New Member in Lafayette, Louisiana

[Patrick Occhipinti]

Hi BP community. I've been having a hard time thinking of what to write here but I guess I just need to jump in. I'm 28 years old and currently live in Broussard, LA. I'm an engineer in the oil and gas industry, I moved to Louisiana 5 years ago for work (4 years in the Lafayette area with 1 in New Orleans in the middle).

I discovered BP a couple months ago while offshore on a work project. I've known a few people who have owned rental houses and a couple real estate investors but hadn't given it too much thought until that point. Now I can barely seem to go a few hours, let alone a day, without reading BP posts/forums, books, or checking the MLS or other areas for opportunities.

I moved back to Lafayette about a year and a half ago and moved in with my girlfriend in her condo. A few months ago I purchased my first house in Broussard and we moved there. In hindsight, this was a missed investment opportunity. On the plus side, we kept the condo and now operate it as a short term/vacation rental which has definitely been an interesting experience.

I'm currently in the market for my next opportunity, I've gone through a bunch of properties and think I may have found one or two properties that could work but I'm still running the numbers and considering options. My plan is to get into buy and hold SFH properties to start, maybe graduate to MFH as I get a better understanding. I can honestly say I enjoy my job and don't plan on leaving it in the near future so this will be a side/retirement income generator for the time being but I'm all about opportunity so if I end up having a knack for this I can definitely see pursuing it more aggressively.

I guess I'm reaching out to try and get in touch with investors in my area. This business is all about networking and I know I can learn a lot more from meeting people in my area than just reading forum posts.

This went on longer than I expected but it's great to be on BP and I look forward to meeting more of you.  

[Mary Beth Groze]

Welcome Patrick, I am a real estate investor in Baton Rouge and Lafayette.  My recommendation  is to read and study and get to know your market - This site and the meetup groups are so helpful.  Good Luck.  Let me know if I can help you in any way.

Mary Beth