Newbie based out of Brooklyn, NY. Looking in NY, but also in Ohio

[Junix Alcayaga]

Hey everyone, I'm new to real estate investing and very excited to join the Bigger Pockets community! My background is in architecture / interior design, but have since transitioned over to project management for creative agencies. Financial freedom is a concept that I've been really focused on the last year or so and that's what introduced me to REI and BP. I'm currently in the education phase and welcome any advice that others are willing to share!

I'll be joined by my girlfriend on this REI journey and we're trying to figure out how and where to get started. We've narrowed our approach to Buy-and-Hold of SFH or MFH (if possible, since house hacking seems like a great first step). Being based in Brooklyn, NY we would like to find a property nearby, but we're a bit intimidated by the market and feel like most things are going to be out of our budget. That said, we're very much open to looking at opportunities around the Greater New York Metropolitan Area.

Alternatively, I grew up in Ohio and still have family and friends in the area, so I thought that could be a good place to start as well. I lived in both Columbus and Cincinnati so I have some understanding of the neighborhoods and I figure it was worth looking into what those cities had to offer.

Looking forward to connecting with BP members locally in NY/NJ, in Columbus/Cincinnati, and from anyone else who would like to get in touch and share some knowledge!