I am one of those newbies right now, but I’ve been working diligently to find that first deal, combing MLS, Craigslist ads of my own, driving neighborhoods and sending out mailers, dragging my agent and contractor to houses so we can all be on the same page when we do find a good one.

GOALS:Replace my income with positive cash flowHouse hack (or not) in all the places I've wanted to live in the US (and maybe abroad) as a means for growing my portfolio after my income has been replacedDevelop really great relationshipsBuild a system that can work with minimal input from meMaintain frugality (MMM)Change my lifeLongterm - Invest in neighborhoods that need a liftLongterm - Provide shelter for homeless families and runaways

The house is in a good neighborhood just needs some repairs and I believe I can increase the value of the house with a few renovations.

Only houses I can get with that are in rough neighborhoods, that I myself do not want to reside in.

Certain neighborhoods are going to provide better returns than others, but it all comes down to your risk tolerance and timeline.

My agent has recently shared a listing of a potential monthly income rental property in Puyallup areDetails:4 Plex (2 of 1 br/1ba and 2 of 2br/1ba)Located in South Hill neighborhood in PuyallupBuilt in 1976 (needs some renovation)Current Monthly income: $3k 5% CAP Rate(With renovation can potentially increase monthly rent up to $4.5K 8.9% CAP Rate according to Rentometer.com)Knowing that real estate market in Greater Seattle area is slowing down, should I pull the trigger on this opportunity?

Asking price $169k.This property is not in the best neighborhood, which is okay.

I purchased a HUD home for $55 and had a 203K loan bringing it up to $86 in a neighborhood where the average was $115-120. 

These are all neighborhoods in Cleveland, perfect to invest and live in!

It's a constant performer and the neighborhood is still being developed.