Is buying a condo from a coworker a good way to get into real estate ?

[Ed Mubarak]

Hi all, 

I want to get into real estate and eventually rent out homes/condos as a long term goal. A coworker of mine is selling a 3 br condo for 250k in CT.  That unit is currently rented out for about $1500 a month with 500 going to monthly maintenance. I have about 50% of the price, I usually invest in etfs, but was considering this deal for what its worth. 
For the pros in this BP community, what do you think of this as a start to building a property portfolio? How would you approach this offer? Any advice would be appreciated. 

Thank You 

[Denise Supplee]

Good opportunity to learn, but the numbers are tight. At $1,500 rent and $500 HOA, you're netting about $12k a year before taxes, insurance, and maintenance—around a 4.8% gross yield. Make sure it still cash flows after all costs and check if rents could go higher or if HOA rules limit rentals. If it holds up under conservative estimates, it's a decent, low-risk first step; if not, keep saving for a stronger deal