New (and pretty green) Investor Here! Hello Everyone!

[Michelle Coombs]

Hello Bigger Pockets Community!

My name is Michelle Coombs and I’m a very green aspiring Real Estate Investor! I’m currently residing in Chillicothe, OH while I complete an Internship at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center here. I purchased a home here that I will be turning into a rental property once I leave (assuming I can find a good property manager out here!).

After that, I will be returning to the Maryland area where I consider my “real” home to be! I had originally purchased a home in Frederick, MD that I thought I would be staying in for quite some time – I suppose that’s why God laughs when you make plans! Because after living there for 11 months, I was moved to Chillicothe for one year. So that home has also been converted into a rental property which will remain that way for a while! And that is how I ended up getting into Real Estate Investing!

I’m very grateful for the way things have worked out so far – I am falling deeply and madly in love with Real Estate Investing and hope to make this a full-time career in the next 5-6 years! My “main” game plan will likely be to buy-and-hold, although I love the idea of mixing in some fix-and-flips to get some initial startup capital and “boosts” as I might need it. Truthfully, I’m open to anything though! Right now, I’m finishing my PhD in Clinical Psychology (expected graduation in July 2015). I love the work that I do – it is meaningful and impactful. I love working with active duty service members and Veterans. But I realize that it is highly unlikely I’m going to build true wealth from that avenue. So my hope is that by building wealth in Real Estate Investing, I can pursue whole-heartedly (and without fear!) the things that I believe would be most healing to our Country’s heroes without the constraints of a 9-5 job.

Overall, I’m very excited to start meeting others who have “been there, done that” and hopefully follow in their footsteps! I’m a very timid starter. I am the type of person who does waaaaay more research and reading than I probably need to do. But I love learning and I want to make sure I do things right (although I am open to making some marginal mistakes!).

I am so grateful to be on this forum and to start meeting many of you!

Warmly,
Michelle Coombs