Newbie From New Jersey. New to Forum & Real Estate Investing

[Alex Stopka]

   Hello all. My name is Alex. I grew up in NYC but now live in western New Jersey (the actual garden in the Garden State. lol) I currently work in the trades building electrical power lines for a living. It is good work, somewhat cyclical, and very demanding physically. I don't mind the hard work, but kind of like an athlete, you can only beat your body up for so long before it doesn't want to work properly anymore. It also eats up a great deal of time. Commutes are usually no less than a hour each way and I work 60-70 hours a week in good times. I put in nearly 3000 hours last year to make someone else rich. I want to put some of that time into something that will bring security to my family both now and well into the future. That said, I do not wish to leave my trade just yet. It provides steady income and benefits for my family. I eventually want real estate investing to be my primary source of income though.

  As for my experience in real estate, other than buying a home and renting places throughout my adult life, I have no experience in buying and selling property. I used to help my brother in law clean out homes and do minor renovations when he flipped houses in NY in the late 90's. I was able to get a small glimpse into the process but he refused to teach me more. Now, with the internet there are more learning options and opportunities. That small experience is somewhat the impetus for my desire to pursue investing. 

  When it comes to my goals, that's easy. I am going to start by flipping single family homes. Not glamorous, but it will help build my reserves for better deals. I would also like to buy and hold eventually. 

  Ideally, my strategy will expand to duplex/triplex/quadplex properties and small apartment buildings. Tax liens and notes are options as well. I definitely need to read up a bunch more on all ,of these. That's why I'm here on Bigger Pockets.

  Currently, I am working on fixing my credit. It is rather dismal. A by product of buying a home I should have never even considered buying. I also had some outstanding tax issues that I recently cleared up. I don't have much in the way of funds to contribute, but I am willing to listen and learn to anyone who wishes to teach me. What I DO have to offer is construction experience. I am handy and can do most household repairs. I am also in the process of getting my NJ Electrical License (need the time to go do it). 

  I thank you all for taking the time to read this somewhat long introduction. I look forward to hearing from you all. 

-Alex