New Investor/Commercial Real Estate Analyst - Irvine, CA

[Steven Roberto]

Hi BiggerPockets,

I'm new posting here but have lurked/listened to the podcast for a few months. I figured I would finally make the push to become more active and start posting (hopefully this also keeps me proactive on achieving my goals).

A little about me: I am 23 years old and a couple years out of college (UC Irvine). I grew up surrounded by residential real estate, as my parents own a good 20+ units out of state (came to California for school). Lots of summers were spent mowing lawns and painting units, and truthfully I grew to hate real estate as a kid. However, as I grew older and went off to college, I realized that I was fascinated by the business. I was lucky enough to snag an internship at a private equity fund, which really propelled me headfirst into the industry. After a brief stint in corporate real estate as an analyst for Panda Restaurant Group and a year long stretch as an acquisitions analyst for a multifamily apartment fund, I landed at my current role as the analyst for a high volume retail team at Colliers. Exposure wise, the work is great. I typically underwrite deals in the $10-$60 million range which has improved my Argus skill IMMENSELY. However, the eventual goal is to become financially independent which is what lead me here to this amazing entrepreneurial forum.

Where I want to go: I want to generate constant streams of passive income as quickly (but also as safely) as possible. Given the price of the Orange County market, I have started tracking other locations around the country but my knowledge is still very rudimentary. The goal would be to purchase a property within the next year. I have a decently strong financial background, but most other areas of personal investing are somewhat intimidating/new to me. I love how you all are such "doers" and I really want to surround myself with people who willingly take the plunge into creating passive income. 

A few questions I have:

1. For those who come from a commercial real estate background, do you have any tips on making the transition to underwriting single-family? I am a strong believer in the numbers, and would love to find as many resources as I can for strong residential analysis. Do you find success using DCF analysis? Or is it better to look at properties from a more static perspective?

1. I eventually want to transition into buying small commercial properties. For anyone who has done this, when did you decide to make that jump from residential to commercial? When did you feel your net worth was high enough to make that jump? 

So stoked to finally post here and be a part of this. Again, I really admire the hustle that all of you have. I hope to get to know more of you over the coming weeks!