New to Real Estate, but not to Business - located in NYC but researching New Jersey and Connecticut markets

[Kyle MacDonald]

Howdy, I'm Kyle MacDonald one of the many potential new REI's to the forum. My background is in technology - both as a software engineer and as a business owner. I've successfully started up a few different online businesses with one major success; a marketing company that recently sold to an extremely fast growing media company.

I'm looking to take my improved capital position and my love for creating business systems to real estate investing to grow my wealth long-term. I've been known to truly dive directly into new learning opportunities like I did with computer programming and consume as much information that I possibly can which obviously lead me here to BP. 

I arrive with a bit of a conundrum that I'd love to test out the BP community on... While I'm currently located in Brooklyn, NY, I'm not very interested in Brooklyn as my first farm for investing. I recognize the market to not only be expensive to start but also filled with sharks. I'm also not currently sold on NYC as my long-term residence which makes my decision on where to start investing a bit of a difficult decision. 

In my research, experts have made it clear to invest in the area in which you're located but that doesn't seem to be a good option for me. Here's a little more background: I'm originally from Connecticut (New Haven County) and know that area best but don't see myself going back there to live long-term but I still would be willing to invest there. I've also been eyeing New Jersey (Hunterdon County) and Pennsylvania (Bucks County) as potential long-term living locations for myself and have even been a passive real-estate observer of those areas for a year or so now as part of my research. I'm not sure where I should take my first step (or whether it really matters too much). 

Given what I've laid out, I'd love to hear some impressions from you folks but I'd also love just friendly "hello" and welcome. Thanks for taking the time - here's to seeing you on the forums or at the closing table in the future.