Retired Military newbie starting out in Norfolk, VA

[Roberto Costa]

Hey guys, I'm Rob from the Norfolk, VA and I am brand new to real estate investing and currently looking for avenues to get started. I retired from active duty in 2011 and went to work on a regular desk job and I've realized this is not for me. I have just put together a package to start my LLC and have gather a team of 2 realtors and an awesome contractor and I'm eager to get going. I want to build a portfolio of flipping single family homes in the Hampton Roads area of VA but I also travel a lot to Lexington, SC so willing to do deals around that Columbia, Cayce, Lexington area as well. Currently looking for a reliable hard money lender to do some of these deals. I'm willing to put some of my own skin into the deals so you know I mean business. PM if you feel more comfortable but I'm 100% smarter after being a member of BP than before I started so thank you all. Any help towards a reliable lender would be highly appreciated.

[Andrew Davis]

Hey @Roberto Costa, welcome to BP!

A few suggestions for you:

- Read @J Scott's books on flipping houses and estimating rehab costs: http://get.biggerpockets.com/flippingbook/

- Read @Brandon Turner's book on 'Investing w/no and low money down': http://get.biggerpockets.com/nomoneydown/ - he gives some great tips for finding excellent deals.

You've probably already done some of this, but since you're new to the site, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of BP and kickstart your investing career:

Start here. You'll get a wealth of REI knowledge and learn how to take full advantage of Bigger Pockets (including how to connect with other local investors).

Listen to the podcasts , get active on the forums & set up key word alerts to be notified when people are discussing topics you're interested in.

Check out the webinars, they are very informative, and there’s usually a new one every week.

Lastly, I would suggest that you consider partnering with an experienced and reputable flipper in your area on your first deal or two.  Maybe you bring the capital via your own cash combined with a hard money loan, you figure out a profit split and in return you get first hand experience flipping a home.

I wish I had started that way, it would have saved me A LOT of headaches and money.

I wish you all the best Roberto!