I just took a leap and bought. my first two investment properties in the greater Huntsville area as a out of state investor!   

 @Curtis Tillmon It sounds like you have more first hand knowledge than me.

It's easy to draw out but it's not easy when you want to change your numbers since one thing effects the other.I'm trying to find something where you can put your first rental at the top, type in it's cash flow and keep working your way down as you acquire more properties.  

Many lenders will require a 12 month lease to be in place along with the security deposit and first month rent collected. 

From Google AI:In the first quarter of 2024, Memphis, Tennessee had a 14.6% house flipping rate, which was one of the highest among metro areas with a population of more than 1 million.

As long your debt to income ratio isn't preventing you from borrowing more money, buy a rental and use the extra money you earn from that to pay down the highest rate mortgage first. 

First off, what changed?

We are not allowed to contact you first or offer our services publicly. 

What key factors should first-time borrowers consider when securing funding for their initial real estate investment?

We want to put the equity to use, but prices and interest rates are preventing any decent profit from the rentals we can afford.