To-be investor looking for starting out advice

[Jon Wimmer]

Hey BP!

My name is Jon and I have been lurking around the site for about half a year now. I got interested in investing in general after basically googling "how do people get rich" I think haha. That led me to real estate investing and then listening to the BiggerPockets podcast while working all last summer. I have attended two meetups hosted by Deren Huang here in Tulsa and really enjoy meeting and listening to locals stories! My main goal right now is to achieve early financial freedom. I will start this by doing househacking in either a single family with friends or a small multi.

Here is where I have a question, right now I am in my final semester to receive my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University. I will graduate without any student debt or any other debt for that matter. I would also like to mention that I am a frugal person; enjoying Set For Life by Scott Trench so far. What I want to know is if I should be looking to move somewhere like Texas where my income will not be taxed; plus engineers seem to make more in Texas generally. I am not sure if Texas is a good idea because of the high property tax. I do not know the Tulsa Oklahoma all to well anyhow so there seems to be little reason for me to spend time learning this market if I can begin learning others now.

[Samy Kahoul]

Hi Jon,

Please don't move to another city for tax reasons, it doesn't make any sense specially early on in your career. Rather, focus on finding the industry/job you would have no issue waking up in the morning to go to. 

"Employees don't quit their job, they quit their boss" / Look for an environment where you can learn and get responsibilities. Personally, my first job was with a small trading firm, the salary wasn't great however I got opportunity to rotate different job roles + exposure to senior employees mentoring which in a big firm I would have never gotten, it was a priceless experience. the next job I took in the same industry but a bigger firm, I had an edge over the other employees because of that experience. 

So I would recommend to focus on the opportunity to learn, then the money will come. If you chase the money, it will never come. Money chases knowledge/expertise. 

Its great that you are already thinking of RE investment early on in your career, as someone said previously, try to build your assets on the side, till one day you can eventually jump ship and do it full time.

Best of luck :)