New member from Redmond, Wa

[Rich Gabrio]

Not technically new to the site, but new to posting.....as of today!  Thrilled to be part of the community, and looking forward to sharing and receiving great guidance!

Background:   I grew up with a passion for Real Estate, nurtured by an underlying fatherly influence that until 3 years ago, had developed into nothing more than a passive interest and a dream that would likely never be realized professionally.

At 10, I wanted to build homes like my father. As a teen, the dreams of that 10 year old were being tucked away in the back of my brain in lieu of jobs that provided steady income and generous benefits. Yet, I have always recalled and admired how my father called his own shots, and as I later realized, through his accumulation of real estate intellect and experience garnered as an independent builder, he successfully shifted his focus exclusively towards the accrual of real-estate assets that served him comfortably for the rest of his life.

Having matured professionally in high tech corporate America, I conversely was conditioned to perceive that my only realistic option for acting on my real estate passion, was to seek out cross industry opportunities as a prospective employee within the real estate segment. I struggled to find the right fit.

This all changed in the Spring of 2011. Motivated by the desire to invest the modest sum of cash I held in savings, and influenced by my underlying comfort level with real estate nurtured from childhood, I packaged my savings with leverage on my primary residence, and acquired my first 2 investment properties. A bank-owned vacant lot, and a few months later a short sale revenue generating luxury home.

Through this endeavor, today both properties have doubled in equity but more importantly, I have also accumulated additional equity in the form of vital real estate intellect and experience that has also resulted in my first commercial property acquisition last Spring. 

I have also been able to rekindle the dreams of that 10 year old, and I cannot imagine for myself a more exciting and naturally appropriate vocation.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to collaborating with you all.

Rich