Real estate investing for felons

[Pierce Dandridge]

Hello, I've  been convicted of a bank fraud felon on April 2011. Im have completed my sentence (17 months) and Im no longer on probation (supervise release). 

How can I invest in real estate so I can really get my life back on track. Im a busser at a upscale restaurant near Sacramento, CA and I work for a temp agency when needed. Im trying to avoid getting another job to save up money. My income is about $2000/month and of course I have bills and horrible credit.

Any suggestions would be great, thanks!

[Trevor Ewen]

@Pierce Dandridge

Welcome to BP. Unfortunately our economy is not particularly friendly to people with criminal records. For my part, I think this is shame, because everyone deserves a second chance. Furthermore, you want to work, so it's terrible to let that go to waste.

I would recommend getting involved on the contracting and property management side of the biz. You can throw your time into the mix, and not have to put up a lot of money. I imagine for the first few years, this will be actual work, and much less investing. Eventually, after establishing a track record, start to take a piece of the deal(s) that come through. If your reliable, investors will be happy to give you a taste.

Your record will make people do further due diligence when working with you. However, given time, you can develop trust and work directly with investors who need a pro, if you want to be that pro.