All Forum Posts by: Abdi Muya

Quote from @Ryan Cheek:

Quote from @Abdi Muya:

I first joined bp nearly a year ago as a way to just start and see what I can learn. I had plenty of questions with no real plan in mind or even resources for that matter. Since then, I’ve basically stayed off the website to focus on setting myself up to actually do something and make moves and not feel like I’m wasting anyone’s time. My biggest hurdles included being in an extremely expensive market (Vermont) and understanding that if I wanted to get involved in real estate I’d have to look out of state. The other hurdles was getting together funds and feeling like I was on my own. I’m now returning nearly a year later and teaming up with my mother who also caught the real estate bug recently. She bought a large home in a great area before the home prices surged to what they are now. She also put in thousands of dollars to make improvements which include a bathroom, and two more bedrooms. She has lived there for about 8 years now and has a good amount of equity in it. We recently spoke with a broker just to get some numbers and are planning to take out about $80k of equity so that we can purchase an out of state multiple unit property(or multiple). With the broker we spoke to, he can only work with Vermont, North Carolina and Florida properties. We aren’t 100% sure if we want to work with him only because we haven’t decided on a market, although North Carolina has always been in the list. At the same time, we don’t have much experience with brokers or investing and feel almost pressured to stick with him to avoid having to go find another one. North Carolina has been on my list of states I’d love to invest in, but the only real area we’ve been able to find something within our range has been the Winston-Salem area, but we don’t know enough about it to figure out how successful we could be with rentals there. 

Other states I’ve got interest in are Indiana, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Connecticut. This is a list I came up with using YouTube and Google so I don’t even know if they would be good areas if I’m being honest. As an out of state investor, I’m not limited to those areas. I feel a tremendous amount of pressure because my mother isn’t from here and English is her second language. She’s never studied or educated herself in real estate and is hoping I can figure out the details as long as she can assist with funding. I’ve wanted to do this for so long and this almost feels like a life line from my mother. I don’t want to fail, but I’m terrified I might pick the wrong market, work with the wrong broker, hire the wrong property management company or choose a property that ends up needing more work than expected. I just really need someone who I can openly ask all the questions that I’m too nervous to say out loud out of fear that I look like I don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m hoping to connect with someone experienced who has done what I’m trying to do successfully, and almost be like a mentor for me. I apologize if that was a lot and I welcome any and all feedback. Thank you in advance for your time! 

Hi Abdi Muya,

Welcome back to BiggerPockets! It’s great that you’ve taken some time to focus on setting yourself up to take actionable steps in real estate investing. It sounds like you’ve done a lot of research and have a strong foundation for moving forward, even if you’re feeling a bit uncertain.

Investing out of state can be intimidating, especially when it’s your first time and you’re working with family funds. Here are a few thoughts based on what you shared:

1. Market Selection:
   • North Carolina is a solid choice, especially areas like Winston-Salem which have shown strong growth and rental demand. However, it’s important to thoroughly research each market, including job growth, population trends, and rental demand.
   • Don’t hesitate to expand your search to other states on your list, like Indiana or Georgia. It might be worth doing a bit more research to compare these markets to find one that aligns with your goals.
2. Working with a Broker:
   • It’s okay to feel pressure when working with a broker, especially if it’s your first time. However, don’t feel locked into one person or company. It’s important to find a broker who understands your goals, can provide guidance on the market, and makes you feel comfortable.
   • Consider talking to a few different brokers to see who aligns best with your needs. Don’t rush the decision; your broker is an important partner in this journey.
3. Property Management:
   • Since you’re investing out of state, finding a trustworthy property management company is crucial. This will significantly impact your success and peace of mind.
   • Reach out to other investors, especially those on BiggerPockets, to get recommendations for reputable property management companies in the areas you’re interested in.
4. Fear of Making Mistakes:
   • It’s natural to feel nervous, especially when your family is involved. But remember, every investor starts somewhere, and mistakes are part of the learning process. You’re already taking the right steps by seeking advice and being proactive.
   • Don’t hesitate to ask questions, even if you feel they might be basic. The BiggerPockets community is here to support you, and many of us have been in your shoes.
5. Finding a Mentor:
   • Finding a mentor can be incredibly beneficial, especially as you navigate these early stages. Consider reaching out directly to experienced investors here on BiggerPockets. Be open about where you’re at and what you’re looking for; you might be surprised at how willing people are to help.

Feel free to connect with me if you have more questions or just need someone to bounce ideas off of. I’m happy to share what I know and help where I can.

Best of luck, and don’t forget to take it one step at a time. You’ve got this!

Best regards,
Ryan Cheek

Thank you so much for this, Ryan. It hasn’t even been 24 hours since my post and I’ve realized how much I underestimated the kind of help and information I could get on here. It’s been amazing and has helped boost my confidence moving forward, I will definitely connect with you! 

