The top foot was just mud, theres actually still snow on the ground, and the soil is very wet and easy to dig, even when i dug by hand..bout 2 feet down theres like clay or some harder dirt that is a pain to get through.. plus even the mud was freezing come around 8 tonight.. by 9:30 when i left i was walking on top of the mud tracks the bobcat made, without getting muddy!

Is this the right approach, or should I get my first property just within Gatlinburg to just get my feet wet?

Are your basement walls wet? 

Foundation issues are very common in our area due to expansive soils (bentonite volcanic-ash clay that expands when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries, especially bad in certain locations on the W side of Denver, parts of Golden and Superior).

Looking forward to your future posts as you get your feet wet here.

He sould sleep in one room and wet the bed.

If your friend is set on college but still loves REI, maybe recommend a tech school where they can get their feet wet.

Although worse neighborhoods often work great on paper, they don't always realistically work out as well but can certainly be a great starting investment to gain experience and get your feet wet!

Real estate" is not one business or one type of investment, it is a number of related businesses or investmentsResidential, multi family, office building, warehouse, mixed use, retail, recreational, raw land, tech centersLarge, medium, small, microUrban, suburban, small town, rural, exurbsbDifferent states, different metropolitan areas, different cities, different neighborhoods, different blocks, different demographicsDifferent property age, different architectural style, different fixed expenses, different financing, different tenant mix, different tenant demandSingle net lease, double net lease, triple net lease, CAM, building allowances, rent holidays, lease length, buyout provisions, personal guarantees, lease renewal, cost of living increases, flat percentage increases, Different loan amortizations, fixed interest rate, variable interest rate, balloon payments, fully amortized, institutional loan, private loan, seller carry backBuy and hold, fix and flip, syndicate, partner, joint venture, self manage, professional manager, management company, leasing company, in-house leasing, real estate agent, licensing requirementsFederal laws, Federal regulations, state laws, municipal laws, rent control, eminent domain, set back requirements, utility easements, property taxes, special tax assessments, development districts, water districts, utility bondsPassive investing, active investing, portfolio income, business income, retirement funds, ERISA regulationsAsbestos, Clean Air Act, Environmental Super Fund, pollution control, water runoff, Flood plain, floodway, Flood control, Flood insurance, endangered species, wet lands Zoning, Planning Board, building permits, occupancy permit, community board hearings, noise ordinancesEviction laws, foreclosure laws, bankruptcy laws, civil liability, fair housing, tenant rights, disclosure laws, loan modification laws. 

After reading about the different ways to invest, I would like to begin with wholesaling to get familiar with investing and get my feet wet.