Until this point, I had nothing but great experiences with Norada's referrals in other markets, so I put my trust in them here as well.As a veteran, I saved the money for these investments during my time on active duty and while working as a contractor in Afghanistan and Iraq for over five years.

You don't have to be a contractor but it will save you a good chunk of money. 

I learned how to maintain a home, work with real estate professionals, contractors, interview prospects, etc.

I should have mentioned that I am out of state in Colorado and I'm not connected yet to contractors that I trust to do a rehab.

Another key benefit is diversification; an SDIRA allows you to include real estate in your portfolio, reducing risk by spreading your investments across different asset types, which isn’t possible with a standard IRA.Moreover, assets in an SDIRA often enjoy protection from creditors, adding a layer of security to your investments.

Realtors and lenders are usually the easiest to locate, while property managers and contractors can be more challenging to find.

It’s also worth connecting with a property manager and contractor early, even if you don’t need them right away.

As a licensed contractor, I can provide insights to make sure you’re getting the best value and quality for your project.

Whether that is most contractors, hiring an engineer, or getting self-educated.

Is in there, but a great thing you can do now is get your "core 4" figured out - agent/lender/manager/contractor - obviously you can adjust this and do one of the pieces yourself (self-manage for example) or don't need a contractor if you do only turnkey etc but getting this nailed down early is key