I prefer to know the condition of the property and major systems so I can do my own estimate as an investor.

.+ Your customers will thank you.

hey everyone, im Shai.i saved $45000 that im planning on investing them in real estate.im new to this world so id appreciate if anyone here could help me with telling me what is the preferred way of investing (flip, rent etc.) and why.also, i live in the states on a j1 visa, and i was wondering where i can check if there are loans avaliable for me .thank you!

I am looking for a reputable RE agent that can accompany me, preferably someone experienced with out of state investors, and who has an "inspector" mindset.

If you have any cash flow after paying the bills and setting aside funds for future expenses, you can either pull it out or (preferably) hold it for a future purchase in the checking account or in the savings account.I prefer holding funds in the savings account, even money for future purchases.

Refi is preferable if the money being accessed is for longterm purposes (ie buy/hold) and you plan to purchase another investment soon whereas a Heloc is preferable for short-term use (flip, rehab, etc.) and/or you want the ability to pull the trigger in the perhaps distant future if/when a deal presents itself.

Benjamin,Do you want to be close to work or would prefer something with a livelier feel, like downtown? 

Maybe even try a real estate attorney, I prefer working directly with them vs a title company anyway.

Aside from understanding how to build the buildings and how much they cost, you'll need to know how to understand how to analyze deals at a higher level to see if they make sense - what are the rents/sales you expect to achieve, what are your financing costs, what's the timeline....I would strongly suggest taking real estate and/or corporate finance classes as well - preferably as a minor if you're able to.  

So is there a way that you screen existing/inherited tenants that differs from the way you screen new potential tenants or do you ever give priority in taking care of inherited tenants, not from an emotional or friendly standpoint of being fair, but from the business perspective of providing good customer service will ultimately result in more responsible tenants or that are more long term?