From the other side of the table I think it can be very hard for someone that doesn't know a lot about real estate or investing to separate the vast majority of agents that are much more suited to deal with owner occupied properties and just do not have an investor mindset to those true gems that are a huge help to investors like me.

Tacoma seems to be a gem, close enough to Seattle but still good numbers for multi-family.

Thank you Giovanni Isaksen I market in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.

So while you may find some gems, most need significant work.

That is a beautiful building, direct mailers do bring us gems! 

These folks are here to teach and you will leave with some real gems.  

This was a very insightful thread, some real gems from Curt Smith!

Here is for you to ponder 'The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.- -- Chinese proverb

This might be a conservative way of doing it, although as Giovanni mentions, most people simply add in the net proceeds at the exit period.

I want my first property to be my primary residence for a few years as well The problem I have come across us that in the D.C/MD/northern VA area a lot of these properties are well north of 500kThe ones that aren't are are in not so great neighborhoods (Trinidad/anacostia/Minnesota ave) etc, and at least according to the reviews from Redfin agents will require at least some rehab I'm sure there are gems in the area that I haven't stumbled upon yet but my question would be should i possibly look into another niche/strategy for this area with a lower cost of entry