The key for me wasn't to invest in the 'best place' but to know a market so well that a deal jumps off the page when it appears.

I plan to start by investing in a SFH to get my feet wet and then growing my portfolio from there.

If you do not do your market research correctly, it doesn't matter how great your list is because you will pull a list in a bad market.

It works...but any marketing works, it just depends. 

Since you have capital,  focus on the market fundamentals and quality of the real estate.

Quote from @Chantel Holsather: I am always an advocate if you can fix up a property to make it more marketable, that is really the way to go.

Rich Ng That's good to know, I know people who have had issues in Salem with big differences between market and section 8.

I did not see marketing costs, nights that you need to spend at networking meetings paying for dinners or memberships.

Older homes that aren’t elevated could suffer major damage when the next storm hits.Many expect market saturation in the coming months, as flippers are snapping up flood-damaged properties.

I used the proceeds of the primary residence I owned in NC to grow a portfolio of value add buy and hold here in College Station.