Newbie from Birmingham Alabama

[Adam Hobson]

I am a newbie investor from Birmingham Alabama. I'm 33 with a wife and two young kids. (3 and 6) I am a full time online retailer and sell products on eBay and Amazon. I am also a small car dealer and sell a few cars a month. I left my job in dealership management 3 years ago to start my own business and start the process of getting out of the rat race. I have always had a good eye for deals and I think it will carry over into real estate investing also. I have been analyzing potential real estate deals I find on craigslist, Facebook, Redfin, LoopNet, and others. I have also walked through a couple of properties met some local investors in my area. I am currently saving cash for a down payment or purchase of my first rental or flip but I have a long way to go. I have been a landlord by default for two years on a lease option and we have a mortgage on our current home but that is the extent of my experience. I have done flooring, tile patios, hot water heaters, masonry work, molding and concrete work on personal projects so I know some about cost of repairs and timelines of projects (Always over on both from my experience). I am having some paralysis analysis lately and I know I need to start networking with everyone here to take the next step. I have been hesitant because I hate to feel like I am only taking and not giving much to this community at the start. I will gladly help anyone I can with my knowledge in other subjects while I continue to learn more about REI.