You may want to listen this as an investor:  https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/402958-investors---are-you-a-c-class-landlordBest of luck!

I have been blown away by the openness and general mutual helpfulness of this forum. 

Cold calling is a great idea to get started, but maybe try connecting with local real estate groups or online forums too—they can sometimes have off-market deals.

BP won't let me post it in the forum because it has my logo on it.  

Hey @Ryan Johnston, welcome to the BP Forum!

And your net worth will thank you.If you still want to go ahead, you'd be better off buying a house than an apartment because, while the value of the building itself will go to 0, you'll still have the value of the land, bearing in mind that the land might actually lose value too given the depopulation and the yen depreciation.Sorry if I'm pooping a party but make sure you understand what you're getting into (which you're already doing by asking the forum) and then make the decision that's right for you according to your objectives.

—Travis Hey Travis -- I’ve noticed your posts on the forums, and your insights on Twitter have been incredibly valuable.

Hi Perry - Check out this recent thread about forming an LLC: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1216335-is-an...

These forums are a great place to learn and connect with fellow investors.I’m an investor based out of Columbus, OH.

Again, the BiggerPockets store has some books on this topic, or you can learn about it by watching podcasts, reading blogs, and interacting on the forum.