Getting started from Seattle, Washington (WA)!

[Mike C.]

Hi all! I’m a 24 year old aerospace engineer and flight instructor in the Seattle area.

I’m originally from Rhode Island, went to college at Purdue in Indiana, and have been working in Seattle full-time since 2012.

I recently made my first step into real estate by buying a condo in South Lake Union. During that process, I came across the BP community, and I’m eager to dive into learning more about real estate investing!

At this point, I’m primarily interested in buy and hold investing. It seems that most of the options for multi-family residences in and around Seattle are not affordable for me, so I’m trying to understand what my options are and if I should consider out-of-state or areas in WA far from Seattle (or in Oregon). Multi-family residences and vacation rental properties have piqued my interest the most so far.

At some point, I will want to rent my condo, but I would like to start buying properties in the meantime before I’m ready to move. (I’m kind of kicking myself now for not being aware of the “house hacking” concept touted on here.)

I would like to grow a portfolio and cash flow as fast as I can while holding down my full-time job. I’m working on a quantitative goal, but it seems hard to pin down exactly what will be possible until I start getting my feet wet and crunching the numbers.

Anyway, thanks for reading through! Like with flying, in real estate it sounds like there will be endless opportunities to keep learning. I look forward to meeting and talking with everyone, especially if you’re local or in a similar situation!

Regards,

Mike Catalfamo