Feedback Welcome: My Current Plan and Goals

[Keaton Roberson]

Hi BP Community,

I have recently become serious about taking my next steps in Real Estate and I am hoping that I can get advice and feedback from others in the industry on my ideas and current plan. This is very rough and quick to the point. Any advice/ criticism is welcome.

Background:

Recent college graduate with a degree in Fiance working in Atlanta as a financial analyst with a good steady income. 

Graduated with a substantial amount of student loan debt that I plan to get rid of before venturing out into any sort of investments. (Not of a fan of any consumer/ non-mortgage / asset-backed debt)

Growing My Knowledge:

I am now in the learning process. I just graduated college and I am planning to have my student loans completely paid in full next October where I will then have my personal finances in order to begin my investing. I am actively reading as many books as I can get my hands on while listening to podcasts on my commute to work and utilizing all the tools on BP available. I plan to participate actively on the forums to absorb as much information as possible withing the next year to year and a half while I am learning.

Where I need some advice is: how exactly to begin learning where I will eventually want to invest in the Atlanta area and begin focusing on trends that I am seeing in that community? I am currently unaware of how to see what houses are selling for since I am not a realtor. Can I reach out to a realtor/ will they be willing to help me if I don't plan to buy for another year or so?

Taking Action:

My plan to eventually enter the market will be searching for a multifamily that I will owner occupy one of the units to lower/cover my monthly living expenses. While house hacking my plan is:

• Live on current salary and continue to invest in my real estate portfolio with my income monthly.
• I will not touch the NOI produced from any investments to let me portfolio compound and grow over time.
• Ideally will be focusing on the multi-family market in Atanta to begin with.
• I have worked in student housing property management and love the numbers on student rentals
  • Eventually would like to own properties in the Statesboro / Athens communities as they have large student rental needs
• Eventually I am hoping that my rental income will replace my currently income and I can take on rentals full time and continue to grow my portfolio.

I realize that this may seem like an extremely elementary plan, however this has been my plan since my sophomore year in high school. I am looking to gain any advice in getting more knowledgeable about my market and any tips on getting started in general. 

Thanks in advance BPers!

Keaton