An Ambitious Beginner

[Michael Nguyen]

I am 17 years old turning 18 in about a month. I've been reading up on the subject of finance and real estate investing through books like Rich Dad Poor Dad. Striving away from the path of college, what would be a good foundation to start on as soon as I turn 18 if I were to begin building a successful real estate business. My long-term goal is to become financially independent through vehicles like rental properties, etc... I have little to no money to start with so I have looked into ideas like wholesaling. I have also considered the idea of looking around for mentors but have hardly had the chance to make those connections, or don't really know how to search for a good one. Credit also seems to be important so I do indeed plan on working on that as soon as I turn 18.

I am currently in Fort Worth, Texas, and open to expanding to markets nearby. The market is growing here so I am assuming where I live has potential for good business. Any feedback would be helpful!

[Cecilia Hagan]

Hi Michael! First of all I just want to say congratulations on starting to educate yourself on real estate investing and putting yourself out there on Bigger Pockets! I wish I had gotten started at your age so you are already on a great track! Building your credit is definitely a great action step that you can layer on top of your education (whether it is college or continuing your reading on REI or a combination of whatever you decide). You can also look into getting a part-time or full-time job related to real estate so that you can start getting some hands on experience, making connections, and earning money for a downpayment. For me personally, there is so much advice and info out there that it caused me to suffer from analysis paralysis which delayed my investing journey. As someone who is just getting started, I would suggest to make sure you are taking consistent actions (no matter how small) that will help you get closer to your first investment property. And also take all advice with a grain of salt... what works for someone else may not work for you and vice versa! I hope this helps!