Hello!

[James Judge]

Happy Friday!   New to BP and have learned a bunch from the articles and forums already! 46 y.o. medical professional and RN wife in Wake Forest, NC.  We have been looking for the last several months on a rehab, buy to hold, type property in Durham, NC; and have a studio apartment at our primary residence that we are preparing to list. 

Looking for cash flow and equity for the long term. We are enthusiastic about Durham, it is a growing urban area with potential. 

We are just under contract with a SFH and will be setting up an inspection as the next step.

It is in the city, moderate crime area, but rehabbing is happening all around the area. We have GC'd two homes ourselves and with family, are capable of most repairs/work  ourselves. 

Anyway....wanted to say Hi and thanks for the knowledge that is found in this website.

Peace.

[Kenneth Hynes]

Welcome @James Judge 

BP is a great resource. Full of great tips and reads. There is a alot of great information and contacts that also do the buy and hold / rehabbing strategy you are looking to do.  One tip that I picked up here is while you are starting out and saving money for your investments, start driving / visiting areas you would like to invest in so you get a feel for prices, rents , house conditions etc, and visit and look at lots of homes and open houses so your eye get used to looking at repairs / upgrades that are normal in a particular market. I really dont think you can look at too many properties, and the more you look, the more knowledge you will gain for that market

Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast- A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice. And you get the benefit of having over 80 past ones to catch up on.

Read some of these books ; personal favorites are the McAvoy books

http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/04/14/best-real-estate-books/