You’re not betting everything on one renter or one market rent assumption.It’s also forced me to think more like an operator than an appraiser.

You bet, Jason.

Let me break down your numbers:Rent: $4,600PITI: $4,200= $400/mo before other expensesNow factor in:- Vacancy (even at 3-5%): ~$140-230/mo- Maintenance (5%): ~$230/mo- Cap-ex reserves (5%): ~$230/mo- Even if you self-manage, budget something for unexpected issuesThat puts you at roughly break-even or slightly negative cash flow initially.

Bet you WON'T find one!

If you are planning on renting for a while in Mobile Midtown and West Mobile are usually safe bets.

-Drew If you're just starting out and have no network of investors, then your best bet is to find an agent that can set you up in their MLS system to automatically email you new opportunities daily or weekly. - NOTE: the initial email will contain everything on the market that meets your search criteria.

By leveraging other people's money, you can amplify your investment returns and accelerate your portfolio growth.Debt financing allows you to buy properties with a smaller initial investment and use the property's income to pay off the loan.

We renovate our rentals so I'm not afraid to ask for high rent (at least initially). 

I am eager to start but can't get around the glaring issue of not having initial capital so I was wondering if there are any methods you guys would use to raise capital if you were in my shoes or is it just time to put my head down and put in long hours? 

The remaining gap I’m working to complete is up to ~$35,000 to cover the down payment, closing costs, and initial carry alongside the first-position hard money loan.I’ve contributed $5,000 of my own funds into escrow already.