New investor & member from Houston, TX

[Thomas Hendrix]

My name is Tom Hendrix. I'm a transplant to Texas from California (and before that Hawaii and before that Pennsylvania). I've moved around a lot and so have never taken much interest in real estate; I don't even own a primary residence, being a life long renter.

At the moment I'm finishing up a two year assignment in Thailand and will be moving back to Houston in October. I have a full time job with an industrial engineered products firm. It's not passion-inspiring, but it pays the bills and I work with decent folks.

As I mention in my profile, I'd like to begin investing in real estate when I get back to Houston. I've done a lot of reading and research (offline and online) which is how I came across BiggerPockets. I've enjoyed and learned a lot from the content here and my plan is to find some more specific information about real estate investing in Houston and communicate with people in that area so that I am able to hit the ground running when I get home.

I am interested in a buy and hold strategy with single family residences and small (2-4 unit) multi-family properties. My intention is to start with a single property financed with my own capital and a conventional mortgage which I'll manage myself. I figure that'll be a good basic test to see if I have the chops for REI or if I even like it before I start trying to get too fancy.

I am approaching REI with a long term perspective and assuming I'm successful enough at it and enjoy it enough to progress, I'd eventually like to amass a large enough portfolio to make managing and developing it a full time endeavor.

[Lyall Storandt]

Thomas Hendrix Hey Tom, welcome to Houston and BP! Great to see another active member in our area. Joking of course, but be sure who you mention BP to down here, it means British Petroleum to most is this neck of the woods...