My thinking is that I will use this as a learning experience, not have any cash flow, and with a 5-7 year horizon, use the appreciation to expand my portfolio some place else.

Lessons learned?

I'm excited to connect, learn, and grow with this incredible community as I search for my first property.

@Calum ShallenbergerRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

@Federico SarcinaRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

But the items that are specific to financial performance and the safety of yourself and the neighbors, etc should be the ones you pay more attention to.  

Appraisers have had to learn how to value them and, as such, we're seeing a real change in thinking.

You’re laying down the groundwork, making connections, learning the market, and generating capital.

However, you need to ask yourself is it worth it to take the time to learn how to use Quickbooks or other software?

Hi Kassie, Welcome to the bigger pockets community-  There are a lot of good professionals and resources here to learn.