Getting Started in Real Estate Investing While Working Full-Time – Looking for Advice
Steve BarbaPro Member
New to Real Estate · Yuma, AZ · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 8 votesGetting Started in Real Estate Investing While Working Full-Time – Looking for Advice
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Investor · Milwaukee - Mequon, WI · Member since 2010 · 5k+ posts · 7k+ votes
6moScratch wholesaling off your list! It is hard enough to find a deal that is good enough for yourself (most noobs here never find one), before you can find a deal that is good enough for someone else AND has some extra profit for you. It's a very popular pipedream!
That leaves you with a buy&hold, or if you have the background for it, a BRRRR. But even a regular buy&hold will have a fair amount or work, plus you have to learn the whole PM side, so plenty to cut your teeth and get started.
23 Replies
- 6moJay TolugantiPro MemberInvestor · Clearwater, FL · Member since 2025 · 226 posts · 78 votes
Since you said full time job, I am assuming 9-5. If you want to get into wholesale, my recommendation would be join a wholesaler team to learn all the aspects of prospecting to lead generation to dispoing the deal. Its more active than it sounds. If I were to go back and start my real estate journey, I would lend 20k or so to a flipper and learn by watching how he/she is finding deals, analyzing it, structuring it, rehabbing and selling it and after couple of deals, I would find deal myself and partner with other people. This second mothid would make me keep my day job.
- New to Real Estate · Yuma, AZ · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 8 votes6mo
Quote from @Jay Toluganti:
Since you said full time job, I am assuming 9-5. If you want to get into wholesale, my recommendation would be join a wholesaler team to learn all the aspects of prospecting to lead generation to dispoing the deal. Its more active than it sounds. If I were to go back and start my real estate journey, I would lend 20k or so to a flipper and learn by watching how he/she is finding deals, analyzing it, structuring it, rehabbing and selling it and after couple of deals, I would find deal myself and partner with other people. This second mothid would make me keep my day job.
Jay, I appreciate you breaking that down — that’s actually really helpful.
The wholesaler team route makes a lot of sense, especially from a learning curve standpoint. My only concern there is the time commitment and whether it realistically fits around a full-time schedule.
Your second point about lending is interesting — I hadn’t seriously considered starting from that angle. It seems like a solid way to learn the full lifecycle of a deal without jumping in blind.
Out of curiosity, when you mention lending $20K:-Are you typically structuring that as a secured position (like a second lien), or more relationship-based?
-And how are you initially finding flippers you’d trust to lend to?
I like the idea of staying in my job while still getting exposure and building experience — just trying to make sure I approach it the right way.
Appreciate the insight
- 6moJay TolugantiPro MemberInvestor · Clearwater, FL · Member since 2025 · 226 posts · 78 votes
@Steve Barba yes. Wholesaling will be time consuming. But the key part of wholesaling is negotiation skills. If you can master that, you can scheduke calls after your work and you can make money that way. But its still active income.
Regarding investing passively in a flip project, I am just saying what I would do because Hard Money Lenders value your investment experience than Wholesale experience. As you know the real estate growth will be fueled by leverage. So, I would first see what my HML want to see for them to lend me down the road. There is no right answer to investment strategy. Attend local REIA meetings and talk to other investors and flippers in the area to get an idea.
- Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes6mo
@Steve Barba, you may be rock solid in accounting and finance, but you need to know what the numbers represent based on the age and actual physical condition of each element of each property. To succeed, you either need to have a pretty thorough understanding of construction methods, materials, and processes, or you need to pay for others knowledge in the HOPE that they are thorough and accurate. Taking someone else's judgment that a property is "turnkey", or "updated", or "move in ready" will cost you dearly if you accept it at face value. You need to learn what to look for, where to look, and what questions to get answered. Numbers without accuracy are meaningless.
- New to Real Estate · Yuma, AZ · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 8 votes6moRichard, that’s a great point — and honestly something I don’t think gets emphasized enough.
