New to Real Estate Investing - Westchester, Malvern, Pottstown, PVille, KOP

[Robert Fish]

Hello everyone - I am new to real estate investing and currently looking to purchase my first investment property. I would love to connect with those who have some experience as I am in need of guidance! I am looking to invest in the areas listed in the title of this post since these are closest to my home currently, so if anyone may have some knowledge on these markets they would like to help with/share, I am all ears. At the moment, I am looking to invest in a multi-family property and I would plan to live in one of the units. One of my questions that I keep going back and forth with in my head is if I should be looking for a property that will guarantee me cashflow, or should I look for one that will have good appreciation down the road. Open to any suggestions/examples/ideas! 

Aside from real estate investing, I am also looking to switch my W2/day job to something more on the real estate side, to hopefully gain more knowledge when it comes to investing.

Thank you in advance and I look forward to connecting with you all!

Bobby

[Wale Lawal]

@Robert Fish

Great to have you getting started! For your first multi-family, house hacking is a smart move—living in one unit helps reduce risk. Ideally, find a deal with some cash flow and long-term appreciation potential, but if you have to choose, positive cash flow should come first to keep you financially stable. Focus on properties that break even or better with conservative estimates. And if you're looking to switch careers, consider roles like leasing agent, property manager assistant, or real estate analyst—they’ll build your network and investment knowledge fast.

Good luck!