HELP

[Will Smith]

Hi from I'm willing from Philadelphia and I'm interested  in investing. I just don't know which niche to get started in. I've been to seminars and read books I just don't where to get started. I just wanted ideas on how other investors chose there initial niche.

[Ethan Giller]

As @Brandon Turner wisely advises, find your "unfair advantages" and use those to guide your investing strategy.  For me, when I got started it was a) access to cheap private capital (family & friends), b) a willingness to house hack and live with roommates, c) location in a city with a cheap real estate inventory, and d) a friend who was also investing and could help me with some contractor contacts.

Yours will be different, for example maybe you know a certain area of the city very well and can recognize underpriced MLS properties, or you have the time to send out direct mail and take phone calls, or you have the temperament to knock on doors of potential sellers, or you are very handy and can save money on the rehab, or you have a very long-term investment horizon so you can buy in marginal areas, or you love networking and can convince someone to JV a deal... you get the idea. Your niche will evolve but the most important step is to identify what unique things you bring to the table, and then take action!

Based on your name, I would definitely say that your niche should be in West Philly.  ;-)