Hire a lawyer to assist in the purchase and to review the HOA financials and regulations pertaining to investors.Buy with minimum down/maximum leverage if you hope to gain true positive cash flow.Dead equity and HOA fees will seriously cut into your cash flow and turn the investment into a liability.

You need to position yourself to be successful.

Stick to your numbers and value your time and efforts and you will be at a better position than most when the market turns. 

Many people say they will wait and never end up doing anything.I was in your shoes 2 years ago, couldn’t find what I was looking for in Tri State area so I decided to go to the market as a novice not knowing anything about Charlotte just the research that I’ve done and planted my roots.What I do is I buy for Positive cash flow now not for the future, I don’t even consider appreciation that’s the icing in the cake a bonus.If I can get the positive cash flow/ return I’m looking for now I pull the trigger.The way I see it when the market turns and becomes a buyer market I will be a more season investor and will be ready to bounce on great deals.

@Scott Berman I agree with @John Pierce about all of the positive changes happening in Northside as well as the caution on baking appreciation into the deal.

I am very positive in the long term but positive development like this is very far away from the block by block dynamics of St.

No way to make positive cash flow if you place any value on your cash/equity.  

That was the first event I went to where everyone was so positive, and they were down to earth, normal people (who also happen to make 6 and 7 figures or more a year in their REI businesses) who just want to help others succeed as well.It sounds like you didn't appreciate the sales "takeaway".

So, yeah--I want to set up my marketing operation like the wholesalers do but not actually assign my contracts.So, what's a guy in my position to do? 

They get 8-10% cap rate and have a positive cash flow.This is the time to put in a new bath, new flooring.