need help analyzing a cash flow negative deal

[Sanket Patke]

Need some help evaluating rentability of my condo (current primary home): 

2Bed2Bath condo in Burlington, MA. Average rent in the area is ~3100. If I was to rent it out I would break even or maybe even have a slightly negative monthly cash flow. Its a great neighborhood and has seen ~25% appreciation in the last 5 years. Condo is in a great shape and would need minimal annual repairs with everything external covered by HOA. Overall ROI return will be 9%. Need help in deciding if it is worth renting. My thoughts:

Why renting would make sense:

1. Despite negative cash flow, ROI is not terrible and real estate appreciation is great in this area

2. As a first-time landlord, I'd feel comfortable renting this out knowing that it will not need heavy repairs and know the area well

Why renting will not make sense:

1. Could take the appreciation and buy in another place with a better cash flow and appreciation

[Joseph Bui]

Quote from @Sanket Patke:

Thanks all for your inputs. My challenge is that its hard to find deals with a strong cash flow in MA due to high property prices and I am not seasoned enough (and brave enough) to start out with an out of state deal or an in-state property that would need major fixing. My thinking is that I will use this as a learning experience, not have any cash flow, and with a 5-7 year horizon, use the appreciation to expand my portfolio some place else. The $$ I will save on the closing costs can offset the slight negative cash flow that I may encounter. 

Investing out of state can be scary, but having a trusted team in place to help will make the process much easier. I'm based the Seattle area but mainly invest in Midwest markets. I have a great team in place on the ground that handles everything end to end for me.