I currently live in Virginia Beach, but I would like to move back home to Sumter, SC. I

in a couple months, i would like to buy my first property. i live in san diego ca and its really expensive market. i have family and we are used to living in around 900sqft houses, i would like to find a multi house property for a house hacking method. ive been looking online for a while but i don't ever see "wat i think" are good deal. i am an engineer that makes 6 figures and the couple time i talked to a real estate agent they try n push me to get a big expensive house because i can "afford it". i don't think they understand that i want to achieve FI. anyways my question is, how do i find a real estate agent that understand what i am trying to do?

Originally posted by @Jill F.:I

Plan to Re-fi after upgrades are complete and market is sound again, then use Re-do money to upgrade to a small apartment (4-8 units) and use this as my headquarters and live with real estate friends.

@Karen F. I

I don't know how it is in Appleton, but in Milwaukee, there are cash buyers for apartments---of course, they will re-fi after the buy but in order to get the deal and at a better discount, they are ready to react with either their own funds, a PML or an HML and close in 2 weeks or less. 

Dave, I can see why you are the 1031 sensei around here.That re-fi option following the exchange is brilliant. 

Buy it in an LLC and re-fi it in an LLC through a small local bank or credit union.

Adam        Would you be trying to Re-Fi to get the whole ARV out of the property?

You say you paid back a "lump sum" but didn't specify how much.If you have negative cash flow on just the re-fi before taxes, cap-ex, repairs, etc. why not sell it for $95k you said you can get and take your $10k and walk away from this as a learning curve and you made some money.