Quote from @Gloria N Gear:

Hi Abdi,

I am going to to try to hop on a call with you.  I was actually working in the investor real estate space for 3 years before I took the jump and did it myself.  Now I am on property #9 (that took 5 years).  

Follow Nathan Gesner's advice.  Break it down step by step and you will feel confident to move to the next decision.  

Do you want to Flip or Hold?

If you are holding, do you want to do Long term, Mid term, or Short term rentals?

What is your comfort level on construction - cosmetic, mid-level or gut to the walls?

I also agree with him that your Property Manager is the most important person on your team.  (And I am a realtor saying that).  They are the one that is going to protect your investment long term.

Hi Gloria, I would love to get on a call and speak more. I see you’re located in Indianapolis which happens to be near the top of my desired markets list. I think I’m definitely looking to hold on to whatever properties I’m able to purchase. Especially starting out, it just seems like a really good asset to have. Although I’ve considered flipping, the idea of figuring out funding to fix things, knowing what to fix or connecting with the right contractors kind of scares me off. However, the idea of buying something well below market value, putting some money and time into it and creating a great property interests me and I’m definitely considering it in the future once I feel more comfortable and in a better position to take risks. As for long term or short term, I think long term. To me it kind of simplifies things when you can move someone in for x number of months/ years and know you’ll have something consistent coming in. But I do also really love the idea of Airbnb and understand how lucrative it can be, but that relates to finding the right market so it might also be something I want to hold off on until I know more. 

Quote from @Nathan Gesner:

I'll second the others.

1. Determine what you want to invest in.

2. Locate a market.

3. Confirm there are good property managers in the area before going any further. You don't want to buy a good investment and hand it over to a bad property manager! If you can't find a solid PM, move on to the next market.

4. Find a good REALTOR. I recommend they have 10+ years experience, work in real estate full-time, own rentals, and work with investors.

I personally think a good PM is key. A real estate agent has no vested interest in your business; they just want to sell you a property and move on to the next client. The PM is going to manage the property long-term, so they want to ensure you buy something that is in demand, we maintained, in a good neighborhood, etc. The PM can double-check any information you receive from your sales agent.

Thank you Nathan! I agree that as an out of state investor, a great pm is key to how successful I want to be. Do you have any tips on how to find out or what to look for or ask. I know bp offers lists of investor friendly pms and plan to reach out to them, I’m just not certain what I should look for to decide on the right one.  

Quote from @Michael Smythe:

@Abdi Muya

Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.

If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.

So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

Here’s our OPINION for the Metro Detroit market (use as a template for your target area!) that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases.:

Class A Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.
Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.
Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+, zero evictions in last 7 years.

Class B Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.
Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.
Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680, some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 years

Class C Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation. Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.
Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover tenant nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.
Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620, many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years. Verifying last 2 years of rental history very important! Also, focus on 2 years of job/income stability.

Class D Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, all cashflow with little, maybe even negative, relative rent & value appreciation
Vacancy Est: 20%+ should be used to cover nonpayment, evictions & damages.
Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores under 560, little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, recent evictions. Verifying last 2 years of rental history and income extremely important to find the “best of the worst”.

Make sure you understand the Class of properties you are looking at and the corresponding results to expect.

PM us if you’d like to discuss this logical approach in greater detail!

I really appreciate this Michael, I didn’t even realize this was a thing. Being my first investment, cash flow is definitely at the top of my list so I think anywhere between B and C would be what I’m looking for. 

Quote from @Scott Trench:

Hi @Abdi Muya - Thanks for posting the concern here! 

First things first - you are the client, and your agent serves at your pleasure. You and your Mother are a serious buyer, with cash to invest. YOU get to decide where you want to invest, and there are investor friendly agents all over BiggerPockets and each and every major market in this country. 

I’d suggest you really dial in where you want to invest for the right reasons for you, not this broker who doesn’t sound like they have much experience working with investors. 

You can browse markets for cash flow here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/markets

At each of those markets, you can find Investor friendly agents at BiggerPockets.com/agents to interview. 

If you go to BiggerPockets.com/resources, we have a list of the top 100 cash flow markets in this country as well. 

There’s no reason to rush this process. Real estate is a long term commitment, and not feeling comfortable or rushing into a market for the wrong reasons can spell disaster. I’d take your time and make sure you are completely comfortable before acting. 

This was beyond helpful! I didn’t even realize biggerpockets had all these tools, thank you so much!! 

