More than just a Newbie - Just outside San Francisco California

[Steve Preston]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Steve, I am a Computer Programmer living in Marin just outside San Francisco.

You are going to find me probably even more hard work than most Newbies because I am originally from England and have only been here in the CA for the last four years. So not only is the Real Estate game new to me - so is the entire process of buying a house in California (or any other State for that matter) and all the laws and terminology... You would think things would be somewhat similar but nope, nothing in life is so simple! 

I have always fancied buying houses to renovate and then re-sell (obviously at a profit :). I am also open to the idea of purchasing to renovate and rent out long term as a form of secondary income. I have a third option - a renovation property in a holiday / vacation location for short term rentals and personal use...

After playing with the idea, doing a bit of research and eventually finding and delving around in the State Controllers Office. I found the Public Auctions by County and had a good look around **********, I can see that there are some interesting properties and land parcels going up for auction (though I really don't have much interest in land). I also found my way to the HUD site, though I think that the County auctions would be my preferred route.

My problem is now understanding the process and the pitfalls - which is how I found Bigger Pockets (and a wealth of resources it is! Thank you!).

This is not a 'get rich quick' type of venture, i'm not the type of guy that believes in anything other than lots of hard work to make any kind of money. I am here because I fully understand that I have a huge learning curve to go through before I even dip my feet into the water. I want to primarily learn and become familiar with the process, the terminology - and the pitfalls.

Please be patient with me and thank you all for being good sports and sharing a wealth of knowledge based on experience.

Best Regards

Steve