In the Military, Looking for a Mentor, Interested in Multi-Family
Rental Property Investor · Norfolk, VA · Member since 2026 · 8 posts · 3 votes
In the Military, Looking for a Mentor, Interested in Multi-Family
4 Replies
- 5moG. Brian DavisPro MemberInvestor · Hatboro, PA · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 891 votes
Hi @Dryden Ray, I’d focus on learning deal analysis, financing options, landlord basics, and the Norfolk market so you know what a good deal actually looks like. If you ever want to compare that with a more passive approach, you’re welcome to listen in on one of our Co-Investing Club deal discussions. We’re not dealing with tenants or managing properties ourselves, were fully passive. We spread smaller amounts across different deals and evaluate them together.
- 5moJaycee GreenePro MemberReal Estate Consultant · St. Louis MSA · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 727 votes
Quote from @Dryden Ray:
Hello, currently I have 7-9 months left on my deployment overseas, and I am stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. I will have BAH to help cover mortgages and ill have at least $15,000 saved by the time I get back to home port. I'm determined and willing to spend my free time growing my understanding of real estate. I'm looking for a knowledgeable mentor that has done what I'm going to do before and can help me get there. I want to generate cash flow and passive income and have many units. I'm looking to start the process ASAP and get a property when I get back to home port. I'm also willing to get a 2–4-bedroom apartment and have some coworkers as roommates and build cash flow that way as well using my BAH, while looking for a rental property to purchase. I have a lot of free time right now to talk, plan, and learn.
Hey @Dryden Ray, welcome to the BP Forum! Are you looking to house hack a SF property or a 2-4 unit one? Are you looking for turn-key properties or something along the lines of a "fixer upper"?
- 5moVijay FriedmanBusiness MemberMiami, FL · Member since 2026 · 766 posts · 124 votes
Quote from @Dryden Ray:
Hello, currently I have 7-9 months left on my deployment overseas, and I am stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. I will have BAH to help cover mortgages and ill have at least $15,000 saved by the time I get back to home port. I'm determined and willing to spend my free time growing my understanding of real estate. I'm looking for a knowledgeable mentor that has done what I'm going to do before and can help me get there. I want to generate cash flow and passive income and have many units. I'm looking to start the process ASAP and get a property when I get back to home port. I'm also willing to get a 2–4-bedroom apartment and have some coworkers as roommates and build cash flow that way as well using my BAH, while looking for a rental property to purchase. I have a lot of free time right now to talk, plan, and learn.
@Dryden Ray
Sounds like you're already thinking about the right things. Since you're military and considering roommates/house hacking, have you looked into using a VA loan on a small multifamily property when you get back stateside? - 4moRobert EllisBusiness MemberDeveloper · Miami, FL · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
Quote from @Dryden Ray:
Hello, currently I have 7-9 months left on my deployment overseas, and I am stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. I will have BAH to help cover mortgages and ill have at least $15,000 saved by the time I get back to home port. I'm determined and willing to spend my free time growing my understanding of real estate. I'm looking for a knowledgeable mentor that has done what I'm going to do before and can help me get there. I want to generate cash flow and passive income and have many units. I'm looking to start the process ASAP and get a property when I get back to home port. I'm also willing to get a 2–4-bedroom apartment and have some coworkers as roommates and build cash flow that way as well using my BAH, while looking for a rental property to purchase. I have a lot of free time right now to talk, plan, and learn.
If I were in your position, I wouldn't spend the next 7–9 months looking for a mentor.
I'd spend the next 7–9 months learning how to recognize a good deal.
The biggest mistake I see new investors make is believing the first property is what creates financial freedom. It isn't.
The first property teaches you how financing works, how tenants behave, how maintenance actually feels, and how much of your assumptions survive contact with reality.
A lot of investors spend years looking for the perfect strategy. The ones who make progress usually buy a reasonable first property and learn from it.
I actually like the house hack idea more than most people realize because it reduces the cost of learning. If you make a mistake on a property you live in, it's usually a lot less expensive than making a mistake on a full investment property.
Ten years from now, I doubt you'll remember who your mentor was. You'll remember your first deal.
What skills are you focusing on learning before you get back—financing, underwriting, market selection, or property management?
Section 8 Launch52 Reviews
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.