Newbie from Los Angeles, CA

[Timothy Ahn]

Hey BiggerPockets community,

My name is Tim Ahn, currently a teacher in Los Angeles School district, but looking to earn my real estate license and becoming a successful real estate investor. 

Growing up, I never understood money as anything beyond a means to pay rent, eat out, and maybe even go on a nice vacation every once in a while. After college, however, I started teaching English in South Korea as a means to travel the world. While in the Philippines, I took a 3 hour Uber Ride to Kawasan Falls that changed my life. I talked with my Uber driver the whole way there, learning and asking as many questions as I could about finances and real estate. 

On the way home, he took me to a bookstore and I bought myself a copy of Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. Just like 99% of the people I hear about on the BiggerPockets Podcast,  Rich Dad, Poor Dad really did make me think hard; unfortunately, that was all I did for the next year. I thought about all the ways I could fail, and how impossible it seemed as a young adult with little equity. I read and read and read, but didn't act upon it. I literally became Poor Dad, and became a teacher as a safe way to live. 

As I began to teach, I constantly found myself telling my students to pursue their dreams, to take risks, and to find creative ways to succeed--and I felt like a hypocrite. I allowed fear to stop me from taking a chance on myself, to believe in my ability to battle diversity and overcome hardship. 

Today, I am proud to say that I finally took my first steps. I told my boss I would not be returning, I began taking online Real Estate classes, and just booked my flight/AirBnB for the BiggerPockets Conference. I am excited to join this community and share in each others' successes, while also learning from failures. I know the road will be long and hard, but I am looking forward to the challenge. Nice to meet you all!