First Investment 2026

Investor · Clearwater, FL · Member since 2025 · 225 posts · 78 votes

7mo

Hey Jose, if I were you, I would first start by reading/listening to Ken McElroy books on property management. Then I would talk to couple of property management companies to figure out what kind of returns yiu can get in which neighborhoods. Once I know what to expect, what neighborhoods to focus, then I would decide if BRRR or LTR are the routes to go. Both are completely different mindsets. If I were you, I would looks for passive income as you have full time job.

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Ethan HaiglerBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2019 · 111 posts · 58 votes

7mo

@Jose Santivanez I would love to be a resource for you. I’m an agent/investor/wholesaler who has a team in Cleveland. I know this is not your chosen market but I can still help with info/experience. DM me if you’d like to setup a call

[email protected]704-607-2078

3 Little Pigs Rental Management

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Ethan Haigler Realty

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Pierre Guirguis

Lender · Marlboro, NJ · Member since 2025 · 239 posts · 146 votes

7mo

Jose, this is well-thought-out and you’re asking the right questions early, which already puts you ahead of most first-time investors.

A few practical thoughts based on what you laid out:

• Your instinct to anchor the first deal as a foundation rather than a home run is the right mindset. The mistake I see is people trying to force velocity too early instead of focusing on clean execution and learning.

• The "slow BRRRR" approach can work, but I'd be careful about relying on ADUs or heavy forced appreciation on deal one. Those strategies are powerful, but they add zoning, permitting, and timeline risk that can complicate the learning curve. Light value-add with rents that haven't caught up yet tends to execute more smoothly.

• Your reasoning around Atlanta vs. Orlando is spot on. Having real boots-on-the-ground relationships matters more than picking the “perfect” market. I’d choose the market where you trust the people, not just the spreadsheet.

• With your income and balance sheet, you actually have flexibility most first-timers don’t. The key will be structuring the first deal so it doesn’t need aggressive appreciation assumptions to work.

If you treat deal one as a controlled rep and not a shortcut to scale, it will do exactly what you want it to do: set you up for larger assets later.

Happy to share more perspective if helpful.

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Drew SygitBusiness Member

Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes

7mo

Quote from @Jose Santivanez:

Hi Everyone,

I am a 29 M based in Manhattan looking to invest out of state. I am particularly eye-balling the Atlanta or Orlando markets for my first investment.

My long-term goal is to build a stable portfolio that will give me the ability to draw on the equity in 10+ years (sooner if possible) to pivot into mixed-use or larger commercial deals longer term.

I want to make sure that my first investment serves as a foundational learning and investment pillar, with a focus on modest cashflow and increase in appreciation over a 10 year horizon. I am thinking single family/small multi-family long-term rentals here. For my fist deal, I would think of it as a slow BRRRR, along with any immediate subsequent deals before pivoting asset classes. I essentially want to pull the equity from all these first deals to support that larger commercial deal further on, or so that is my though process right now.

Currently I have about $50k ready to be deployed for a down payment and my current income is about 180k - 200k annually. Together, my wife and I have over $350k net worth between cash, IRA, 401k, and standard investment accounts. With this financial background, I feel that we are in a place where we've built a strong foundation can start to take more risk comfortably.

Given the slow BRRR approach I want to take, if I buy a single family home (which is most likely given down payment budget), it would have to be something where I can force appreciation through an ADU or other means.

I am choosing between the Atlanta or Orlando markets because I have friends/family that live in those areas who can give me great insight on the local landscape and connect me with professionals. These markets are also manageable with my current budget (though I may need to get creative). If I had to state personal pros for either location...I lived in Atlanta for nearly 2 years early in my career, so I am generally more familiar with the landscape there. As for Orlando, I will have better connections to contractors/resources as I have family who are homeowners and have an active investment undergoing a large rehab.

Any thoughts. tips, or simple introductions would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Jose

Atlanta & Orlando are going through a "reset" with falling prices, so could be a good time to buy there.

Also, be careful looking for "investor-friendly" agents!

+95% of agents only have experience dealing with owner-occupied transactions - which are mostly EMOTIONAL decision based.

These agents will NOT find you "deals", just pretty houses on the MLS. They'll also make a big deal out of finding something 5% below market 😣

They are really just, “commission-friendly”, looking for a payday.

An investor wants an agent that sticks to logical numbers like ROI, Cash-on-Cash, etc.

You can differentiate between these different types of agents easily by asking them:

1) If they are RE investors themselves.
--Many will say yes, so ask them for proof! They should be able to send you an address of a rental they own.

2) If they plan on sharing a BP Calculator sheet for each and every property they send you.
--Many will state that's your job, but then what value are they truly offering as an "investor-friendly" agent?

The more questions and request for proof you ask, the better!

[email protected]248-209-6824

Logical Property Management4.9451 Reviews

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Stephen QuesinberryBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Cumming, GA · Member since 2016 · 226 posts · 157 votes

7mo

Hey Jose,

Great spot to be in, and you’ve clearly put real good thought into your “why” and have a good long-term mindset thinking, which matters more than the first deal itself.

