Before I write about my specific situation - I really appreciate any replies, thoughts, or comments in advance. It's a pleasure learning from everyone here. Please feel free to be as critical/constructive as possible, I down to learn.

I'm currently seeking an investment method that suits my goals, but am really having a hard time making a decision on how to start my investment portfolio. My goal is like most others posting here, to be financially free and generating a high income (min 250k/year) within the next five years or so. I will do this via buy and hold properties, and will work my way up to large multi-family investments. Eventually, I will flip some properties but I'd like to start with buy and holds.

I currently have around 125k to comfortably invest without draining my savings and will be keeping up with a decent savings rate each year (50k+). Here's the deal - I want to be as efficient as possible without skipping any steps that are crucial to my education in real estate. I've been studying and analyzing deals for about two years and am finally able to get pre-approval; I'm self-employed so it's taken a decent amount of tax prep to have my records looking good.

I'm having a difficult time determining what my first investment should be. Locally, I've been running numbers and MLS deals aren't fitting my criteria. I've spoken with other investors and it seems that off-market deals are best. I can't help but think about turn-key investments (specifically Rent to Retirement), but also know that I have enough saved to contribute to a syndication deal or have a more hands-on experience. I'm ready to dive in, but I'm nervous that I'll pass up a better opportunity - such a vicious cycle.

At this point, I could buy a property in cash, do a little bit of rehab (nothing too major for my first investment), and refinance it for a lower rate than I would have gotten with a traditional loan right away. Eventually, I'd like to work my way up to the BRRRR method at the @David Greene level. I want to start off strong, and while I know it's impossible to avoid mistakes, I want to do as much as possible to mitigate any poor decisions (anything within my personal control).

I would LOVE to start big and be a part of a syndication deal, but I want to be a partner, not the person running the show. For members who have participated in syndications, what was your experience and how did you become a part of the syndication? While being an accredited investor is one of my goals, I'm not there yet so it limits some of the investments that I'd like to be a part of.

Knowing what you know now, what would you have done if you started off in my shoes? My mind feels like it's hitting a wall. Logically, I know I should relax a little bit with this, but efficiency is incredibly important to me.

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