Hey y’all, I’m active duty Army, based in Killeen, getting out in 8 months.

This is a great community — feel free to reach out if you ever want to connect, especially if you’re diving into real estate or investing.

I am looking to purchase my first property later this year, and we are looking in  Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area.this is going to be a property that we intend to use during the year as a vacation spot (we currently live in NJ) but also plan to rent out when we are not using. 

While real estate is technically the largest asset for many, especially homeowners, its value is often more passive and abstract unless it's actively leveraged.For the average homeowner, that equity just sits there—not generating cash flow, not being reinvested, and in many cases, not even fully understood.

Hey BP Community 👋I’ve been having great convos lately with other investors about what makes a deal truly stand out right now—especially with rates and inventory where they are.

Unfortunately, that’s proving difficult with how things are currently structured.The good news is that we both have strong incomes, and if we keep our expenses in check, we should be able to purchase a new property each year—valued around $250K—using cash.

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you!

Given that taxes are a high % of operating expenses and could impact cash flow for the property, it sounds like the process is an afterthought since 1. the burden of proof is high?

i am stuck on which strategy is best for me in acquiring my first investment property. i am 18 years old, in my first year of my electrical apprenticeship. being a first year i am not making enough money to save cash and pay my car payment/insurance every month, and other needs: gas, food, etc. i want to get my first property this year and i thought that house hacking would be the right move for me. i found a duplex that rents $1,250 and already has two tenants inside of it but to be able to afford a down payment realistically i would have to use my FHA and jump in the other side. after talking to some people around me i would be having to pay quite a bit out of pocket every month for the mortgage and i just don't make enough money right now to do that. i want to be great more than anything in this world. this is all i think about all day every day and it drives me crazy. i have to acquire a property this year to satisfy myself. i just don't have the right people around me to help me make the right decisions in the real estate market, so i am trying to figure out all of this on my own and it is getting overwhelming. with my situation what would be the best strategy to aquire a property this year. i am not submitting to saving money for years, i have to do this. i made a promise to myself. 

@Bobby Paquette — I think it’s just you, a few tumbleweeds, and a bunch of AI server farms out there right now 🤖🌵But seriously, Abilene’s been making headlines with all the AI infrastructure development, which could eventually bring jobs, housing demand, and rental opportunity.