Getting Started in Renting w/ a Property Manager

[Jonathan Gilman]

Hi All,

A friend and I wanted to start investing in real estate properties. Since he and I work pretty demanding jobs, we are aiming to buy a house / apartment and use a property manager to assist us in finding a tenant, collecting rent, etc.

Since this is our first investment, we're a bit at a loss for first steps. We're not sure if we should be locating a realtor / property manager first (or perhaps someone who does both), or trying to find a location first. Is there perhaps a company that assists first-time investors in finding and renting properties? If anyone has experience doing this, can you just let us know what your general list of steps are? 

Lastly, does anyone have personal experience with any realtors or property managers that they recommend for us?

Thanks very much for your help - it is much appreciated.

Jon