Action step: pick one submarket, run five deals a week through a strict buy box, and only pursue what survives your worst‑case sheet.

Taking small steps like a house hack with a duplex in the beginning could allow you to be in the game while also learning along the way.

Move in steps: first, verify with the county what it would take to legalize the buildings and the well; second, pursue non‑agency routes like hard money or true private lenders to acquire fast, with a rehab and permitting plan; third, once permitted and stabilized, refi into a conventional or DSCR product.

It turned out to be a great success — but it came with its fair share of challenges.When some of our partners fell short on both funding and operations, I ended up stepping in to handle the majority myself.

m aiming to be in life  I'm making a bold career shift-from working in the restaurant industry to pursuing real estate investing full-time.

I joined because I needed the flexibility to get training and support outside of my day job - and didn't want to pay desk or franchise fees for an office I'd hardly step foot in.  

Hi everyone 👋
It’s my first day here on BiggerPockets! I’ve been working in lead generation and data research for the real estate space for about 10 years, and I’m curious to learn from investors here —
What kind of...

Either way, I think it's an amazing stepping stone.

Don't want to step on any toes (I assume you have a local agent that is helping you). 

But Fayetteville’s a great first step — get that first one under your belt, learn the process, then scale into Raleigh later for long-term wealth.