Houston Area Newbie - Ready and Motivated

[Daniel Hawkins]

Hi BP Community!

My name is Daniel Hawkins and I am a CPA who works in the oil and gas industry in Houston. I have always been interested in the "idea" of real estate since I can remember, but always thought it was only for people who already have millions and left it at that.

I found the BP community many years ago, but still did not pursue my dream and the itch fizzled out as life's distractions got in the way with marriage, work and now a kiddo! A few months ago, I, like many many others, read Robert Kiyosaki's book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and it completely shifted my mindset. I thought "I can't afford to NOT invest in real estate." I have since been on a tear of absorbing as much information as I possibly can through books, podcasts and the internet. My personal goal is to achieve financial freedom through buy-and-hold real estate for rental income.

Steps I have taken so far are getting pre-approved through a lender so I know what I would be able to borrow and educating myself on the market and different areas of Houston. I'm afraid that if I don't take another significant step forward, this idea of investing in real estate will begin to fade and I will only ever think what could have been. For those of you who are successful at this, what next steps would you recommend for someone who is ready to take the plunge?

Looking forward to connecting with any and all BP members!