Newbie from Raleigh, NC

[Justin Fusco]

My name is Justin Fusco and I am brand new to the BiggerPockets community. I live in Benson,NC (about 20-25 miles east of Raleigh). I work as an accountant for steel and industrial distributor in Raleigh. I grew up in Virginia Beach for a most of my life and have lived in North Carolina for about two years. My fiance and I just recently purchased our first home a year ago and my interest for real estate began around that time. 

My future goal is to invest in rental properties around my area to grow a steady cash flow. Once i get my feet wet I want to delve into the world of flipping and possibly explore the commercial market. As of right now I am still in the research and exploration stage of my path. I am currently reading and frequent the BP forums and listen to the podcast daily. I want to acquire as much knowledge as there is to offer and soak up as much information before I finally decide to actually buy anything. I should also add that I am not entering this endeavor alone. My long-time best friend and I have dreamt about a real-estate partnership for years and now we are actually building the ground works. He currently lives in the Washington D.C area and the plan is to divide and conquer. I have known him for over 15 years now and we have worked together in the past on multiple occasions and I think we work exceptionally together.

As I have stated above I have a strong will to learn as much as possible and plan to use BP as a resource in my path to pursue my goals. I would love any recommendations on good books to read especially for someone new to real estate investing. Any help is greatly welcomed and as I learn more I would enjoy helping others with any questions as well. I also would be interested in communicating with anyone from the area to gain a better understanding of Raleigh and the surrounding cities. I currently have a real estate agent, but I am exploring the option of gaining my own license after reading some of the benefits of doing so. I plan to begin investing by the end of the year if I feel like I have covered all my bases and have learned enough to take the plunge. 

I look forward to hearing from all of you and forging connections in the future. I am excited to get started and I wish everyone the best of luck in accomplishing their goals. 

[Karen Harris]

@Justin Fusco

Welcome to BP! I’m a newbie as well. I have family in Raleigh, so I’m a little familiar with your neck of the woods. Sounds like you have a good plan in place with your best friend. By listening to the podcasts, reading the forums and good books, you’re definitely on the right path. A good book that I recommend is published by Bigger Pockets. It’s entitled, “The Book on Rental Property Investing” by Brandon Turner. It’s a great read and has increased my understanding by leaps and bounds. I’m currently reading “How to Be a Real Estate Investor” by Phil Pustejovsky. He cuts to the chase in this book and provides valuable insights.

I wish you the best in your endeavors!