New guy starting out in Torrance, California

[Brandon Snyder]

Hey everyone, my name is Brandon, and it's great to be here!  

I'm really looking forward to learning a lot, to meet some great people, and to change my life. 

From 2004 until 2012 I taught English as a second language in Japan and Korea.  I spent five years in Japan and three in South Korea.  In August of 2012, I returned to the states, and moved to California to pursue a freelance writing career.

I'm not married, no kids, and I have a girlfriend.  Currently  I reside in Torrance California just six miles East from Manhattan Beach.

I've looked at the guidelines on how to make an introductory post, and I think that the best way for me to do it is to ask myself questions and then answer them.  So here we go!

1. Why are you here?

My current lifestyle is not getting me the results I want.  When the life you lead becomes unbearable, it's time to make a change.  I don't like struggling to pay my rent and bills.  I want a lifestyle where it's easy to live within my means and want for nothing.  

Of course this leaves the question, why real estate?  

A year and a half ago, I attended a Rich Dad/Poor Dad free seminar.  It sounded like a lot of shortcuts, but still, it got me interested.  

So I picked up a good book on flipping houses called, "Flip: How to  Find, Fix, and Sell Houses for Profit" by Rick Villani and Clay Davis.  I found I was able to follow it, and even hold a semi-intelligent conversation on the subject.  So I thought, maybe it's possible.  But then life happened, and I got wrapped up in my freelance writing and editing career.  

Like I said before, my current lifestyle is not getting me the results I want, so it's time for a change.

2. What do you intend to get out of biggerpockets.com?

The resources I have may be a little outdated, so I want to learn up-to-date information on how to succeed in real estate.   I want the freedom to ask any question, no matter how dumb, or basic, or how self-evident the answer should be.  

I also want to network with other like-minded individuals who are just starting out and who are further down the road.  Together, we can build a stable future for ourselves!

So I guess that's about it.  I'm looking forward to learning a lot, and networking with good people, and I hope that BiggerPockets can help me change my life!

[Ali Boone]

Great intro! It caught my eye because you live in Torrance... I'm just north of you up in Venice. Been to Torrance plenty of times and definitely pass by it en route to Long Beach.

Sounds like you have a great mindset to get started! You know, people can knock Rich Dad all day long, but I know he's the reason I got into this biz (and survived in it) and I think he is the reason for a lot more people getting into as well!