I first joined bp nearly a year ago as a way to just start and see what I can learn. I had plenty of questions with no real plan in mind or even resources for that matter. Since then, I’ve basically stayed off the website to focus on setting myself up to actually do something and make moves and not feel like I’m wasting anyone’s time. My biggest hurdles included being in an extremely expensive market (Vermont) and understanding that if I wanted to get involved in real estate I’d have to look out of state. The other hurdles was getting together funds and feeling like I was on my own. I’m now returning nearly a year later and teaming up with my mother who also caught the real estate bug recently. She bought a large home in a great area before the home prices surged to what they are now. She also put in thousands of dollars to make improvements which include a bathroom, and two more bedrooms. She has lived there for about 8 years now and has a good amount of equity in it. We recently spoke with a broker just to get some numbers and are planning to take out about $80k of equity so that we can purchase an out of state multiple unit property(or multiple). With the broker we spoke to, he can only work with Vermont, North Carolina and Florida properties. We aren’t 100% sure if we want to work with him only because we haven’t decided on a market, although North Carolina has always been in the list. At the same time, we don’t have much experience with brokers or investing and feel almost pressured to stick with him to avoid having to go find another one. North Carolina has been on my list of states I’d love to invest in, but the only real area we’ve been able to find something within our range has been the Winston-Salem area, but we don’t know enough about it to figure out how successful we could be with rentals there. 

Other states I’ve got interest in are Indiana, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Connecticut. This is a list I came up with using YouTube and Google so I don’t even know if they would be good areas if I’m being honest. As an out of state investor, I’m not limited to those areas. I feel a tremendous amount of pressure because my mother isn’t from here and English is her second language. She’s never studied or educated herself in real estate and is hoping I can figure out the details as long as she can assist with funding. I’ve wanted to do this for so long and this almost feels like a life line from my mother. I don’t want to fail, but I’m terrified I might pick the wrong market, work with the wrong broker, hire the wrong property management company or choose a property that ends up needing more work than expected. I just really need someone who I can openly ask all the questions that I’m too nervous to say out loud out of fear that I look like I don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m hoping to connect with someone experienced who has done what I’m trying to do successfully, and almost be like a mentor for me. I apologize if that was a lot and I welcome any and all feedback. Thank you in advance for your time! 

Quote from @Dan H.:

I fail to see how 80% LTV OOS provides a better cost opportunity for you than house hacking at 96.5% FHA.

OOS: 80% LTV, Professional PM, pay local rent, all the risk of OOS.

Local house hack: up to 86,5% LTV, no rent, can self manage, local knowledge and able to actively work property to minimize expenses.

I am unconvinced that you are ready for either. You are currently living beyond your means. You do not have the necessary reserves. At 96.5% LTV virtually all markets will have negative cash flow with MLS purchase. I believe either scenario at this time is likely to end badly or just not be possible.

First learn to live below your income.  Next build up some savings.  Continue to educate.  Re-evaluate your position in a year.

good luck

My main goal in posting in this was to get guidance. Living below my means isn’t a problem, afterall I did save up $19,000 in about 3 years. The current set up since the birth of my child combined with other life circumstances has definitely made it difficult, but almost half my bills will be gone next month once we return to a two income household. From there, I’ll be right back in the position I was when I was able to save up. House hacking is absolutely the ideal goal but like I stated, it’s not possible to get into that situation with the market I’m in. And moving to a more affordable market isn’t as simple as it may sound. My focus is to get back to saving and lowering my overall debt. The things I wanted more information and guidance on would be things like how much should I aim to save before I begin looking for a first property. Or what states should I look into about a possible out of state property. How to go about finding a property manager, etc. but thank you for your feedback. 

Quote from @Darius Wade:

Quote from @Abdi Muya:

I’ve been binging BiggerPockets podcasts and one of the things I’ve taken away from them is the “why?” So I’d like to start there. I have two, the first one is my daughter. She’s 6 months old, wasn’t planned and has been the best thing to ever happen to me. I want to give her everything that I grew up feeling like I couldn’t have. I want her to be proud of who I am and all I did. I’m young but I understand how short life is. I want to have the peace of mind in knowing that if something ever happened I left her something. My second “why?” Is my mother, but I’ll get into that shortly.

My mom was born and raised in Uganda, when I was 6 years old we moved to the US for the same reason many folks make that decision, for a better life. My father left us shortly after that and my mom raised my sister and I. She worked two jobs to provide for us and pay the bills. She’d work during the day while we were either at school or daycare then come home to feed and bathe us before leaving for her night time job as a hotel cleaner. She would call us regularly during the night to make sure everything was ok. She’d often have panic attacks at work if she called and we didn’t answer. For whatever reason, she’d always forget that after a certain time during the night we’d fall asleep. She’d instantly think the worst, usually her thought being that the apartment burned down and we died. It’s extreme I know, but the 3 of us were all we had. Then she’d gather herself, tell herself we were ok then finish her shift so that she could rush home in the morning and find us asleep. This was just the routine we had. 

