Even with that being said, your holding cost is still positive on the second one. 27k of appreciation at 3% annualized. would cost you 4800 to get that not including loan paydown or the tax benefits of holding it at a loss each month. 

this is my first time here and also my first time getting into the real estate investing game.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

I'm kind of new to real estate but good at data mining.  

If you were to use IRA money to purchase real estate with recourse debt, then a portion of your returns may be taxable.

there is a lot of sugarcoating of the challenges of real estate going on these days. 

Anyone have recommendations for a Real Estate Attorney to help an investor get started with LLC, Leases, etc...?

This one was, but could have been a shock to a newby Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

I’m looking for guidance on progressing my real estate investment journey and would appreciate any advice from experienced investors.

Louis to be a great place to invest since our real estate is so cheap compared to the rest of the country.