,  And expect when you sell to make little to no appreciation, then any gains are icing on the cake.

Construction and heavy reno will create/reveal problems you didn't know existed, have a healthy contingency and stomach.Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

This growth is a clear sign of a healthy, active market.% of Original List Price Received: Sellers received 97% of their original list prices, the same as last year.

The buyer was fully qualified and is putting down a healthy downpayment. 

This indicates a healthy environment for both buyers and sellers.Adapting to Trends: The longer time to contract and sales for townhomes and condos suggests a more thoughtful buying process.