Newbie from Albany, NY

[Jonathan Golon]

My name is Jonathan Golon and I am from Albany, NY. I am looking to get into real estate investing locally. I am in the learning process right now and am so happy I found this amazing site. I have been reading online and picked up a few books to get started.

I am interested in a buy and hold strategy (landlording). I have been interested in it since high school. In high school and college I worked doing maintenance/property management for a 65 unit apartment complex and learned a lot about the business so I feel comfortable that I wouldn't have a problem being a landlord.

My goal isnt to get rich quick, but rather slowly build wealth over time to accomplish all my life goals, which include having kids, building my dream house, buying a camp on a lake and a boat, and even possibly retiring early if everything works out.

I graduated college 2 years ago and started working as a Civil Engineer, so I make decent money. I then married my high school sweetheart and bought a house, which I have been doing work on increasing its value.

I am hoping to buy my first investment property by the end of the year/early next year and then continue buying 1-2 properties per year. I lack the people skills that I feel are necessary to do a lot of the deals I see on this website, but I feel my work ethic and ability to learn fast should allow me to succeed in this business (albeit not as lucratively as some as you).

My first thoughts are to look into buying from wholesalers or buying REO's. I am not looking to do complete rehabs at this point, but may in the future.

Thanks for reading and I hope to fit in well here. :D