Quote from @Richard F.:
@Steve Barba, you may be rock solid in accounting and finance, but you need to know what the numbers represent based on the age and actual physical condition of each element of each property. To succeed, you either need to have a pretty thorough understanding of construction methods, materials, and processes, or you need to pay for others knowledge in the HOPE that they are thorough and accurate. Taking someone else's judgment that a property is "turnkey", or "updated", or "move in ready" will cost you dearly if you accept it at face value. You need to learn what to look for, where to look, and what questions to get answered. Numbers without accuracy are meaningless.
Coming from a finance background, it’s easy to get comfortable analyzing deals on excell, but I can see how that can become a blind spot if you don’t truly understand what’s behind the numbers.
The way you put it — “numbers without accuracy are meaningless” — really hits. A deal can look solid until one major repair or oversight completely changes the outcome.
Sounds like part of the real learning curve here is developing the ability to properly assess:
-Property condition
-Quality of renovations
-What’s actually been done vs. what’s just cosmetic
Would you recommend starting by walking properties with contractors or experienced investors to build that understanding? Or is there a better way you’ve seen people develop that skill early on?
Appreciate you calling that out — definitely something I want to get right from the beginning. - Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes6mo
Quote from @Steve Barba:
Richard, that’s a great point — and honestly something I don’t think gets emphasized enough.Quote from @Richard F.:
@Steve Barba, you may be rock solid in accounting and finance, but you need to know what the numbers represent based on the age and actual physical condition of each element of each property. To succeed, you either need to have a pretty thorough understanding of construction methods, materials, and processes, or you need to pay for others knowledge in the HOPE that they are thorough and accurate. Taking someone else's judgment that a property is "turnkey", or "updated", or "move in ready" will cost you dearly if you accept it at face value. You need to learn what to look for, where to look, and what questions to get answered. Numbers without accuracy are meaningless.
Coming from a finance background, it’s easy to get comfortable analyzing deals on excell, but I can see how that can become a blind spot if you don’t truly understand what’s behind the numbers.
The way you put it — “numbers without accuracy are meaningless” — really hits. A deal can look solid until one major repair or oversight completely changes the outcome.
Sounds like part of the real learning curve here is developing the ability to properly assess:
-Property condition
-Quality of renovations
-What’s actually been done vs. what’s just cosmetic
Would you recommend starting by walking properties with contractors or experienced investors to build that understanding? Or is there a better way you’ve seen people develop that skill early on?
Appreciate you calling that out — definitely something I want to get right from the beginning.
Walking a number of properties of the type you are interested in would be very good, if your Mentor's have the hand's on reno/repair experience. Learning about products and materials at your local Home Improvement store, even taking part in some of their free "project" classes to see how the work is done can help if your background is minimal in the construction trades. Plumbing and Electrical systems are the most overlooked, and are VERY age dependent. Here is are stats on "useful life", although some are a little optimistic, it provides a good starting point which you adjust based on visual inspection. The other critical dealkillers are water intrusion (and the mold that follows) and wood destroying insects. Learn where and how to look for these critical clues. Start with studying (NOT dismantling!) your own home.
- 6moPatrick O'SullivanBusiness MemberProperty Manager · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2024 · 531 posts · 202 votes
@Steve Barba , it’s good to see you moving toward action instead of staying stuck in analysis. If you’re leaning toward the lending side, I’d suggest focusing less on squeezing every point of return early on and more on protecting your downside. Make sure there’s real equity in the deal and a solid lien position, and vet operators by their actual activity. Hit the local meetups in Yuma or Phoenix, drive by their current rehabs, and look at the numbers on their last few projects. Richard is right that the assumptions have to be real, so you’ll still want to build some basic confidence in local rehab costs and market comps so you aren't flying blind. Getting into a deal, even as a lender, is where the real education happens.
get MULTIfamily Property Management4.7220 Reviews - Real Estate Broker · Atlanta · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 605 votes6mo
Steve, with a full-time job, I would focus on one strategy, not three. Start with wholesaling or a simple buy and hold. Both are manageable and build experience quickly. The biggest mistakes to avoid are analysis paralysis, chasing too many strategies and overestimating deal margins. Your first deal doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be solid and executable. Pick one path, take consistent action daily and aim to get your first deal done within 60–90 days.
