New investor from Columbus, OH

[Craig R.]

Hello, BP!

My name is Staff Sergeant Craig Rader, and I'm currently in the Army on a one-year tour in Afghanistan. I've spent the bulk of my downtime over here reading up on REI, and whenever I can get internet access I read through as much of these forums as I can. It's been awhile, so I figured I'd finally introduce myself and say thanks to all the great posters here.

My military contract ends shortly after I get back to the States, and my plan is to invest in some rentals in the Columbus, OH area. From what I've seen, financing seems to be one of the biggest obstacles for new investors. Fortunately, I've been able to set aside a large amount of additional income over the past two years while I've prepared for this. My wife also received her real estate license this past year as well. I'll be working on my MBA while pursuing REI, but I'll have about 6 months to get settled and re-familiarize myself with the area before school starts.

I noticed there are a few other posters on these forums from central Ohio, but I'm not sure how active they still are. Regardless, wherever you're from, I welcome your experience and insight.