Obviously you jam it all in the stock market for 11%.

We are Canadians eyeing up the market in the USA and looking to start investing in properties across the border. 

Quote from @Brendan Jones: For the homes, and or properties that you will use as a primary or a rental property one big thing I look for is infrastructure in the area, extrinsic value (I.e. hospitals in the area, schools, and job market), and the last thing is creature comforts for people (I.e. is a store to get groceries 1 hour away or 2 minutes away).

I would say you should start off by just meeting multi-family investor-friendly agents who can help get you started with 5 units search and work on finding you off-market ones as well Thanks Kerlous!

The more people you meet the more you'll recognize the ones doing what you'd like to do and you can start learning to how to provide value to them / find them deals maybe.It's a tough market and unless you are providing value to an investor it's not going to be as easy as finding someone to shadow, i don't think.

Use AirDNA.co for market research.Search the immediate area, in "Traveler mode" to see what the competition is doing.All that said, I concur with the general sentiment of the above comments.You are already running tight. 

It sounds like a single family house where you will be living in the house(personal use).Therefore, you may not be getting the tax benefits you think you are.Consult an accountant.I am not sure why your sister would agree to this as well, she is losing $170,000 in this transaction and she faces the possibility of you increasing her rent.You also have to charge market rent or close to market rent or it is all deemed personal use.

What market are you in? 

They work well in areas with steady rental demand like suburban neighborhoods or cities with strong job markets​​.Considerations: Your property management needs will be lower, but rents may rise more slowly over time compared to short-term options.Short-Term Rentals: High Risk, High RewardAdvantages: Short-term rentals can generate significantly higher nightly rates, especially in vacation destinations.

We’ve also done plenty of flips over the years, so we’re always happy to connect with fellow investors looking to grow their portfolios.Putnam County is a great market with some solid opportunities.