Newbie from New Haven, CT (Relocating to Austin, TX this fall)

[Jack Bailin]

Well I'll just jump right in! 

My name is Jacob "Jack" Bailin (nobody calls me Jacob but my grandmother, so Jack it is), and I'm completely brand new to the idea of real estate investing. I'm about to graduate with my Bachelor's in Physics at Southern Connecticut State University, and I have aspirations to find a job within the IT sector out in the Austin, TX area.

I was turned on to the idea of growing wealth through a real estate portfolio after I saw a YouTube video on how a 36 year old was able to retire while earning a very comfortable living through his real estate investments. I immediately started doing more research, and stumbled upon BiggerPockets. In addition to that, I went and bought a number of books related to entrepreneurship and real estate investing, and started plowing through them. I actually read Rich Dad, Poor Dad in one sitting one night, and I was sold.

While I will certainly pursue a career in the IT/Software Development industry for the next foreseeable future, I know for a fact that I do not want to work for someone else forever. I have a goal to be completely self employed through real estate by the time I am 36 (I'm 26 now). I have already begun practicing analyzing properties, so once I have some of my own money in the near future I will be comfortable learning a new market and crunching numbers on potential deals.

My current 6 month plan: Become gainfully employed in the Austin, TX area, and find a duplex or triplex to house hack as a start to the world of real estate investing. Until then, I am going to try to learn as much as I possibly can, so I will be ready to strike as soon as I am able.

I'm really excited to begin this journey, and I look forward to building some relationships with more experienced investors as well as other newbies out here on BP!

Cheers,

Jack

[Gina Baker]

Hi @Jack Bailin, welcome to the BP community! I'm fairly new here myself. Similar to you, I plan to relocate from the East Coast to Texas within the next few months, Dallas to be exact. I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad years ago, well before I was ready for REI. I'll likely reread it again soon. What other books have you read that are worth recommending?

It's great that you have established goals, and put them out there.  I always feel more accountable for them when I tell others what I plan to do.