Since you already have familiarity with Atlanta, that's a meaningful advantage. Market familiarity, even if it's not perfect, shortens the learning curve a lot when you're investing out of state. Atlanta also works well for the type of slow-BRRR / long-term hold strategy you're describing, especially if you're comfortable being selective and patient. Modest cash flow with durable demand and the ability to create value over time is very achievable there.

One thing I’d emphasize early is narrowing your focus within the market. Atlanta is very submarket-driven, and success tends to come faster once you get specific on where you’re buying, and what type of property you are buying. Patterns will start to emerge, and deals will begin to stand out.

I usually suggest waiting to align with a property manager until you’ve narrowed down your submarket or have a deal close to contract. Management quality is very location-specific — some PMs are strong in certain pockets and weaker in others. Getting that match right is critical and, in my opinion, one of the most important location-driven decisions you’ll make.

I’m based in the north/northeast Atlanta area and work primarily with investors, so happy to trade notes or help point you toward submarkets, deal structures, or local resources as you think this through. Either way, you’re on the right track--keep it up!

Cornerstone Real Estate Partners

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Kerlous TadresBusiness Member

Realtor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2023 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

7mo

@Jose Santivanez, if I were you, I'd start in the market where you have the strongest boots-on-the-ground help, because the first deal is really about learning and executing cleanly. Just underwrite it as a boring long-term rental that cash flows day one, and treat any ADU "forced appreciation" as a bonus, not the plan.

[email protected]614-490-1163

Kerlous Tadres | Reafco Real Estate539 Reviews

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Arman AhmedPro Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 913 votes

7mo

@Jose Santivanez

Hey Jose, it sounds like you have a solid plan and a great foundation for long-term investing. One thing I've noticed is that in some Midwest markets, down payments can go further, cash flow tends to be strong, and rents are pretty stable, which makes it easier to execute a slow BRRRR strategy. Even small upgrades like ADUs or light rehabs can create meaningful forced appreciation. It's also helpful to line up local contractors, property managers, and lenders early so the numbers actually pencil and the deal works smoothly.

[email protected]614-418-6081

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Stevan Stojakovic

Financial Advisor · FL · Member since 2024 · 441 posts · 99 votes

7mo

Jose - this is a very well-thought-out post, and you’re approaching this with the right intent and sequencing.

A couple of observations from experience. Your idea of treating the first deal as a foundation rather than a velocity play is exactly right. Where people get tripped up is trying to force sophistication too early. A slow BRRRR works best when the deal stands on its own as a clean long-term rental first, with any forced appreciation as upside rather than the thesis.

Between Atlanta and Orlando, I’d bias toward the market where you personally understand the dynamics and trust the people on the ground. Familiarity shortens the learning curve more than spreadsheets ever will. Atlanta in particular is extremely submarket-driven, so once you narrow your focus, patterns will start to repeat and underwriting gets clearer.

One thing I’d be cautious about on deal one is relying too heavily on ADUs or zoning-dependent value creation. Those strategies work, but they add permitting, timeline, and execution risk. For a first out-of-state deal, boring execution beats clever structure.

Your balance sheet gives you flexibility most first-time investors don’t have. Use that advantage to stay conservative on leverage and assumptions. If the first deal survives flat rents and average management, it will do exactly what you want it to do - set you up for larger assets later.

You're asking the right questions and thinking in the right order. Feel free to reach out if you need any help. Happy to connect and support you on your REI journey.

Stevan

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Kevin Navarro

Rental Property Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2020 · 17 posts · 0 votes

2w

Atlanta can be a strong choice, but neighborhood-level rent and operating assumptions matter. What strategy and budget are you considering? I can help you compare Atlanta opportunities using realistic local numbers.

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Nicholas FloydBusiness Member

NY · Member since 2026 · 180 posts · 61 votes

2w

Jose, I like that you’re approaching your first investment with a long-term plan rather than just trying to get into a deal. With your income, available capital, and existing connections in both markets, you have a solid foundation to start evaluating opportunities.

One thing I’d pay close attention to is preserving enough liquidity after closing. With a slow BRRRR, the renovation budget, carrying costs, and refinance timeline can make a big difference in how much capital you have available for the next deal.

I work with investors on business funding strategies, including business lines of credit, business loans, and 0% APR business credit cards where qualified. Depending on your personal credit profile and LLC structure, those options can sometimes help cover eligible renovation or operating expenses while preserving cash for the down payment and reserves. The key is having a clear repayment or refinance strategy before using the capital.

Between Atlanta and Orlando, I’d lean toward whichever market gives you the strongest local team and the best deal fundamentals, rather than choosing solely on appreciation potential.

Have you started looking at how you’d structure the financing for the purchase and renovation, or are you still narrowing down the market first?

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First Investment 2026

First Investment 2026

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