I’m making a few assumptions: 1) at least some buyers and sellers will accept much less agent handholding than commonly assumed, 2) the primary value that agents add is a) pricing guidance and b) advising clients on offers and counter-offers, and 3) there’s no truly compelling reason why North America has the highest average commissions in the rich world.

Nabby,Best way to first get into real estate is to buy your first primary home since the down payment can be zero to 3% down.

I am definitely referring to a house that was already insured as a rental, not as a primary residence.

They require a place to live, which is why mid-term rentals are driven by necessity.The primary consumers are traveling nurses.

I'm confused, are you wanting to buy an investment property in another state that you will rent out, or are you wanting a property that will be your primary residence?

Balancing rental income, appreciation potential, and location can provide a primary home and a long-term investment portfolio.Good luck!

Using some equity in the HELOC to purchase a new primary and to rent out the home we are currently living in.

I am looking at similar requirements to Mauro above.Does anyone have experience purchasing properties outside the primary channels like real estate brokers, for example through auction sites or banks?

The primary metric you should be focusing on is return on your equity position.

You do not need to own a primary home in order to buy an investment property.