hello from Burlington, VT. New member looking to buy duplex as first home & investment

[Nicole Carey]

Hello, 

I am new here but have been super into learning as much as I can. The podcasts are so great and I am about to start reading the guide. 

I live in Burlington, Vermont where I make and sell handmade women's clothing and accessories. In addition to that I sell on Etsy and in boutiques around the country. I also purchase supplies wholesale and have a reselling shop which has been great and has allowed me to work for myself full time. (Yay!) 

Introduction:  My husband and I are trying to buy our first home in Chittenden County, Vermont. Ideally we were looking to purchase a single family home outside of Burlington. After doing quite a bit of research I think that buying a duplex would be a great first home for us if we could make it work. Neither of us are too handy unfortunately but I am very open to learning! I am self employed and work from home so my schedule is flexible enough to be a landlord and the timing is right. 

I am currently taking a home buying class with the Champlain Housing Trust and there is a locally offered landlord class which I will be signing up for. They also have free plumbing and electrical workshops which I want to go to. 

Thanks BP for all of the generous information for a newbie to gobble up! 

[Jay Mitiguy]

@Nicole Carey 

Welcome to BP from another Chittenden County native! As I'm sure you've  begun to figure out, BP is a great place for information, resources, mentors, etc and I highly advise spending a lot of on here getting familiar with the site. 

There is also a local REIA group the meets monthly in Burlington. It's a very small group and meetings are hit or miss, but I know with a few more reliable members, the group could be in a much better position. Feel free to PM me if you want more information.

I'm in the process of closing on my first duplex so I have just lived through what you're currently experiencing. All my recent knowledge has come from this site and I wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for BP. We as members of BP are here to help you along the way, so don't be shy!

Good luck and maybe we'll catch up around town.

Jay