I am brand new to the game and have an opportunity to get off on the right foot (or so I would like to believe).

Hello,I was curious about the possibility of obtaining a mortgage as contract worker, if any of you know a way to get a mortgage in my current situation please let me know.My situation:Age: 23 graduated college with BS in Mechanical EngineeringJob: Working as a Mechanical Engineer at Western Digital through a contract agency (5 months in), I will start my second 6 month contract period in late February.

Their criteria are rigid and hard to meet in this current climate, so I'm concerned that if I go that route and it takes 1-2 years to get in the game then I'm missing a lot of learning opportunities from just buying my own small deal to learn the ropes. 

Mike, It depends on what state you are in. I

The area I'm most interested in is buy and hold rental properties.I'd love to meet some fellow Austinites who are interested in real estate investing, whether they are veterans or still sitting on the sidelines like me!

Pay is comparable and living in KC will allow me to build a solid portfolio over the next 4-8 years, allowing me to effectively buy enough cash flow.It's been my only major step toward cutting my expenses, but what market you live in is HUGE, especially when you're talking living in a extremely pricey one.Meal preping my lunches and dinners for the week has helped save a lot of money.Like @Jay Hinrichs i too am a mileage junkie.

I’m sure it isn’t the best deal in the world but I feel like I need to jump into the game to get hands on experience.

I have always had a passion for RE and have been looking for the time to jump in, now is as good a time as any I feel.My background is in Asset Protection and with that, I am very analytical and would undoubtedly be an asset to the numbers side of the game.

Hi @Mike Hoherchak there will always be a cycle in real estate, the thing to keep in mind that real estate is a long game for building wealth.   

@David Waddleton yeah, I can relate to the spot this puts you in. I