New in Northern Massachusettes

[Johnathan Zsittnik]

Hello all. I'm a REI newbie living in Andover, Massachusetts (just north of Boston). For as long as I can remember, I've had a passion for business and houses – particularly the older construction you see in New England. So, real estate investment seems like a natural for me.

My strategy is to buy and hold with a focus on single family homes and small multi-families. I’m hoping my investments can supplement my income to afford my wife additional flexibility in her career. I’m open to rehab, but also a bit cautious as not to overextend myself while I’m learning the ropes. I essentially started from scratch just a few months ago when I decided to start down this path and since have been reading as much as I can and passing my daily commute by with audiobooks.

For first steps, I've essentially been monitoring MLS by setting alerts whenever a property in one of my target towns hits the market with a price below a certain threshold. From what I hear, the best deals never reach MLS, but I figure this is still a good way to learn more about these markets while I look to build a network.

I've enjoyed lurking here on BP the past weeks and look forward to engaging with the community. I've been really impressed with the overwhelming amount of content and the many helpful individuals here. I also look forward to meeting some of you in person. I'm yet to attend any in-person meetings, but have joined the meetup in North Andover and have added the Black Diamond and New England REIA meetings to my calendar.

Cheers,
John