Nomadic Newbie in Florida

[Tom Tijerina]

Where I'm from is a bit of a complex answer, so instead I'll just say that my (stationary) friends and family are on the middle western side of Florida between Holiday and Sarasota. Most of them are in Pinellas or Hillsborough county. This is both me and my home.

My home is an off-grid 'smart-bus'. I've been living as a nomad since 2017. Previous to this bus I had a plain ol' cargo van. 

The same things that drove me to living this way are now pushing me to ensure a stable income future. Currently I make decent money, and I can go to where ever a job may be. However 2020 has taught many that employers can't be trusted to have your best interest at heart. My main motivation is to ensure self sufficiency. For better or worse I've always grown up with the attitude that I have to be able to take care of myself without expecting help to get me through. I took advantage of a couple of good years career wise to build out a very comfortable home, but when looking for a fall back place to park long term if I ever needed it I wasn't able to find one in Florida. 

When I was younger I wanted to get into real estate, I almost did a few times. The last time I lost my job. I've tried again over the last few years but I keep hitting a psychological barrier. I seem to be afraid and self sabotaging myself. 

I'm mostly here to declare my intentions and hold myself accountable while I grow. I have many advantages that others would very likely be very happy to have and I feel like I'm squandering them. So, this is the year to buckle down and get what I need for my financial future. The last piece of the puzzle is to start a semi-passive income stream. My line of thinking is that I can find a decent home in my budget that won't impact my current life in any way shape or form. Use an FHA loan to purchase it and rent out other rooms to help offset the costs. This way I have a place to return to if I ever need it and I start gaining experience as a landlord.

As of this writing I have just shy of 3 out of 12k saved. Depending on my spending habits I can squirrel away between 2-4k a month. I'm also leaving Florida for an unknown amount of time until I have the money required. This will make it easier to save money. I spend a great deal more money when stationary in one area going to/from friends, entertainment, parking, etc. Traveling will entail me being camped out for a week or two at a time. With hardly any living expenses. 

TLDR: Slightly free-spirited, highly independent guy has been legally homeless for in excess of 4 years looking to purchase a house and start investing. 

I'm pretty sure I break the mold in more ways then one. Feel free to ask me anything! :)