Here's some food for thought that can be applied to you as a single investor or as a group:Before you make your first investment, meet with a mortgage/financial professional.

Here's some food for thought:Before you make your first investment, meet with a mortgage/financial professional.

Just food for thought...You are not necessarily limited by your geography.

Often there are fewer buyers during Nov-Jan, so if you're willing to look hard through the holiday periods when others are waiting for after the new year, you can do a little better on price.If its just the two of you (or even if you have a baby and can manage not to accumulate too much "stuff"), fix it up, live in it for a year (rent out a room if you can - just screen well) and try to save up enough for another downpayment so you can buy another property the next year and keep the prior one as a rental - or if you like your place, just buy the next one as a rental.The suburbs outside the Beltway or sometimes just inside the Beltway are your best bets for these.  

Here's some food for thought:Before you make your first investment, meet with a mortgage/financial professional.

Here's some food for thought:Before you make your first investment, meet with a mortgage/financial professional.

She also would not be able to pay for food, clothing, transportation, medical, recreation, childcare needs, etc.Instead of considering only the tenant's portion, I would prefer to keep my income requirements the same for all tenants, regardless of their source of income.

Here's some food for thought:Before you make your first investment, meet with a mortgage/financial professional.

Here's some food for thought:Before you make your first investment, meet with a mortgage/financial professional.

The market has the biggest Baby boomer population.