In your situation, when the time comes you think you are ready to purchase, go to your local bank and tell them you want to get pre-qualified.

Purchase price: $630,000 Cash invested: $30,000 I was selling another property and used the 1031 exchange fund to put down the downpayment for this property, and it was cash-flowing from day one.

It's actually really expensive to transact real estate - see the number of posts on BP by first time buyers who are shocked at how much they have to pay in fees and points and closing costs.  

At the early stages, the more control you have over your real estate, the better returns thus I recommend investing locally to make your dollar go that much farther and gain a good familarity with real estate before exploring out of state investing.

@Ivan WudexiRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

You’re absolutely right—at the end of the day, real estate really does come down to the numbers.

Connecting with locals who have experience in this area is a fantastic way to gain insights and avoid common pitfalls.Since you’re looking to buy in the next 12 months, I recommend starting by networking with other investors and real estate professionals in the area.

Purchase price: $485,000 Cash invested: $125,000 This property was zoned residential and commercial.

Hello All, I am new to real estate investing and looking forward to learn from you all here from the bigger pockets experts and members and reach my goal of financial freedom in next 7 to 10 year time frameRegards DY

Purchase price: $485,000 Cash invested: $125,000 This property was zoned residential and commercial.