Jackie from G.R. Michigan

[Jacqueline Coombs]

Hi and nice to meet everyone! I have been interested in real estate all my life. My mom liked to move a lot so I would always accompany her house hunting. We also used to wander around new build sites and envision floor plans and guess at the values. I have also assisted various family members with working on their fixer-uppers.

Currently, I am a stay-at-home mom, a blogger and a volunteer at a food pantry. I am looking to get into buy and hold rental properties and house/condo flipping. It is time for me to start bringing in some income for my family but I do not want to work for someone else. Real estate investing is fun and it is a great way for me to satisfy my entrepreneurial spirit and create a great-paying career for myself!

So far, my husband and I have owned two rental properties that we originally bought for our own use and then held on to when the market crashed. We sold one and pretty much just break even on the other one besides the equity acquired since the crash. So, with my next deal I definitely want to create some real cash-flow! 

I look forward to learning more about REI every day, meeting new people and making some money!

Blessings,

Jackie

[Brandon Krieg]

Hi @Jacqueline Coombs,

Welcome!  There is a great community of investors in Grand Rapids, both on BiggerPockets and in person!  As you get rolling, here are a few easy tips that have helped me here in West Michigan:

-Here on BP, set your keyword alerts to 'Grand Rapids,' 'Michigan,' and the topics you want to learn about so you know instantly when people are posting about what you want to learn about.

-Check out the 'recommended book' posts in the blog.  I usually find that I've read many, but not all of them, and they typically find some real gems in there (The ONE Thing by Keller is my newest one).

-Check out the local organizations around Grand Rapids - the RPOA, West Michigan REI Club, and other meetup type groups. Very nice opportunities for networking!

-Try to learn every day, but focus on what you're really hoping to learn.  It's easy to get 'shiny object syndrome' and get into analysis paralysis.  So, learn, then act!

Anyway, it's great to have you.  Good luck, and welcome!