One Year In. Thanks BP Community!

[David Haynes]

I never fully introduced myself, so here we go

While on break at Starbucks several years ago, I remember reading through Brandon Turner's book How to Invest in Real Estate and thinking to myself... "I screwed up!" I had just graduated from a Flordia college with a useless degree and was now serving Venti Unicorn Frappuccinos to crazed lines running out the door and around the corner.

Anyone else have humble beginnings?

I decided at that point that I needed a career change. So I packed my bags and flew over to Europe to teach English and work on my master's in finance. Ended up spending three years in the post-soviet country Georgia, or as they call it, "Sakartvelo" (the country in which they filmed the last Fast and Furious).

Eventually, I graduated with my master's! It was time for a career change! I couldn't wait for the job offers to fly in my inbox as I planned my flight out.

Then....COVID....hit.... haha

I had to call the US embassy several times just to find a flight out of the country. I still remember walking through the deserted Rome airport. Oh, and the 100+ jobs I applied for... yeah they weren't hiring anymore. Except for one. And honestly, it was a perfect accident that I stumbled upon them. I wanted a job in mergers and acquisitions, however, New Western Acquisitions is what I found, an investment real estate brokerage. 

I had forgotten about real estate while sipping cappuccinos in Europe. My mind starting remembering my grandiose plans of building my own rental portfolio. Needless to say, I took the job. Driving the streets of Philly, Delco, and Montco and connecting distressed properties with investors beats being cooped up in an office cubicle any day.

I still have a long way to go, but after a year, I've made a lot of progress. I just closed my 29th off-market deal in one year and have three more scheduled to close this month. Thank you Philly! Looking forward to connecting, revitalizing communities, and developing passive income together.