Newbie looking for MFR - Travelling and Living Vanlife :)

[Colin Thompson]

Hi All! My name is Colin and I'm stoked to be here.

About me: I'm 34 and I live/travel in a van. It's basically a tiny home on wheels. I worked for the same construction company as a project manager for 11 years. Great career, but I burnt myself out. So, I adopted a minimalist lifestyle, saved as much money as I possibly could and quit my job to build a camper and see the country. My girlfriend travels with me, and we are having a blast seeing all the National Parks. We like to rock climb, hike and mountain bike. When I'm feeling arrogant, I tell people that I'm retired. In reality this lifestyle is an experiment in sustainable minimalism. 

My GOAL: Buy a multi family rental to secure "passive" income that will allow me to continue to live a minimalist lifestyle and live my dream. 

The Plan: I have about $300k for a down payment. I am currently trying to identify a market to begin looking at properties and building a team. Some potential locations include Provo UT, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Phoenix, Texas, and Boise. 

The Strategy: Buy, Improve, Rent and Hold. I am going to self manage everything I can while still living a mobile lifestyle. I can be present for anything planned, and will have to outsource any emergencies. 

Looking forward to learning more from the BP experts and contributing what I can. Cheers!

Here is some eye candy for ya (my house).

[Thomas S.]

If you think building vans is a ton of work you are going to find real estate investing a real eye opener. Thinking that start a real estate investing business is going to allow you the freedom to continue your present life style could not be farther from the truth.  Long hard hours, extreme stress and commitment to achieving success will put a end to any thoughts of travel for a very long time. No one can start a successful business without being present to oversee it. Real estate investing is not passive and can not be built from nothing without commitment.

Put your money in a REIT if you want to maintain your hippy lifestyle and continue smoking the good stuff.