hi, i am 20, and i want to start investing into a apartment. i have 15k saved and i dont kno wher to start really. do i need credit ? what do i need and what should i do first .

Wow Jon, just read your response to Shauna Turner (divorced 10 yrs ago) and had to tell you - I am impressed, man you know a lot about a lot and how to explain & simplify it !!

I am 31 yrs old, and reside in S.

took me 3 yrs to get 5. i got another 4 just this past year. that happened quick.my average taxes are $2400 per year per house

You can not know what cap rates will be in 5 yrs.

Over 30 yrs in Law Enforcement here, your people and observations skills will be very valuable to you.Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthereCheck out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice.

AAAANNND At my situation,  FI for some 6 yrs and full time REI,  Mindset is still the #1 issue, problem, solution, path out of the darkness. 

If it's 30 yrs you would definitely relieve some cash flow pressure (depending on what's owed), if that's an underlying issue.

That will cover at least 2 yrs of having a roof over their head immediately and hopefully put them in a position to purchase again and avoid the previous pitfalls.

So we balloon our properties at 5 yrs...and work through our RMLO to make sure we are Dodd-Frank compliant.