Starting My Real Estate Journey – Seeking Insights & Connections!

[Jay Ochoa]

Hey everyone!

Hope you’re all doing well and making strides toward your financial goals!

I’m at the starting line of my real estate and financial freedom journey. I own a home in the San Fernando Valley and recently pulled a $200K HELOC for investment purposes. But to be honest, I’ve hit some roadblocks and lost momentum—procrastination, high interest rates, soaring home prices, and low inventory, blah, blah, blah.. lol—have all played a role.

I’ve been using Redfin, Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com to search, and I recently discovered BiggerPockets after attending a local realtor event. My goal with this post is to connect with experienced investors and professionals who can share insights, strategies, and opportunities to help me take the next step.

I’m currently looking at Southern California, Arizona, and Texas (Houston & Dallas) with a target of 8-10% ROI. But I’ll admit, I’m hesitant about out-of-state investing since I’m unfamiliar with rental markets in those areas. Being a dad of 3, a soccer coach, working a full-time job, and being a full-time student can make getting away a little challenging. For those of you in SoCal, you know how tough this market is!

I’d love to hear your thoughts—any advice, encouragement, or knowledge drops that can help me get the ball rolling would be greatly appreciated

[Aaron Ameen]

Hey Jay—appreciate the transparency here. Balancing work, family, school, and trying to get into real estate is no small feat, especially in SoCal where finding cash flow is like searching for a unicorn.

You’re already ahead of the game just by lining up capital and doing the research. That said, I’ve been down a similar road—working full-time, raising a family, and slowly building a portfolio across three states. What helped me break through was:

– Focusing on one market and building a local team before chasing the next “hot” area. Out-of-state investing works, but only if you treat it like a business and plan for the extra friction.
– Getting real about my actual time availability—I had to choose systems and partners that didn’t rely on me being hands-on.
– Being patient with capital deployment. A $200K HELOC is powerful, but it's also a trap if you rush. Wait for the deal that fits your model—not someone else’s.

I now spend part of my time helping others navigate the same challenges, especially when it comes to out-of-state investing and avoiding some of the early mistakes I made. Feel free to DM me—happy to share some resources and what’s worked for me.