- 6moNicholas L.Pro MemberFlipper/Rehabber · Pittsburgh · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
hello. are you using AI to respond? are you a real person? here's my non-AI response to your post. i am a real person.
-do not start with lending - that would be completely insane. high risk and pointless. no experienced flipper wants 20K from a brand new investor. if they do, that's a red flag.
-do not start with wholesaling. you're going to be up against wholesalers spending thousands or tens of thousands a month. how will you beat them while working full time?
with that out of the way, i don't really have a good recommendation for you. the market is utterly terrible right now for new investors. anyone who says otherwise is selling something.
if you can house hack, house hack. go to meetups. talk to other local investors and see what they're doing that's working.
hope this helps
- New to Real Estate · Yuma, AZ · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 8 votes6moHi Nicholas, I am a real person haha. I do lending as a broker partnering with HML's and I've learned something but not enough to do it full time.
Quote from @Nicholas L.:
hello. are you using AI to respond? are you a real person? here's my non-AI response to your post. i am a real person.
-do not start with lending - that would be completely insane. high risk and pointless. no experienced flipper wants 20K from a brand new investor. if they do, that's a red flag.
-do not start with wholesaling. you're going to be up against wholesalers spending thousands or tens of thousands a month. how will you beat them while working full time?
with that out of the way, i don't really have a good recommendation for you. the market is utterly terrible right now for new investors. anyone who says otherwise is selling something.
if you can house hack, house hack. go to meetups. talk to other local investors and see what they're doing that's working.
hope this helps
I'll do some research for house hacking and see if I can do that as starting point.
I definitely will go to those metups.
I appreciate your advise really helpfull
Steve
- Specialist · NJ · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 650 votes6mo
Steve, welcome. You'll hear lots of great opinions here. There's plenty of deal experience to go around that's for sure.
I am a consultant/investor/broker in this space and I have been up close and personal wearing one of those hats. for the last 5+ years.It's true about the relationship between time and appreciation in real estate. If any one of our grand pappy's bought up land or property 50+ years ago, you could only imagine what it would be worth today. Some families had the foresight to do it.
The cons of longterm investments is that you lock your capital up and if you just have that one bullet, that's it until you can save another one to fire again. That could take decades to get a few properties.
There's a riskier route called the BRRRR method. It is riskier because you are purchasing a house with issues and this process takes two loans not one. Some people never make it out of loan one. I've been a loan officer/loan processor in the hard money space. I'm on the emails when people apply for draws and apply for the refinance. These projects take 9 - 12 months. I'd say 40% need extensions past the year which means another 1% origination fee for 3 months. That means they paid 15 loan payments and 3 points including the extension. That's easily 25k maybe more out of the window.
Why do they drag on? Well, the borrower often times knows nothing about nothing but likes the numbers presented. Borrowers focus on that end profit number on the paper. That +43k in green they see is just sooooo pretty at the bottom of the calculator. The project drags on because of the GC component. GCs are like mechanics or car salesman. They will soak you wherever and whenever and they always will have "change orders". A change order means they found more work than they quoted and there will be money needed outside of the budget money. Also, they all say they can do everything and they have all this labor. Most do not. It only takes about $100 and an application to get a GC license. It's not like a license to practice medicine where you know the person was put through rigorous training and education. I have, and some of my clients have been ripped off from GCs. That is, they take a deposit to start work. Then they release a draw. Then work slows. They have excuses. People called out. Tomorrow. Tomorrow they say. And most, most borrowers are so damn excited to start, they do not even have a contract. Luckily, some states demand a certain quality of contract from a contractor. Some states have standards so if your contractor does not supply a contract they will get their license revoked and get fined.
