Use your 9-to-5 income to save aggressively, invest in your education, and network with experienced investors.

I am looking to connect with any experienced home flippers & Lenders in the Charlotte area, or even just build my network.

Also:_________________________________________________________________________Recommend 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.

There are some great tools out there always, but get connected and network as much as possible.

Your best bet is to go to real estate networking events near those areas and talk to those who have invested in those areas.Best of luck!

Focus on identifying promising neighborhoods in the north or east bay by leveraging your husband’s contractor network, local real estate agents, and online deal-finding platforms.

I’ve helped several clients in similar situations find their first vacation properties here in Florida, and the Panhandle is fantastic for beginners because of its year-round tourism and robust support networks (property managers, cleaning services, etc.).

Having an agent who also networks with local probate attorneys can open doors to deals.

NETWORK!!!

I don’t want anything in return—just hoping to network, make new friends, and maybe be of help or value to you in any way.If you're up for grabbing a quick lunch, coffee, or beer (on me!)