New Real Estate Investor in the Bay Area

[Jeffrey Zhou]

Hi all!

I'm a new real estate investor in the Bay Area. I currently work a day-job in tech, a few years out from graduating college at University of Chicago.
After I found the BiggerPockets podcast, I was hooked and wanted to learn more! Now here I am, ready to get started for real.

I'd love to grab coffee with anyone looking to connect in the Bay Area. Full disclosure that I am a total newbie (with a few books under my belt), but very eager to put in the work, learn a ton, get my hands dirty, and give back whatever value I can offer.

In particular, I was hoping to get some help and insights into SF landlord / tenant laws, and things to look out for when buying a property with tenants already living inside. What are some big caveats and important things to note when considering a house-hack / investment opportunity that comes with these strings attached?

Any stories, insights, or suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks!

[Mike Paolucci]

Hey Jeffrey, congrats on taking the first steps in your investing journey. I was born and raised in San Francisco and started investing in 2021 out of state. 

Make sure you attend some local investor meet ups. Those are great ways to get first hand info from investors. As lots of questions and take lots of notes. They'll give you some great information on things to look out for both in property and tenant selection. 

Take your time researching and then once you're comfortable, start trying to identify a market you'd like to invest in. I chose out of state because it was cheaper entry points with positive cashflow from day one. The cashflow won't be life changing right off the bat but it's key to start your investing journey not running a negative (in my opinion.)

Happy to connect and answer any questions you might have.