new member, looking to connect

[Nicole Boerema]

Hey everyone, 

My name is Nicole, I am a healthcare professional who recently moved to the Portland OR area. I am a novice in the real estate sector and am looking to expand my knowledge and build personal wealth. I was looking to buy my first home in 2020, but got trigger shy and distracted by alternative avenues of income and paying back my student loans. I am now debt free, have a sizable nest egg, and am ready to take the plunge back into the real estate world. I am primarily interested in syndications and small multi-family rental units, but would like to have a solid knowledge base in many subspecialties of real estate. I'm highly motivated and excited to connect and broaden my scope in the real estate world.

[Melissa Justice]

@Nicole Boerema,

Welcome, Nicole and congrats on getting debt-free and rebuilding your position. That puts you in a strong place to start making real moves.

Since you’re in Portland, just be aware that cash flow can be tough locally due to pricing, taxes, and regulations. A lot of investors in Oregon end up buying out-of-state for their first few rentals and keeping Portland for lifestyle, not investing.

If you’re interested in small multifamily look at landlord-friendly, lower-cost markets where the numbers make sense from day one - places like:

Columbus, GA

Akron / Canton, OH

Birmingham, AL

Parts of TX

Memphis, TN

These markets offer better rent-to-price ratios and long-term tenant demand.

If you’re exploring syndications the key is understanding sponsor experience, fee structure, exit timeline and whether returns are cash flow now or appreciation later.

Best next step: underwrite at least 5–10 deals before investing in one - you’ll see patterns quickly. Your advantage is that you are motivated and liquid. That means you can learn the fundamentals, start small with a single rental or duplex and then evaluate syndications with real operational context.

You’re entering from a strong position - take your time, stay conservative, and the compounding will do its work.

Always happy to chat more about what's worked for other investors. Best of luck!