Just would like to start building relationships with people In the Phoenix area as well. 

Real estate is one of the most powerful wealth-building vehicles—but only if you know how to play the game. 

When the whole covid shutdown occurred, I dropped out of college to help my father's service business maintaining and remodeling residential and commercial buildings.

I am trying to build a nice little next egg first then move onto rentals. 

It makes sense for your new build but you'll have leverage something (fixed rate) to get out of that loan. 

Over the years, with personal investment alongside investments from family and friends, I’ve been able to build a small portfolio of apartment buildings with a focus on cash flow through strong operations.

There are really great REI opportunities in different markets - markets in the Midwest and Southeast of the country are particularly lucrative - where not only are the purchase prices reasonable for most RE investors, but the homes are turnkey (new builds or completely rehabbed homes, tenant ready, systems 10 years of life remaining on them, property management teams in place) with appreciating home value AND appreciating rent.

You could build or flip less expensive units and sell them to your clients/occupants over time.

But house hacking, short/long term rentals, new build/ mixed use developments and  live in flips all have my attention right now. 

I also have no problem doing some sweat work to build equity in the beginning as well.