Get things in writing, always have a clearly defined lease, no partial payments, no handshake deals.  

This is a major component of your tax secret sauce.

Once I choose a lane, I'd go deep into learning, building relationships, possibly find a mentor, and then define the daily actions required to hit that goal. 

Only an experienced local investment team can provide the resources and knowledge you'll need.Your Target Tenant Segment Defines the Property (to Buy)While the city defines long-term financial performance, the tenant who occupies your property defines income reliability.

Things like minimum income-to-rent ratio, credit standards, rental history, eviction history, and employment verification are all clearly defined upfront.

Define Your Investment Strategy: Short-Term vs.

Pre-approved investor lines, established bridge and hard money lenders, private capital relationships, and clearly defined exit strategies make execution predictable.

Most private lenders want to see a clear plan, strong equity, and a defined exit before putting money in, and many are more cautious with first-time investors.Out of curiosity, are you planning to buy and hold long term, or something shorter term where capital gets recycled faster?

Let’s dive into it.Potential consequences of working with an unqualified firm:Missed opportunities: Firms that are inexperienced may overlook numerous components that are eligible to be reclassified as they lack the knowledge or don’t perform a thorough analysis.This reduces the amount of potential deductions which also reduces your potential tax savings!

Good plan to start in Baltimore with boots on the ground—keep it simple and systemize: pick a tight buy box, then run a “Noise-to-Numbers” scan on volume (agent MLS pulls, 2–3 wholesalers, and one direct-to-seller list), comp only within close radius and similar beds/baths/condition, and budget rehab with two contractor walks plus a contingency; start with light cosmetic flips to test your GC and processes before tackling heavy value-add.