Becoming a real estate agent is a good idea to gain experience, but you could also explore property management, wholesaling, or working with an investor to build your network. 

I’ve had more success filling vacant units by word of mouth/ networking with other agents in my market recently than I have through the typical advertising methods.

In addition to those I would also suggest making a commitment to going to local meet ups and networking events in your area.

We charge a transparent monthly fee for this and our digital property management platform - but we are not a local property manager.We also give owners the ability to use a repair triage service and our vendor network, or address repairs with their own handyman.Our goal is to make renting better for owners and residents.

Consider your investment strategy—house hacking, turnkey rentals, or real estate syndications—and start networking through local meetups or BiggerPockets forums.

NETWORK!!!

Also interested in networking to learn more about my personal interest in STR's primarily in the Tampa, Bradenton, and Sarasota markets along with other southeast coastal and mountain markets. 

NETWORK!!!

This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

@Camille Romerounless you are able to spend some significant time in your chosen location in person, and work on building a network there, i would pick a market closer to NYC, within a couple hours.