But it depends on your experience and comfort level if you want to leverage yourself more or less.

Have you you determined any kind of personal guidelines, such as loan limits or total loans out that you are comfortable with? 

I am a furniture designer from Milan (Italy), currently living and working in New York.I love very much to travel, develop my projects and live my life at 360, and I have been looking for a while for a way to become financially free and to make more money out of my time.I was happy to find Bigger Pockets in my search.I will start learning from the basics of real estate investing, working hard and hopfully having some fun, I look forward to explore the forum and to know many of you. 

Regardless of getting a business degree with real estate as an emphasis I felt more comfortable with the construction business.  

Once you're comfortable, you can expand geographically.Area advice really depends on what you're going for.  

Especially if that includes money and design, I get really excited.On January 12th, me and my son will be moving to US for stay a while with my sister and, invest in real estate.

Thank you everyone for the responses, I feel way more comfortable with my projected timeline (summer purchase) But if I can't snag one before then, Ill wait until Oct 9 @Vincent Crane

Be wary of Canadian tax sales our systems here our designed to protect the average consumer so the deals are never really meant to be had to begin with.

Be flexible, a speed boat turns faster than a battleship, design your fleet with speed boats.

I found several this year but the numbers didn't work for me that would make me feel comfortable doing the deal.