Just beginning my REI journey - exploring my strategies

[Ryan Smeltzer]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the community as I just joined a few days ago..... I have been reading many of the forums in here, listening to the podcasts, and have read several real estate related books over the past several months. I feel like I have built up a wealth of knowledge and am now ready to begin applying it. A little bit about me - I'm 25 years old grew up outside of Columbus and currently live in Stow/Hudson and work as a software engineer. I have a solid W-2 so that has allowed me to save up some money and get my feet under me after graduating from college. I plan to continue working full time and invest on the side, although both endeavors will be getting my full attention equally. I am new to real estate myself, but it has been in my family and around me all my life. Two of my family members co-own around 12 apartment complexes throughout Ohio (mostly Columbus, Stow, Kent areas) so rental properties has always caught my eye. Is anybody else in the Stow/Hudson/Kent area or familiar with the market (especially Stow)? I would love to connect with you!

Strategies and thoughts on starting out - I am currently looking at a multi-family house (duplex) as a way to get my feet wet. I have a few on my radar in the Stow area. I'm thinking of getting an fha loan and living in one unit for a year and renting out the other side to pay for most of my mortgage payment. Then after a year I plan on moving again and attempting to rent out both units for a monthly profit. I have more details on the numbers if anyone is interested. For those of you with experience in rentals / buy and holds, what are your recommendations/best advice/things to look out for?

Another area of investing I was exploring was wholesaling, although I obviously have many concerns on it as do others throughout the forums. I even already have a lead and potentially a second, but am thinking it through if this is the route I want to take. I know in general wholesaling can be legal, but from what I understand and have learned, it's a very extreme fine line. I will save the details of this for another time.

Thanks for your time and I look forward to networking and learning from as many of you as I can!