My approach: buy a single-family home in a middle-class area, hire a property manager so I don't have to stress, and hold it for the next 20 years.

- ive done many FSBO's buying and selling. if you are competent enough to accurately price your home and handle the negotiations, you will ask yourself why you have ever paid the big money % to a realtor afterwards. most people dont know this but when it comes to the actual transaction, this is all done by a title company. a realtor is there to basically to help find the buyer/seller and act as a middle man instead of the buyer and seller negotiating directly with each other (the method i prefer).call a title company and just talk to them, you would probably be amazed at what all they do and how little it actually costs to transact real estate

@Mike LaCava is a member here and one of the authors on the main BP blog.He's also is a very successful local investor down in the south east part of the state and runs that meetup in Plymouth.  

Experienced investors, please explain if I'm being unrealistic.I'm middle aged, and my home is mortgage free.

Mid west is both title co and closing attorney then East coast  where the properties are much older ( IE created in many instances a hundred years or more before any west coast properties.

we had a good round house visit and hope to be helping and working with new members @Jacob Lira and Felicia W. in East Texas.  

If a couple hundred does kill you - I'd be freighted if I were you if a couple hundred on a water bill was a big deal - just waiting for that first inevitable call by your tenant in the middle of the night with a $1000+ emergency repair.It will happen. 

Most things are more east but you have the Black Diamond meeting in Worcester that is a must go to for you.

Most things are more east but you have the Black Diamond meeting in Worcester that is a must go to for you.  

Apt building owners/manager's associations locally in SF & East Bay:http://www.bomaoeb.org/http://www.bomasf.org/index.phpLeads on HOA contacts..?