Literally any advice to getting started would be appreciated.

[Kenneth Johnson]

Hello all. I'm a 20 year old male in the Austin/Manor TX area, and I really want to start investing in real estate. I've known about real estate for a little bit now but I barely started learning up on it a few days ago. However, from the stories I've heard it so far, sounds like it can lead me to the life I want for my future if I play my cards right. My problem right now is: I don't really have any cards to play. I don't work a high paying job, I have no savings due to some financial irresponsibility on my part and I'm barely starting to get my finances back on track, and seeing as how I barely started educating myself by listening to podcasts about REI, I don't really have the skills or knowledge necessary to pull anything off quite yet. I first thought about starting with flipping, but from what I've heard I think I've changed course to maybe trying to house hack with a multi-family home? I really wish I could meet someone that could mentor me through this and help me learn the ropes without having to take all these big risks alone, but for now I'd settle for any advice you guys have that could help me out. Podcast, videos, or even book recommendations or some general advice on steps to take to get started. I really want to jump on something within the next year or two because I know the longer I wait the less my portfolio can grow and the longer it will take to reach that financial freedom and being able to take control of my time to be able to do the things I really want to do. And I know its possible for someone with no capital like me, I'm just not sure how. But anyway, thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this! (And thank you in advance to those that send advice!)

[Evan Polaski]

@Kenneth Johnson, as eager as you are to get started, the best thing you can do it increase your earnings.  I am not saying you have to find a way to get a $100k/yr job, although that wouldn't hurt, but a stable W2 salary is going to help a lot. 

Especially if you are going to house hack, if you earn $50k salary on a W2, you can likely buy about a $200k house (yes you need savings for down payment, so that ramen life, keeping the college, paid off car, and living at home, if possible, or with as many roommates as you can find will all help).  

Work a second and third job if needed.  Anything you can do on the side is best.  And if you want to be in real estate, while I normally don't tell people they should get their license to be an investor, if you are a good marketer and networker, getting a license can be a good way to pocket some extra money on weekends and evenings, while learning a thing or two about real estate.  Alternatively, construction is a great field to get into.  The more you know about what is involved in renovations and repairs, the better suited you will be to take on any project.

But, real estate is capital intensive.  The more you show on your paystubs, the more lenders will approve you to borrow and the faster your savings will grow.  Early on, like any investments, it is all about spending as little as possible while earning as much as possible.  Skip the vacations, skip eating out with friends.  Go on hikes instead of football games. Real estate, and investing in general, is like a snowball.  It is about compounding your returns, reinvesting, and continuing to grow.