It seems that you'd want to start with a purchase of a fixer-upper first, but what about properties purchased through 30 year conventional loans? 

(about 45 min north) because its close enough to everything looking at buying a 4bdr for about 170k.. 225k is the upper limit of what my slightly educated guess would be.

@Rami W.That the price did not appreciate and rent did not up as much as the rest of Phoenix.... is that due to the location that I picked, that is my question........Island in Gilbert and Sierra tempe in tempeThese are considered "upper middle" area in $400K price range properties....

That route will give you a leg up in real estate.

Unlike a corporate job, you are interviewing them, not the other way around.Which part of Manhattan are you thinking about (upper, mid-town, lower)?

Depending upon how involved you want to be in the process, whether you want to buy turn key properties (ones that are already fixed up and ready for renters), or buy fixer uppers and get involved in the whole process, or partner up with investors who coordinate the deals and then manage the properties, will help guide you in networking with the investors who can help my meet your goals.My wife and I have mostly done flips in the East Valley for the past 2 years but now we are starting to get buy and hold properties for cash flow.  

When my wife and I bought our first fixer-upper rental house years ago, it was an odd (and slightly apprehensive) feeling and we wondered if we were doing the right thing by "risking" all that money on an investment. 

They genuinely want to teach and help you grow as an investor and memberships won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Does anyone hire a interior decorator when renovating the interior of a fixer upper? 

Try clicking on your photo in the upper right corner, then click on "Profile Options", and finally scroll down to where it says "Occupation".