New Real Estate Investor

[Junior Maravel]

Hello everyone my name is Junior, I live in the los angeles area working in the medical field. Living in Los Angeles makes real estate investing unreachable with how high homes are here, so I will be looking out state to start my journey. I am interested in multi family homes from duplex to quadplex. As a complete newbie I'm here to network and learn the process about out of state investing.

[Melissa Justice]

@Junior Maravel,

Hey Junior and welcome to the community! You're definitely not alone - a ton of investors living in high-cost areas like L.A. are building wealth through out-of-state investing. It’s a smart move, especially with your interest in multifamily properties. I lived in LA for 4 years and sold RE there, so I know the pain!

Starting with duplexes to quadplexes is a solid strategy - more doors under one roof means better cash flow and efficiency, especially when managed well. Since you're in the medical field and likely balancing a demanding schedule, here's what I’d recommend as a starting point:

1. Target Landlord-Friendly, Affordable Markets
Markets in the Midwest and Southeast, like Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, and parts of Florida or the Carolinas, are ideal for investors starting out. You can find solid duplexes and quads in the $150K–$350K range with strong rent-to-price ratios and local property management available.

2. Turnkey or Light Rehab Multifamily
Since you're new and investing from a distance, turnkey, already rehabbed or new build multifamily properties and tenant-ready, can help you avoid the growing pains of managing renovations remotely. You can always branch into light rehabs later once you've built your team and confidence.

3. Network & Learn the Process
You’re doing the right thing by joining investor communities and learning from others who’ve done this. Ask questions about:

Building your out-of-state team (agent, PM, contractor)
Understanding financing options for 2–4 units
What to look for in market selection (population trends, job growth, etc.)

You're in a great position to start building passive income outside of California, and once you do one deal, the process becomes much more familiar.

Feel free to reach out if you want examples of out-of-state multifamily deals or a walkthrough of the numbers - happy to help however I can. 

Best of luck,

Melissa