WHO ARE YOU? What do you do besides real estate?

[Kyle Grimm]

Hello BP nation! 

My question for BP nation is what is your day job? Although we would love to be, most of us are not yet full time investors.  

As I grow older and try to figure out the direction of my career, I love hearing the stories of other successful real estate investors and how they got there.  I am currently...struggling... at my day job (100% commission insurance salesman) and dream of finding a job I can enjoy while I slowly grow my real estate portfolio. 

So BP... What is your day job and what does your life look like trying to work it while you grow your investing career? 

Ready...GO!

[Jason G.]

I am an attorney for a major insurance carrier and my girlfriend is a director of the research department at a non-profit.  Due to our salaries and lack of debt we are able to put aside a significant amount of money to fund our real estate investing.  We are planning on remaining in our respective fields until we can retire from the income generated from our real estate holdings.

[Andy Hill]

CPA by trade.  I work in healthcare finance.

[Autumn Webb]

Former Police Officer in Atlanta. Currently an International Police Advisor for the United Nations and part time investor. I deploy to unstable countries in support of the UN. I've traveled to more than several countries to date. Great experience, I love it! 

[Eric G.]

@Kyle Grimm

I'm a Detective from Baltimore and recently closed on my first two unit property. I've been with my agency for 3 years and work 80-85 hours a week. The ability to work overtime really helps to generate cash for future deals. Lastly, i'm looking for an investor friendly Accountant in the Baltimore area. If anyone has a recommendation please give me a shout.

[Jeff Dimmler]

Hello BP!

I just started my real estate venture by purchasing my first property this past July!  I am 26 years old working as a Health and PE teacher in PA and I really enjoy it.  We actually have a high and low ropes course on campus so I show kids how to get out of their shell and try new things.  Many of the students I teach have never rock climbed or gone on a hike so it is very rewarding to see them succeed and enjoy new things.

I don't make a whole lot (only 2nd year teaching in a private school) so I decided to purchase my first property as soon as I could.  I got on here towards the beginning of 2017 and learned so much!  I found myself on here and realtor.com almost everyday until I found the right place in the area I wanted.  I plan on continuing to teach for a long time and investing whenever I can.  I would live to purchase my next property within the next year, hopefully a multifamily this time!  Lots to think about with where I want to go, either stay in the same area and house hack, or straight up buy an investment property near Philly area.

[Sara K.]

I am a stay-at-home mom! I often wonder if I'm the only one on BP. 

My husband works for a brokerage firm/bank, on the corporate side. 

[Jennifer Preddy Egbert]

I am a luxury agent in Boulder, CO so I basically live, eat and breathe the business. I own a couple properties, am rebuilding a midcentury modern home and will continue to fortify my real estate portfolio; mostly longer holds. I have a 7 year old and a giant wolf dog names Astrid. I basically parent, sell used homes to millionaires and billionaires and play in the mountains, go to museums and rock shows. 

[Ned Carey]

@Eric G. I use and recommend Jeff Stoller from Goodwich Stoller and Associates. He know real estate and gives very good service.

[Chris M.]

I build and maintain communications towers in Texas. I do a lot of work for Verizon Wireless. Recently just got back from the Texas coast, working on getting their cell towers and cell service working properly again.

I'm here learning as much as I can about REI, should be ready to purchase my first house hack property next year. Nice to meet everyone !

[Eric G.]

Originally posted by @Ned Carey:

@Eric G. I use and recommend Jeff Stoller from Goodwich Stoller and Associates. He know real estate and gives very good service.

 Thanks, Ned. I understand you own and manage quite a few properties. Would he still be beneficial to me being as though I only have two units at the moment?

[Ned Carey]

@Eric G. I have used him since I had one property.  Once you own property and or a business, your taxes become more complex.  Do you know how to calculate depreciation? Did you know that even it you don't declare the depreciation you are entitled to when you sell your property, it will be taxable gain?  Just one little mistake can cost you more that paying the accountant do your taxes for you. 

[Robert Burciul]

I work full time supportimg people with special needs and I also do landscaping on the side. 

[Nicole A.]

My normal day job is as a Technical Writer. I love it because it's flexible, great people, and great pay.

[Brandy Horkey]

I am a project manager for a major telecom services company.  While I make a great salary, I am growing tired of the stress that comes along with the position.  About a year ago, I started learning about tax certificates and bought a few with some "play money".  I picked up a couple dozen, low cost certs with various criteria.  Many have already been redeemed(yay!) and I have several more pending.  Since they were such a low cost, if they never get redeemed, it's really no big loss.  But it served my purpose of learning about the process and making some money along the way.  I plan to continue bidding on certs but my criteria will be much more focused next year now that I know what will and will not work for me.

Fast forward to the present, I am now looking to get into some actual investing. My goal is to invest in enough rental properties through tax auctions that I can feasibly quit my job in 5-10 years, well before the standard retirement age.  I am open to going the conventional route with houses on the general market, but I've found a great market to buy in so I am going to pursue it for now. And no, I am not using the same philosophy I did with the tax certs(buy and learn).  I have spent months reading, researching and learning everything I can before I actually place that first bid.  

Putting up cell phone towers is a very rewarding thing to do and it makes me proud to know that what I do affects millions of people every day but the stress can be overwhelming and as I grow older, I see the value in passive income and what it can do for me and my family. The prospect of getting into the real estate investment world is scary to say the least, but I am looking forward to learning more and will always take any good advise that comes my way.

[Tony Whitaker]

Plant Operations Manager

[Julius Taylor]

I work full time as a software developer and I also do a fair amount of freelance dev work for various businesses. So I suppose I'm a developer by day...and by night. I plan on using the funds I've been able to save up from my freelance gigs and a bit of crytpo trading to fund my REI.

[Chris Connery]

I work for a Fortune 500 company selling outsourced payroll/HR services to small companies <50 employees. Nice salary, lots of commission potential, work/life balance is VERY good. I do not enjoy the work and am doing everything I can in RE to not have to rely on that income.

[Kevin Co]

I’m a software quality assurance professional and work in the video game industry, after 15 years doing this I’ve been around the world, lived in 3 countries, and managed departments as large as 300+ On the side I also have a small ATM business that is a pretty decent cash flow business.

I've been researching REI for more than a year now and expect to buy my first SFH early next year.

[PJ Kolnik]

I work as a civil engineer for a utility engineering consultant. I'm just starting in real estate, working on closing my first three flat here in Chicago.

[Joel F.]

I am an auditor at my day job. Part time developer in Dominican Republic. And building my rental portfolio in the USA.