Newbie from Jersey City, NJ Relocating to Los Angeles

[Santiago Araujo]

Hi All, 

My name is Santiago Araujo, everyone calls me Santi though. I am a touring musician on the road to success with my band. I have worked hard for years looking to save up and invest in something. Within the past 7 months or so I have been put on to REI (thanks @Brandon Turner and Bigger Pockets) and have been reading REI books, blogs, forums, websites and listening to many podcasts to educate myself thoroughly.

I currently live in the NYC area Jersey City, NJ but am relocating to Los Angeles in a couple months. Needless to say I will not begin in real estate investing in the local LA market. I have the goal of accumulating a long distance Buy and Hold portfolio of positive cash flowing properties managed by local property management. Currently I am researching 3-4 markets to do so (Atlanta, Indianapolis, Memphis...) 

My long term goals are to create passive monthly income from the positive cash flow, gain equity and be able to use leverage to grow and expand my portfolio and accumulate wealth. I have always been a renter since entering my college career in Boston 2001. I have moved on average every 2 years. Since living in Boston I have lived in Philadelphia (where i grew up) and NYC area (Astoria, Queens and Jersey City) Every time I have been the one to find the apartment.

I researched the areas, rental inventory, compared prices and have learned a lot as a tenant which I now realized has passively taught me a lot about REI. I would like to connect with long distance investors here on Bigger Pockets, potentially some in NYC area for now and in LA in the future so I can gain some knowledge and learn from their experience.

I am so thrilled that there is a place like Bigger Pockets that allows investors to connect. I have to say that since stumbling onto REI, I am amazed at the enthusiasm and 'pay it forward' attitude most if not all Real Estate Investors have. This is certainly a community I am happy to join in and be a part of. Thank you to anyone taking the time to read this and Thanks in advance for any comments or replies left on this discussion post. Hope everyone is well and that you are making some great deals!

-Santi Araujo