Newbie to Real Estate Industry

[Nicholas De Martino]

Hey hey!

A good friend of mine recommended I become a part of the BiggerPockets community after I expressed my interests in learning more about the real estate industry.  After reading Rich Dad Poor Dad, I am eager to discover the many ways to invest and becoming financially free via real estate.

My goals are:

• Discover the many ways to invest in real estate
• Learn the tax advantages/pros & cons of each
• Network with professionals in the industry
• Take action 

The path ahead is long and bumpy but with my interest and ambition, I am confident I can make my first investment in the next couple of years.

With this being said to all the gurus on the site, does anyone have any recommendations on where I should start?  Nevertheless, anyone aware of any in-person networking events in the LA area of professional with similar interests?

Thanks!

Nick