Newbie in Austin, Texas area... 40 yr old Real Estate virgin.

[Dimitri Lopez]

Bigger Pockets is feeding my obsession on Real Estate and I love it. That is the first thing you should know about me, my fixation. I will stop working for others and achieve financial freedom thru buy and hold investments. You want to know more? Then read on.

I am that guy that arrived in USA after leaving his country, namely Cuba, in a homemade raft. Even when I was in Guantanamo Bay I was grateful for a new beginning. I felt blessed and I honored that feeling in any way I could.

My experience in Real Estate is limited to living in a bunch of apartments and then owning a mobile home that was like an anchor in my life. Meanwhile another Cuban immigrant achieved economic freedom by buying duplexes in and around the 90s. We lost touch as it normally happens when the economic gap among friends keeps widening. However I learned a lot by watching him and those with an opinion of what he was doing. They would say “Oh he is doing drugs...” or “There is no way someone can have that kind of money.” We have a saying in Cuba, “Ignorance can kill a whole village” and I must say that everyone’s lack of knowledge kept them right where they were. What spurred my friend to take action and invest in real estate? Well, it was none other than a friend and mentor. But let’s not overlook his ability to be flexible, which is truly impressive for a man that was in his late 50s or early 60s. Also, anyone that old, growing up in Cuba for that many years, becomes a well train, unmatched, handyman with creativity and frugality pouring out of his ears.

Over the years, the more I looked for ways to break free of the daily grind that can be a normal ordinary American life, the more I found every job to be lacking something. I had worked in many jobs and professions. Finally one day I came to the conclusion that no workplace was ever going to make me happy. The constant uncertainty and politics of the workplace, the long hours and inadequate pay added to the realization that I was a slave of other’s rules, guidelines and a pawn on someone else’s chess board. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be the white king or the black king; I just want to step out of the board and play a different kind of game. So here I am, learning all the rules to not just play, but play well.

Am I open to more than buy and holds? You bet your *** I am. So, let’s play Monopoly.

Thank you for reading and I apologize for any grammatical errors I might have done. I mean no disrespect to the English language. My editor, partner, girlfriend and future wife is not here. She is currently at work. And I am heading to work myself right now. Don’t worry; I plan on changing all that soon. I have learned a lot playing Chess, like patience and that knowledge is power.