You don’t have to know everything before you start—just keep moving forward and stay connected with the community.

If your goals right now are more geared towards cashflow, then investing OOS could be a great next move for you.

I want to move on.

Starting to build relationships with agents and lenders now is smart, since the right team can make all the difference once you’re ready to move.

You can list them as "as is" and document their condition at move-in.

Even if they move out after 3–5 years, the property is usually still in great shape, and the cost to get it rent-ready again is minimal.Another way to lower risk is to work with a team that handles everything under one roof — sourcing properties, managing them after closing, maintenance, collections, tenant placement, and so on.

If rent collection, lease renewals, move-outs, and maintenance requests don’t run like clockwork, you’ve got a management problem, not a tenant problem.5.

If you want help digging into the Milwaukee market and discussing how to put a Milwaukee based team together, feel free to reach out. 

Learn from both sides, take that course, then move forward with what aligns with your vision.

For some context, with MLS data, last year in Madison, the median sale price of a 3 bed, 1-2 bath home with under 2,000 sq ft above grade was $394,960 and average almost $419k and similar pricing in Dane County overall as buyers move out to surrounding communities in search of more affordable options.Milwaukee is a big market I am not that familiar with as I live in Madison, WI, but if you decide you have an interest in Rock County, prices can get in your price range in places like Janesville and Beloit, WI, but still mostly above $120k (median sale price last year in Rock Co with that home criteria was $253k, but sales did take place in your price range if you end up in that area of south central WI.