Down Payment (Non-Refundable):Always protect yourself with meaningful skin in the game.

I would encourage you to think about not just year 1 returns, but longer term.

I'd love to better understand what active buyers in the area are focusing on so I can spot the right opportunities faster.Also, if you know of any REl groups or meetups in Montana (or nearby) that are worth checking out, I'd definitely like to plug in.Thanks again for the encouragement - means a lot starting out. 

@Scott Pillar thank you for the encouraging words!  

Dropping prices tends to show desperation to buyers which encourage them to come in even lower or wonder why it has not sold. 

I was encouraging new people in our area to come network at the REIA.

That said, I'd encourage you to have reserves of at least $5-10k per property. 

I’d encourage you to make sure the basis of your property is done correctly as that impacts all future years of depreciation.

@Drago StanimirovicThank you for the words of encouragement—I truly appreciate it.I completely agree that networking locally and shadowing someone who’s actively investing in my area or nearby markets would be extremely valuable for my learning and growth.

But along the way, you’ll have:A lifelong skillReal immersion in real estateA network of meaningful connectionsThat’s a much stronger foundation than chasing the guru dream of raising money with no experience.