All Forum Posts by: Ethan Shapiro

Hi everyone,

I’m new to real estate investing and could use some guidance from this awesome community. I’m weighing whether to invest in a cash-flowing investment property now or keep saving for my first home. For context, I currently rent, and moving into a primary residence isn’t feasible unless an incredible deal pops up in my ideal area (unlikely right now). My goal is to find a property anywhere in the U.S. that generates positive cash flow to help rebuild my savings for a future home down payment.

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed about where to start. How do I find properties, analyze deals, and know I’m getting a good one? I’m also nervous about market timing, will more inventory and better prices come soon, making today’s deals less attractive? Any advice on these points would be hugely appreciated:

1. What steps should I take to kick off my search and evaluate markets?
2. What metrics or tools do you use to spot a solid cash-flowing property?
3. How do you balance the fear of missing out on a deal now versus waiting for a potential market dip?
4. Any beginner pitfalls I should watch out for?
5. How do I get my partner on board to invest in real estate (and show them it's a good financial decision)?
   How can I get the extra motivation to get over being scared of a very big purchase?

Thanks in advance for sharing your insights, I’m excited to learn and take my first steps!

Cheers!