Introducing myself here

Introducing myself here

Member since 2018 · 66 posts · 14 votes

Good evening, BP.

My name's Nico and I want financial freedom. (Everyone groans "Hi Nico" as if they're in some sort of depressed AA meeting.)

When I was in high school, my mindset was straightforward: Study hard > Get good grades > Graduate > Enter college for my bachelors > Repeat the first three steps > Study hard for GREs > Enter grad school for my masters > Repeat first three steps again > Find a job > Gain experience > Quit old job for a higher-paying position at another company > Repeat last two steps indefinitely until retirement and live off of savings.

Then, literally on the day of (or before) my college graduation date and ceremony, I saw a segment on the news that posed the question, "Is college really worth it?" This was the seed that got planted in my mind that made me scrutinize whether or not I should go back for my masters; and after securing a job a few weeks later, I chose not to go to grad school without any regrets.

After getting a job, my plan changed even further after I established my IUL account because the people who made my account encouraged me to read "Rich Dad Poor Dad". After reading the book, the rest is history - I now want to go into real estate.

Like most of you, I no longer want to live paycheck-to-paycheck, work at a job that's making someone else rich, and spend 8 hours a day doing something that's not worth doing. But if I had to be honest with myself, I sometimes do enjoy working at the company; however, at the end of the day, being an employee isn't satisfying enough - I want more out of life, which is why I'm here. On the brighter side of things, 1) I don't have any student loans to pay off, 2) I live rent-free with my parents, and 3) today's my 25th birthday. Yay.

Anyways, it's nice meeting you all!

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Real Estate Agent · Falls Church · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y

Hello! @Nicholas Jose

Welcome to BP, and congratulations on making the decision to invest in your future via real estate.

I have written a few blog posts that may help you get started here on BP, and with your investing. Please click on the links, give them a read, and share your thoughts in the comments.

First is a post that I feel will help not get overwhelmed with the amount of info that is here on BP:

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52761-the-simple-guide-to-getting-started-on-bp

The second is a post that will help get you focused with your real estate investing goals:

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52743-im-new-to-bp-any-advice-would-be-appriciated

The last one is a post that will help you choose an “investor friendly” real estate agent.

There are many agents out there, but it’s important to choose the right one.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52724-im-new-to-investing-how-do-i-find-an-investor-friendly-agent

I love answering questions if you have any! Good Luck :)

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  • Rental Property Investor · Boise/Portland · Member since 2017 · 709 posts · 742 votes
    7y

    Welcome to BP!  We serve cookies :)  

    Spend 6 months listening to the podcasts, read as many of the BP books on investing as you can (click the "Store" link above) then you'll be ready to redefine your life goals and start investing.  

    Good luck!  

  • Real Estate Agent · Falls Church · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    Hello! @Nicholas Jose

    Welcome to BP, and congratulations on making the decision to invest in your future via real estate.

    I have written a few blog posts that may help you get started here on BP, and with your investing. Please click on the links, give them a read, and share your thoughts in the comments.

    First is a post that I feel will help not get overwhelmed with the amount of info that is here on BP:

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52761-the-simple-guide-to-getting-started-on-bp

    The second is a post that will help get you focused with your real estate investing goals:

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52743-im-new-to-bp-any-advice-would-be-appriciated

    The last one is a post that will help you choose an “investor friendly” real estate agent.

    There are many agents out there, but it’s important to choose the right one.

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52724-im-new-to-investing-how-do-i-find-an-investor-friendly-agent

    I love answering questions if you have any! Good Luck :)

  • Rental Property Investor · Honolulu, HAWAII (HI) · Member since 2011 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    7y

    @Nicholas Jose Sounds like the story of my life too.

    Its called the linear path. Let me know if I can help.

  • Member since 2018 · 66 posts · 14 votes
    7y

    Thanks, @Matthew McNeil! Aside from reading Robert Kiyosaki's "RDPD", I'm already reading his "Guide to Investing" book and will later tackle his "Cashflow Quadrant". I've also read Ken McElroy's "The ABCs of Real Estate Investing" and am in the middle of Brandon Turner's "The Book on Rental Proprty Investing", so my REI foundation is still pretty new. I'm gonna listen to the BP podcast and play it on my drives to and from work.

    Thanks for sharing these linkes, @Brandon L.. I'll definitely check them out.

    Thanks for lending a hand out, @Lane Kawaoka. I noticed that you're from Hawaii. Apparently, real estate is pretty tough there. Since I'm from Jersey, I'd like to know how to invest in a state whose property taxes are unforgivable.

  • Rental Property Investor · Montgomery, AL · Member since 2017 · 277 posts · 221 votes
    7y

    @Nicholas Jose Great story. Love hearing from other young professionals pursuing financial freedom. My story if very similar to yours except I was where you are at now about a year ago. I now have 5 rental units and am in the middle of renovations on my first flip. The best things to help you get to investment number 1 are the following:

    - Join any local real estate investor groups in your local market and volunteer to work for free on other people's projects. You never really learn until you get directly involved. This will also provide you with a ton of great contacts in the industry that will be a part of your team as you progress

    - Listen to the BP Podcast every week and try to read any book you can on the subject. These learning materials will not only teach you but keep you inspired and motivated to keep pushing towards financial freedom

    - Start analyzing deals and viewing properties. You are never going to be comfortable with your first investment,  you will be worrying all the way up to the day of closing that you might be making a mistake, but by analyzing and seeing hundreds of other potential deals beforehand you will be much calmer and sure of your decision

    - Take action. As soon as you possibly can, start making offers on properties, even if they are for 30, 40 or even 50% less than asking price. Knowledge is NOT power unless it is married with purposeful action

  • Specialist · Fort Collins, CO · Member since 2018 · 557 posts · 191 votes
    7y

    Welcome to BP @Nicholas Jose ! Great story and I can't wait to read more about your investing journey on this site. If you ever have any questions about student housing, I can definitely be a resource. Best of luck! 

  • Real Estate Agent · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 76 posts · 25 votes
    7y

    @Nicholas Jose Welcome to BP! Where are you from in Jersey? Aside from the podcasts, and books mentioned, I'd recommend you start attending a local meetup as well.

  • Member since 2018 · 66 posts · 14 votes
    7y

    @Nick Brown I live somewhere in north Jersey. Close to Newark, and the city's not too far a drive. I'd like to do meetups, but not until I have enough money to start talking projects

  • Rental Property Investor · Long Island, NY · Member since 2015 · 490 posts · 301 votes
    7y
    @Nicholas Jose If I were you I’d go to the meetups anyway and talk to people who are a little farther ahead than you are. You’ll learn a lot and make great contacts along the way.
  • Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 515 votes
    7y

    Hey @Nicholas Jose and welcome! Bigger Pockets is the way to go in today's real estate investing. It's the only place to connect with seasoned investors and learn about the real estate industry. Congratulations. Wish you the best.

  • New York City, NY · Member since 2017 · 22 posts · 11 votes
    7y

    Hey Nick, I know you said you don't feel ready. But as someone else said, you'll never feel ready for your first deal. I remember that after studying this stuff for about 6 months, I told myself that I needed to study for another 6 months so that I "would know everything." 

    Then I had dinner with someone I met at an re meeting. We were discussing things and he owned about 16 units. I shared my knowledge and thought process about waiting an 6 additional months. His question to me was, why wait, I had more than enough knowledge to do a deal. Less than 2 months later I closed on a single family and 8 months after that closed on a 5 unit. 

    Point is that I never thought I'd be ready for the first one, but after that you realize that this isn't like studying for an exam where you will know 100% of the material before sitting down for the exam.

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