I'm nervous about my first new purchase after years of sitting on the sidelines.3/2 in Milwaukee, 1590 square feetPurchase $42kRehab $25kClosing and carry $3kAll in at $70kRent should be at least $1000, hoping for more.I put it in a rental spreadsheet and after taxes, insurance, vacancy, property management, repair reserve, mortgage at 5% I'm getting $233 netNice neighborhood, just outside the downtown crime area.I don't think Milwaukee is going to bounce back any time soon, but I don't see any huge problems coming either.

With rates where they are I'd be willing to pay a bit more for a property than sitting on the sidelines and waiting you could be waiting a long time.

I like you, are on the sidelines looking in.

I was sitting on the sidelines during the last real estate downturn, but I wasn't entirely disengaged.

So what should they do, sit on the sidelines and rent? 

You might find the proverbial needle in a haystack from the one branch local community bank in a one stop light town but beyond that, unless you are an institutional investor, you are out of the market and watching from the sidelines.

I have been sitting on the sidelines listening to podcasts and reading books.

Hi Steve,This topic always comes up with my investors and while I do think we are close to a market crash, I think it'd be a shame to completely sit on the sidelines until it does.  

However, using HELOC money may not be you best bet with some of your other assest sitting on the side lines.

I have established the following contacts in the industry and at the NJ shore:-realtors (involved in the handful of fractionals that exist there today)-RE lawyer (for TIC's)-mortgage (specializing in fractionals)-mailing list of interested individualsI know a fair amount about the concept now, mostly from my own reading and a few conversations with some people in the industry.I could begin raising investment capital, but more importantly, I need to get in the mindset of getting off the sidelines and doing it.