A little history on my investment real estate journey if we can call it that….Back in 2005 my wife and I bought our very first home when we were 24/25, 3 Bed, 1 ½ bath 1500 sqft single family home for $167,000.

Here are some general guidelines: Lien Position1st Position LienEquityMinimum Down Payment of 20-25% (a 30% equity to sale price is preferred)Down Payment made in certified funds and not borrowedMaximum Funding of 70% ITV (Investment to Value)SeasoningMinimum of two monthly payments already made12 months or more preferredPayer CreditCredit Score of 650 or higherNo major derogatory trade lines (No 90-180+ days delinquent, foreclosure, repossession, bankruptcy, etc.)No decline in credit since purchase of businessTermsPrefer 60 months or lessMaximum of 72 monthsNo Balloon Payment preferredCash FlowBusiness has positive cash flow1.25 debt service coverage ratio preferred.DocumentationPersonal guarantee from a creditworthy individualStandard documents including Note, Security Agreement, and UCC-1 filing.Tax Returns on the business that substantiate profit and loss statements.OtherPayment history current and verifiablePayer Interview indicating buyer is satisfied with business and comfortable making paymentsMotivation for selling the note is not a result of a deteriorating businessConsideration of high risk businesses or geographic areasIn these situations, sometimes a partial is a better option. 

Hi all - I've been in the CRE and SFR investment space for 25+ years primarily investing institutional capital.  

Are there any local meet ups, groups, or anything going on to start meeting people and continue trying to learn more about real estate investing?

Quote from @Terrence Adams: Hi everyone, I’m Terrence, new to rental property investing and excited to learn from this group.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

I'm an investor and an agent in this area and if you ever want to chat about the market or investing, I'm happy to do so.

Is there any issues with doing this on investment properties that people have had in the past? 

The Midwest has not one thing that is overly amazing, but it scores reasonably well in every single category.

Are you focusing on local investments within LA County, or are you considering opportunities outside the area as well?