My husband Duncan and I are looking to get started in REI in the Grand Rapids, MI area because he grew up there and because the market is much more affordable than Chicago.

I have never found something that I have wanted to truly and desperately pursue until now and have been absolutely addicted to soaking in as much information as I can.I've been knocking out blogs and forum threads whenever I even have a little bit of extra time and have gone as far as sneaking wireless earbuds under my beanie so that I can listen to 3-4 podcast during my work hours.I've been slowly looking at my local market and analyzing a few deals and always fantasizing about ways of how I could make it work to possibly acquire them at that current moment, but there are some obstacles I need to push through first.I have a balance of a couple grand on some credit cards(no missed payments) that I've been rapidly trying to tackle as this is my first step into opening more possible options of an early purchase even if I may not have a downpayment stocked up.Before, my initial plan was to keep on learning and educating myself with as much information that I could while saving up enough cash in order for me to be ready to house hack a property by the beginning of next year, but as I've started to learn more and more, I can't help but want to get into the process as soon as I can.I'm only 20 so technically I do have a lot of time to prepare, but I still feel as though I'm behind just because of how fast real estate investing is growing and in a time where markets are already hot.Maybe it's just reassurance that I need to hear that "I will be okay" even if I were to join the game a year later.

I've known Real Estate agents to manage the entire flip process and contractors for a few grand.

@Jon Graboyes , If you have had two electric meters and possibly two water meters you should be able to show that this building is "grand-fathered in."

OpEx Grand Total: $44,380 (26.14% of GSI)What I'm going to offer: I have a few options I plan to present him with depending on the interest rate he's willing to accept. 

Example: House needs 10 grand in work to be rented and seller is broke, and can't or doesn't want to sell the property yet, so you offer to pay 10% of market rent for use of the whole property, with option to purchase after X period of time.

Why not Casa Grande or Yuma or Flagstaff or Kingman?

@Jay Hinrichs It needs to be paid annually, last year not one of my payouts was over $1Most lawyers aren't going to touch a petty case over $1 miscalculation  and a few grand. 

Gary Ebersole in Grand Island came through for me, but don't expect speedy closings, and he is oldschool... email, call office and leave a message, no texst, call you back in 3-5 days. 

Investment Info:Single-family residence buy & hold investment in Casa Grande.