There are absolutely private lenders in your area, you need to do 3 things:1. spend a lot of time networking2. practice finding GREAT deals3. prove (not promise) that you are a reliable and responsible caretaker of other people's money the road uphill is certainly worse for beginners because how can you prove 1 & 2 when you've never done a deal?

I am a beginner in out of state RE investing and had a question for those doing out of state investing:Do you always send a RE agent to check out buildings before making offers? 

Erica,This is a complex situation for a beginner. 

That is such a great routine for beginners to practice underwriting.

Start with BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide (free).

Start with BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide (free).

--these are all people you can potentially learn from....but again, it's important to be very clear on what value you're bringing to the table, because good mentorship ain't cheap.And, obviously, you can also get a lot of feedback just by posting your questions up here on the forums.Lastly, I'd say try to focus your learning efforts on the specific real estate investment strategy that you're pursuing...for instance, if you're planning to do a house hack (the best strategy for beginners, IMO), then try to focus on studying house hacking specifically--and don't waste your time studying up on syndication, STRs, or other strategies that don't relate to house hacking.Good luck out there!

Sam, I'm not sure why you want to invest in Colombia, especially as a beginner.

ya you will see craigslist flooded with these beginners.. 

Buying a duplex is usually the ideal set up for a beginner investor.