But the repair/rehab is the x factor. You have to make it through that and it takes someone who knows the order of tasks, organization, money management. All these GCs, if they have more than one job going, they co-mingle the money. So you're deposit to the GC may go to make a stalled project get going again, and someone else's deposit will go to yours. These GCs will also take money to live. They will not show up to your project and do work and hustle but then wait for their money till the end when project is over. Ha. They'll be taking money out of every draw. So you can see what happens. Between moving money around and taking money. Every single project they have becomes "short" and so they need constant new blood or the pyramid falls. That's called a ponzi scheme. And they won't tell you things are not looking good. Everything will be going great until one day they tell you, we have a problem. In short, it is your team. The property finder (their numbers need to be on) and the property rehabber (they need their team, need efficiency, need expertise). If those two pieces are spot on and literally on YOUR team. Like you ever watch those rehab shows on TV and the GC comes over and he's constantly trying to save the investors money and they have ideas and they are so cheery, friendly, accessible. They work with the selling agent on the design and room concepts. If you have it like that....yeah, you can BRRRR. But if your team is not on your side. They are on their sides. You'll get slaughtered. The ARV numbers will be off. The work will be shoddy and you will get such a bad taste in your mouth, you may never return. Honestly. The working man does not handle losing 40k - 50k lightly. It takes a long time to save that up. Especially if they have a family.
The loan terms on bridge loans themselves will never break you. You'll never look back at a fix n flip/hold and say: "Boy, if I paid 1 point less I would've won here. Or if the rate was 10.5% instead of 11.5% I would've won big". You'll never say that, ever.It all comes down to two gambles. The first is on the ARV. You're saying you can get this ARV based off of what has been selling last six months and you have reason to believe the market will stay where it is or appreciate. That's a gamble. Cause, what happens when the market depreciates? What happens if the ARV is off 20%?. So whoever is giving you the ARVs, you need to set some standards. Cause they always, and I mean always supply top line comps. All wholesalers and agents. The second gamble is the rehab. Things can go sideways here and if they go sideways here it means more money and more time. So your profit shrinks up real quick and you may be begging to just lose a little by the time it is over. Some people lose everything they put into the deal - deposit, closing costs, all payments gone like Keyser Soze.
This is not easy and it is not guaranteed. I do not know about Yuma, but if it is anything like Phoenix you will need six figures for any deal you do. Entry points for fixer uppers are 300k+ and the ARVs can go into the millions.
With any financial venture, bankroll management is key. You can't play over your head because all you have to do is lose one time, but the catch 22 is that micro deals are not attractive to lenders.
Someone out there with 40k - 50k, they are in a tough spot. They have one bullet. They may live in a market where you need 2x - 3x that to get in a deal. What do they do? They have to look elsewhere and risk being an out of state investor who is team dependent. That's a risk.
Honestly, If I had that money, before I did a fix n flip with hard money, ARV risk, rehab risk, market risk. I would go to auction.com and buy something with the money and just put the money there with not mortgage and work with an agent in the market to get you more. If not, hold it for a little. It will go up. They'll be a local investor you can find through an agent or list with a wholesaler in the market. Obviously, you need to study the market and know what you are buying and be strategic about it, maybe work with the agent who will be selling it to pick it out.
I'd do that 8 days per week, before I did a BRRRR right now with some team that is thrown together. - Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes6mo
Quote from @Steve Barba:
Hey everyone,
I’ve been spending a lot of time learning about real estate investing and finally decided it’s time to stop sitting on the sidelines and start taking action.
A little about me — I come from a finance/accounting background and currently work full-time, so I’m trying to figure out the most realistic path to get my first deal done while balancing a 9–5 schedule.
Right now, I’m exploring a few different strategies:
- Wholesaling (for quicker entry and experience)
- Buy & hold (long-term wealth building)
- Possibly small fix & flips (depending on risk and capital)
I’m especially interested in:
- How you all got your first deal
- What strategy worked best starting out with limited time
- Biggest mistakes you made early on that I should avoid
I’m located in Yuma Arizona, so if anyone has insights on this market or what’s working right now, I’d really appreciate it.
