College student with big ambitions

[Phoenix Harris]

Hi everyone. I am a student at LSU in Baton Rouge. I am brand new to the bigger pockets community. I have been playing with the idea of real estate for a while now, but I am not sure what my best course of action is as of right now.

I have been reading books and listening to podcasts about real estate for some time now; I listen to the bigger pockets podcast quite frequently. Should I just continue self-education in real estate until I am graduated from college, or is there something else that I can be doing right now to gain real experience? I don't have much money, being that I am in college, but I am familiar with the theory behind doing real estate without much capital (leverage, etc). I was invested in the stock markets in high school and early college, but I have taken most of it out by now to pay for school.

By the way, I am a junior and my subject of study at LSU is geology, which obviously has nothing to do with real estate. I am no business major, but I very well could have been if I didn't want to study rocks.

[Gage Halverson]

Hey @Phoenix Harris this is also a question I have been asking myself as well since I am starting college in September. I have absolutely no experience investing in real estate but I have found that there are two common answers.  

1. Wait until after college so you will have a source of income and you will be living in a place you will stay. 

2. Start during college and do some sort of house hack with FHA loan or conventional loan. These loans usually require some sort of income and/or co signer to qualify so keep that in mind. Something else to keep in mind is whether or not you will be staying your college town or moving away? Will you be managing remotely or selling?

I hope this helps and good luck!