Ask yourself: do I really have the knowledge of real estate principles, real estate law and real estate finance; the network of contacts; the experience both in business in general and real estate in particular; the time available; and the analytical ability to compete against FULL TIME EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS to be successful in a field where the failure rate is so astronomically high?  

I found this property through my network of local real estate professionals and direct outreach.

Start by networking with local investors, identifying target neighborhoods, running numbers on potential deals, and lining up financing so you're ready to act when the right opportunity comes up!

Start by networking through local meetups, REIA groups, and online communities like BiggerPockets to connect with experienced investors.

They tend to go after rookie investors and have seen to many in my network that have purchased "bad deals" and are in a bind with NW deals.

@Lauren MerendinoI strongly believe that your chosen market should be somewhere that you can go to in person / have strong personal knowledge of / have family or a network in already.  

If you need some connections, I run the most active group of small landlords in the city and have a network of connections that you could potentially leverage.

I would also add networking and connecting with local agents in your area.

This offers a wide range of outdoor activities and recreational opportunities.Cultural Hubs: Cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco are major cultural centers, offering world-class museums, theaters, music venues, and diverse culinary scenes.

We're been mostly looking at single families, but that's because we don't have a huge network yet of others interested.