At the end of the day, I’m not looking for theory — I’m looking to actually get traction and close something in the near future.
Appreciate any advice from those who’ve been through it.
I'm over in the Phoenix market which is a little different than Yuma. My understanding is that Yuma has a lot of retired military and migrant workers. Could be wrong about that. But, that wouldn't make for a secure, robust market like Maricopa county.
Personally I would make connections in Maricopa county and work that area.I started by doing Subject To's on pre-foreclosures, rehabbing and selling on lease option getting 10% down and repeating the process. It's worked out very well.
- New to Real Estate · Yuma, AZ · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 8 votes6moYou are correct Ken Yuma is a small population compared with Maricopa or Phoenix area. I will start making connections out of Yuma. I'll probably have to drive to some meet ups up there. Thanks for your advise Ken.
Quote from @Ken M.:
I'm over in the Phoenix market which is a little different than Yuma. My understanding is that Yuma has a lot of retired military and migrant workers. Could be wrong about that. But, that wouldn't make for a secure, robust market like Maricopa county.Quote from @Steve Barba:
Hey everyone,
I’ve been spending a lot of time learning about real estate investing and finally decided it’s time to stop sitting on the sidelines and start taking action.
A little about me — I come from a finance/accounting background and currently work full-time, so I’m trying to figure out the most realistic path to get my first deal done while balancing a 9–5 schedule.
Right now, I’m exploring a few different strategies:
- Wholesaling (for quicker entry and experience)
- Buy & hold (long-term wealth building)
- Possibly small fix & flips (depending on risk and capital)
I’m especially interested in:
- How you all got your first deal
- What strategy worked best starting out with limited time
- Biggest mistakes you made early on that I should avoid
I’m located in Yuma Arizona, so if anyone has insights on this market or what’s working right now, I’d really appreciate it.
At the end of the day, I’m not looking for theory — I’m looking to actually get traction and close something in the near future.
Appreciate any advice from those who’ve been through it.
Personally I would make connections in Maricopa county and work that area.
- Member since 2025 · 5 posts · 1 vote6mo
If you come across any deals you’re considering, buy & hold, flip, whatever. I’d be happy to take a look and give you a clear idea of what I think the deal is actually worth and any red flags I see. I specialize in real estate underwriting and would love to help you take a closer look at some of these deals. Thanks Steve!
- Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes6mo
Quote from @Samuel Weis:
If you come across any deals you’re considering, buy & hold, flip, whatever. I’d be happy to take a look and give you a clear idea of what I think the deal is actually worth and any red flags I see. I specialize in real estate underwriting and would love to help you take a closer look at some of these deals. Thanks Steve!
Just curious, what does "I specialize in real estate underwriting" mean?
- Member since 2025 · 5 posts · 1 vote6mo
Quote from @Ken M.:
Quote from @Samuel Weis:
If you come across any deals you’re considering, buy & hold, flip, whatever. I’d be happy to take a look and give you a clear idea of what I think the deal is actually worth and any red flags I see. I specialize in real estate underwriting and would love to help you take a closer look at some of these deals. Thanks Steve!
Just curious, what does "I specialize in real estate underwriting" mean?
Ken, I appreciate you reaching out.
I have worked in real estate private equity for 5 years, where I focus heavily on underwriting and analyzing deals across a wide range of asset types. That includes everything from short-term rental portfolios on the side and small value-add opportunities to larger institutional deals.
On a day-to-day basis, I’m building models, stress-testing assumptions, and helping determine whether deals make sense from a risk and return perspective. I’ve gotten pretty comfortable digging into rent rolls, expense structures, and identifying where the real upside (or risks) are.
Happy to take a look at anything you’re working on or help underwrite deals if that would be useful.
