Rookie from Northwest GA - Dalton, Georgia

[Derek Cerentano]

Greeting BP community. I have spent several hours searching the site, and I applaud this online community for being so eager to assist aspiring investors. Enough about my admiration; I'll move on to my introduction.

About Me: My name is Derek Cerentano, and I am a true rookie, with only one rental property. My wife and I rent out a condo that we formerly lived in. Unfortunately it doesn't generate monthly income; we break even only.

What I Do: I am just starting out, so I currently work my day job/career as a Senior Writer for the largest carpet manufacturer in the world. This is convenient when it comes time to replace flooring. That aside, currently I am in the learning phase of my real estate investing adventure. As a researcher and writer, I know I must do my due diligence before I can truly be successful. I am trying to keep than in mind as I battle my impatience.

My Goals: My goals include buying and holding multi-family units, because these properties do well in my market. I will also look for single family properties in established neighborhoods. Ultimately I want to generate enough monthly income to exceed my current career income. I am not looking to real estate to be my get rich quick solution, but rather I expect it to take time and determination to achieve my goals. Final note on goals: I am not opposed to doing some flips in order to gain funds. And I believe my market might be approaching such a state that flipping is wise. There is little inventory and demand is rising. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a good time to find a run down place, renovate it, and sell it for a bigger profit???

I discovered BP by chance as I began searching the almighty Internet for knowledge. I am very fortunate to have discovered this site. I feel it is imperative that I stay connected with this community in order to keep my passion and determination alive. I am not doing this simply for me, but rather I begin this journey in order to create the best possible life for my infant son. It is my promise to stay active on this site, even if it takes me a year or more to buy a new property. Though I hope with the advice I will receive here it doesn't take me more than a year.

If you took the time to read this, I sincerely thank you. Please don't hesitate to ask me anything that you feel I needed to share.