I am currently in the planning phase of my real estate investment journey and had a few questions I’d like to ask someone more experienced.Would it be smarter to focus on paying down my own mortgage and then use a HELOC as a down payment for my first investment property, or should I simply use my savings for the down payment instead?

Marketing Yourself Locally – Focus on word of mouth and local networking.

You make the numbers work by coming in differently; more of a downpayment, buying distressed, focusing on quality over quantity.2) This is emotional.

Begin by targeting distressed properties in gentrifying neighborhoods, securing financing through hard money lenders or private investors, and focusing on cost-effective renovations.

Most investors make the same rookie mistake: They focus on problems instead of people.

Seeing as you mentioned you have very little liquidity in after-tax and savings accounts, I'd likely recommend focusing on building up a buffer of accessible and liquid dollars in an after-tax brokerage account prior to maxing out a Mega Backdoor Roth.

Also, focus on 2 years of job/income stability.Class D Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, all cashflow with little, maybe even negative, relative rent & value appreciationVacancy Est: 20%+ should be used to cover nonpayment, evictions & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores under 560 (almost 30% probability of default), little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, recent evictions.

Focus on analyzing properties and starting small, like house hacking or buying a single-family home to rent out rooms, while ensuring cash flow and maintaining an emergency fund.

If you are going to focus on listings only list ones that are priced well to sell before spending your money.

Focus on key areas first (like floors, walls, kitchen, or bathroom), which may help you handle the costs more gradually, even if it means moving in furniture or updating fixtures down the line.Also, since the tenant left it in rough shape, be sure to document all the damage (photos, receipts) in case you decide to pursue reimbursement through their security deposit or in court.