- 6moJimmy LieuBusiness MemberReal Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votesHey Steve, good on you for deciding to take action because that’s honestly the biggest hurdle for most people, and with your finance background you’re already ahead on the numbers side. If you’re balancing a 9–5, I’d lean toward starting with buy and hold or even a light value-add deal rather than wholesaling or flips, since those tend to be more time-intensive and can get overwhelming fast without systems in place. Most people I know got their first deal by focusing on one clear strategy, underwriting a ton of deals until something made sense, and then moving quickly when it hit their criteria, not by trying to juggle multiple approaches at once. Early on, the biggest mistakes tend to be overanalyzing and never pulling the trigger, or the opposite, jumping into a deal without really understanding expenses like maintenance, vacancy, and CapEx, so just stay disciplined on your numbers and build a small, reliable team around you. Also be careful not to chase “perfect” deals because those are rare, especially right now, but solid, conservative deals are still out there if you stay consistent. Since you’re open to different markets, I’d recommend also keeping an eye on areas where the fundamentals are strong like steady population growth, job growth, and landlord-friendly environments, because those tend to give you both cash flow and long-term upside even if your first deal isn’t perfect. Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!
Quote from @Steve Barba:
Hey everyone,
I’ve been spending a lot of time learning about real estate investing and finally decided it’s time to stop sitting on the sidelines and start taking action.
A little about me — I come from a finance/accounting background and currently work full-time, so I’m trying to figure out the most realistic path to get my first deal done while balancing a 9–5 schedule.
Right now, I’m exploring a few different strategies:
- Wholesaling (for quicker entry and experience)
- Buy & hold (long-term wealth building)
- Possibly small fix & flips (depending on risk and capital)
I’m especially interested in:
- How you all got your first deal
- What strategy worked best starting out with limited time
- Biggest mistakes you made early on that I should avoid
I’m located in Yuma Arizona, so if anyone has insights on this market or what’s working right now, I’d really appreciate it.
At the end of the day, I’m not looking for theory — I’m looking to actually get traction and close something in the near future.
Appreciate any advice from those who’ve been through it.
Jimmy Lieu, Red 1 Realty4.9120 Reviews - Investor · Milwaukee - Mequon, WI · Member since 2010 · 5k+ posts · 7k+ votes6mo
Scratch wholesaling off your list! It is hard enough to find a deal that is good enough for yourself (most noobs here never find one), before you can find a deal that is good enough for someone else AND has some extra profit for you. It's a very popular pipedream!
That leaves you with a buy&hold, or if you have the background for it, a BRRRR. But even a regular buy&hold will have a fair amount or work, plus you have to learn the whole PM side, so plenty to cut your teeth and get started.
- New to Real Estate · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2023 · 83 posts · 29 votes6mo
Good post. Curious to see what path you end up choosing first.
- 6moWale LawalBusiness MemberReal Estate Broker · Houston | Dallas | Austin, TX · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
I must say that it is a good mentality since your working full time. You should focus on one thing buy & hold or house hack rather than trying to do everything. In a market like Yuma you should avoid complicated and risky deals and hunt for straightforward deals with good rental demand and light rehab needs. I suggest the first mistake to avoid is analysis paralysis pick one way. You must underwrite conservatively and buy on any deal that hits your target criteria.
Good luck!
NETWORTH BUILDERS5236 Reviews - Member since 2025 · 6 posts · 0 votes5mo
Your finance background is a big advantage already.
Since you’re working full time, I’d just focus on one strategy for now. Trying to do everything at once usually slows people down. Wholesaling is probably the fastest way to get your first deal, but only if you stay consistent with follow ups. That’s where most people miss deals.
Buy and hold is solid too, just takes a bit longer to get going.
Big thing is don’t wait too long to feel ready. Start making offers and talking to people. That’s how you learn fast.
Also being in Yuma, try to connect with a few local investors. That’ll help a lot.
Once you start getting leads, staying organized becomes the real challenge. That’s where a lot of deals fall through.
That’s actually what I help with. Keeping leads and follow ups tight so nothing slips. Happy to help if you ever need it.
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