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!

[Dave Van Horn]

I actually just sort of touched on this in my post on the other recent thread about how my education shaped my investing habits:

https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/450...

It's funny, I went from having a day job and dying to become a Real Estate Investor. To becoming a full time Real Estate Investor.....back to opening my own Real Estate business, and having a full time day job again! Hey, at least this time, it's as CEO!

[Kim Lisa Taylor]

What a fantastic question! And what a diverse and interesting group of people with which to share ideas.

I'm a California professional geologist in addition to being a real estate securities attorney and real estate investor. I currently own 2 SF rental properties and am a manager of a 27-unit syndicated apartment complex. I spent 15 years as an environmental consultant/geologist before becoming a lawyer. Geology, hiking, camping and the great outdoors are still my passions. 

[Christopher Schmidt]

I am an information services manager at one of the major hospitals in the Greenville SC area and enjoy what I do, but have been trying to invest for long term freedom as well (in case I don't enjoy it anymore) :)  Congrats on the 1st purchase!

Chris

[Gus Tsesmeloglou]

Chris, hey man that sounds like a great job, but certainly one that, if you weren't there actually working, you would not collect the income. You're doing a wise thing investing in real estate, sir. 

Gus

[Deadrick Colbert]

I'm a financial analyst for a hospital.

[Harvey Hilgendorf]

I do freelance type of work, estimating or project manager in construction. Recently I made these available as well...

[John Beiler]

I left my last W9 job 10 years ago to start a commercial construction company. Oddly enough I don't often use my own construction company in the rehab process. Primarily because my guys are more suited for commercial construction. I got into RE shortly thereafter mostly for the tax benefits. I flip some however my goals have shifted to more buy and hold. Love RE and plan to be involved to some degree the rest of my life. I differ a lot from most of the stories on here. I am a high school dropout. My business and Re education came from read read read. I love reading anything business or RE related including this site. Great discussion.

[Teresa A. Brady]

@Ronald Ruiz I go to work a little earlier and read while quiet. My Plan is to save 10k cash to add to a down payment, and purchase a rental property late this year or mid 2018. The key is definitely educating yourself.

[Teresa A. Brady]

@Kyle Grimm I work as an Admin for the Feds currently. It is not the best position-grunt grunt, but glad to have work. I have worked in retail, banking, fast food, and was a flashlight cop for a split second. Planning RE investing for retirement. 

[Account Closed]

@Kyle Grimm

I have read what is now 15 pages of this forum and what a damn great topic for a forum, kudos!

My day job is working as a mechanical, manufacturing, integration engineer for the company of Raytheon for 2 years now and prior to that 4 years at General Dynamics. I used to be a Lieutenant and certified driver as a volunteer firefighter (which simple just doesn't pay) while working at GD in New Jersey before moving to the state of Massachusetts. 

My day job has about 2-1/2 years left before I find another full-time job that feels more meaningful to me. I'm looking to create and diversify my financial freedom instead of fully depending on a job that could lay me off the next day in an extremely competitive job market and relying on a defined contribution retirement plan which depends how well the stock market is doing. Currently looking at a buy and hold strategy out of state. I do enjoy coming on to these forums to connect with others to provide advice as well as to receive it as I learn more and more everyday. 

[Mario Brown]

I broker new residential construction. (real estate agent to the builders) 

[Chris Torres]

Cool topic besides real estate we do some network marketing keep us busy while looking for deals.

[Jason Timmerman]

I am a full time attorney for the State of New Jersey.  I also umpire USABL and high school baseball and softball. 

[Odie Ayaga]

My title says Scientist for Johnson & Johnson but it would probably be more accurate if it said "Problem Solver/Guy Who Gets Stuff Done" :)

[Shawn Ackerman]

Interesting thread.

[Austin Hendrickson]

CPA in Minneapolis. Grew up doing concrete and various other construction related jobs. Definitely an interesting topic and lets people know that most real estate investors have day jobs as well!

[Waverly Rennie]

Public health consultant working all over in Africa, Asia and Latin America for the last 30 years, mostly living in Africa (Madagascar, Tanzania, Eritrea, Togo, Mali, etc. and a truly awful stretch in Somalia for UNICEF in 1993 - anybody see "Black Hawk Down"?) Although I have loved my career, and had years of relatively tax-free income while living overseas, I really wanted a change of interior brain decor. So now I am having a blast learning about REI and developing a STVR portfolio (which is lucrative but takes lots of work) to help replace my public health consulting income. Have ended up doing some development/new construction kinda by accident, and hope to do a few flips, but plan to end up with a more hands-off approach so we can do more traveling as we are in our late fifties/sixties. Plus I want to buy some of @Mindy Jensen's quilting supplies.

great thread, so interesting to see where people's lives have lead them!

[Vincent Chau]

Originally posted by @Jonathan Azoulai:

I practice Emergency Medicine in Miami, Florida @ the University of Miami Hospital.

I love my job and honestly if ... no... when I know my family has the financial security (cash flow) to support our modest lifestyle I will continue to do this job until I am physically unable to!

I am in real estate because I want to have the ability to go to work on my terms.  

I want to be able to focus on providing the best patient care possible without having to worry about seeing a certain number of patient's per hour and without having to worry about anything other than delivering the most compassionate and best damn Emergency Medical care to every one of my patients every single day.

 I completely agree! Even if I had all the money in the world, I would continue to practice medicine and serve my patients. It is great to see someone with a similar background on this forum. I am actually a new graduate physician assistant starting in emergency medicine also hoping to start my rei journey. I'm waiting for hospital credentialing right now and reading Brandon Turner's book. I worry that I will not be able to be the best provider if I divert my attention to real estate and vice versa. Do you have any advice on keeping up with effective practice while learning real estate investing?

[Jonathan Azoulai]

First the obvious. Everyone's situation is different right?

I have found that I am constantly trying to balance home life, work life and this new desire to continue trying to reach our passive income goals through real estate.  

General Advice is try to be mentally present whenever you are doing something. When you are clinical. BE CLINICAL when you are doing REI, DO REI. Dont be doing one thing and thinking about another.

One real piece of advice is to always ask patients what they do (or did if they are retired).  You will find people in every walk of life, including the real estate space, and you will begin to see your patients as real people which will make you want to treat them better!  A win win :-) 

[Shaugn Lindley]

I am in tech sales and use my commission to accumulate more properties.  Like a lot of other BP members have said, your W2 does wonders when going the conventional financing route. 

[Kris Klark]

Here's maybe your weirdest response. I live and work at a Buddhist retreat center in rural Northern California. I mainly work in a foundry making bronze castings of both original and replica art, which I then golf plate via electro plating.

[Jay Hinrichs]

Originally posted by @Kris Klark:

Here's maybe your weirdest response. I live and work at a Buddhist retreat center in rural Northern California. I mainly work in a foundry making bronze castings of both original and replica art, which I then golf plate via electro plating.

Are you at the one in Benmore valley up between Hopland and Clear lake or maybe the one that is out closer to the Sonoma coast.. I see the one out by the coast when I fly up from Santa Rosa .. sitting up there on the ridge line..

[Travis C.]

banker.

[Kenneth Garrett]

I am a Building Code and Zoning Consultant.  Teach building code classes across the country, Review commercial and residential architectural plans for code compliance and inspect all phases of construction.  I enjoy what I do and one day I will have the choice to walk away.  In the meantime, real estate investing is my second job.  Twelve properties so far. 

[Kris Klark]

@Jay Hinrichs

I'm at the one you've seen from the sky.  It's called Odiyan.  We get lots of flyovers, it's a pretty awesome place.