Newbie from Sacramento / Fresno California

[Tom Conant]

I'm 33 and finally in a position to start pursuing a goal I've had for a long time.

About me: I went to UC Davis and came out with a business degree, and worked in real estate for a short time in my early 20's before exploring other avenues of business.  I graduated in 2008, so "exploring other avenues" might be another way of saying I was laid off from a lot of jobs during the recession :)

Long story short, I realized i had another calling at 27 and worked hard to become a firefighter, which I finally accomplished this year.  If I learned anything during those years, it's that persistence is powerful.

I love my job, and after years of working as a paramedic I finally have a decent income.  With my current expenses (which are low - the only advantage of working for $17/hr for years) I've been able to save $2k a month (plus any overtime I work), which I have been using to pay off the credit card debt I accumulated (nothing crazy, but I had some big automotive expenses).

I finally have that paid off, and am starting to save for my first investment property.  I have been listening to the BP podcast and have been reading every real estate book I can get my hands on (or listening to them on audible during my drive from Sac to Fresno).

I am mostly looking at out of state investing because of the high prices here in my state. The BRRRR method makes sense to me, and would require I save around $100k in cash before I could take on my first deal. That will take me about 3-4 years depending on overtime, during which I plan to learn as much as I can. I am not interested in a hard money lender. I'm well aware I may screw up my first few deals, and don't want to owe somebody money when I do.

I am also considering house hacking a multifamily to cover my mortgage, which would not only help me save more money each month, but also give me some experience in the process. Plus with a 3.5% FHA loan, I can realistically expect to be in a position to do that in less than 6 months

Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you all.  I know there is so much knowledge and experience here to help me learn, and I'm looking forward to spending more time here.

[Kyle Renke]

Welcome @Tom Conant and congratulations on taking the necessary steps to start building wealth through real estate!  You're in good company.  Your perseverance to pursue your calling (even though it took a long time and required a ton of hard work) is admirable!