Thinking About Investing in Real Estate? Take 5 Tips From a Pro

With home prices and mortgage rates surfing the bottom of the real estate trough, it's no surprise that folks with money to spend are jumping into the investment market. According to a recent study by Move.com, real estate investors are buying three houses for every one house bought by someone for their personal use. And it's a trend that's likely to continue for the foreseeable future. So AOL Real Estate invited the experts from BiggerPockets blog to help our readers understand the opportunities--and pitfalls--around real estate investing.In this column, veteran investor Michael Zuber explains what he would do if he were starting out today.

The very first thing I would do is get down on my knees and thank my lucky stars to be beginning my investment career at absolutely the best time of our lifetime. Remember, fortunes are made by investing at depressed levels and at the bottom or near bottom of cycles.