Anyone who has parents that came from a different country understand how much they value education. My sister and I were reminded everyday how important it was for us to go to school and get good grades. We were convinced that education was the only way that people like us could be successful in this world. And so we listened. I learned early on in high school that school wasn’t really for me. I did well and got good grades but I struggled to see it being the key to me getting the life I wanted. I was convinced that unless you went to school in the medical field or for law, it just wasn’t worth it. But I couldn’t tell my mom that, after all, she was once again working two jobs to put me through private school. I ended up going to college for a few years and then the pandemic hit during my junior year. It was the first time I was able to sit down and evaluate my life and think about what I wanted. I was double majoring in English and Economics as a full time student while still working almost full time to cover my bills and maintain a social life. I was running myself into the ground and racking up debt for a degree that I didn’t even want just to please my mom. Finally, I made the choice to leave school and had a conversation with her about it. She told me I broke her heart and didn’t speak to me for over a month. Eventually we started speaking again, she understood I made up my mind and being her son she reluctantly chose to respect my decision.

I spent the next couple years trying to learn as much as I could about real estate from all angles. I began a full time job as a property manager which I'm still doing; I took a real estate licensing course and spoke to a lot of folks around me who had some sort of real estate knowledge and experience. I also focused on trying to save up as much as I could. I had my full time job, I would drive for Uber/Lyft, flip couches and save up my taxt return money. Within 3 years I was able to save up just under $20,000. I always saw videos about FHA loans and house hacking which was my goal for a first property. I was approved for $250k by a bank and began looking for homes with an agent. It was then that I learned how expensive Vermont real estate was. Double wide trailers cost nearly as much as a single family home was going for in other states. And finding a good duplex came with a price point of around half a million dollars. Combine that with the fact that the demand was so much higher than the supply and I found myself stuck and questioning my decision.

Shortly after I began looking for homes, my daughter was born. The idea of strangers raising my child didn’t feel right and child care was going to cost me almost as much as my $1600 rent, so we made the decision to have my girlfriend be a stay at home mom. After hospital bills, buying baby stuff, paying mine and my girlfriend’s bills and some other unexpected expenses, I quickly saw my savings drop to $13,000. I’ve been able to accept that it’s only going to get lower if I choose to not do something. Afterall, I feel like $13,000 is still a lot more than a lot of people have saved at my age and decided I needed to do something with it. I’m eyeing real estate investing outside of state, that’s my goal, I feel like that’s the only way for me to start. And although I’ve watched A LOT of biggerpockets podcasts episodes, I can’t get this voice out of my head saying I can’t do it. I still feel like I don’t know enough and that I’m getting in over my head but I’m here and I’m still willing to do what I have to do which I believe is as good of a start as any. As my savings declined and I struggled to find a property, I couldn’t help but think about my mom. I feel like I’ve let her down by leaving school and not having anything to show for it. After everything she’s done and all the sacrifices she’s made to put me in a position to be successful, I can’t help but feel like I’ve failed her. I want her to know how grateful I am for all she’s done for me, I want her to be proud. My second “Why?” Is being able to pay her back for everything she’s ever done in more ways than financially. In our culture, being able to brag about your kids’ academic achievements is a big deal. I want to give her something to brag about. I don’t ever want her to feel like she failed, I don’t ever want her to question whether her sacrifices were worth it or not.

I’ve said a lot so I’d like to wrap things up by saying this. Although I know what it is I want to do and I know what life I want to create for myself, I don’t feel like I truly know how. I’m absolutely terrified, but I’ve reached a point where it’s now or never. And as scared as I am, I know I’m ready. I’m excited to be joining this community, I’m excited for any and all relationships that I’ll be able to form and I’m excited to get started. Although I’ve been learning about and chasing this goal for years now, I feel like my journey will officially begin after I hit the submit button. 

For anyone who reads this, I’m sorry for typing all that. Once I start, it’s hard to stop. It’s the English major in me. Any and all advice is more than welcome and greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time! 

 Hello Abdi, first off welcome to Bigger Pockets we are thrilled to have you join the community. Your story was very powerful and also extremely relatable with most people. A lot of people live in expensive areas similar to you. Many others have also been hit with "life happening". The birth of your daughter was a blessing for sure and the financial obligations set you back slightly. However, I am happy you have managed not to be discouraged and continue on your investing path. 

In terms of advice a possible suggestion aside from house hacking approach may be to look out of state. Unfortunately, if you are in a expensive area there is no avoiding that but that does not mean you can't still invest in real estate. Look into your neighboring states to see what may be available to you. If that is not the approach you want to take then my other suggestion would be to join your local REIA and network. With your current funds you wouldn't be able to invest currently but no one said you had to start alone. You can try to connect and see if you can structure a partnership allowing you to get started without taking on the full financial burden. As you continue then to build up your wealth you can branch off and grow your own personal portfolio to achieve the goals you have set for yourself. I hope this helps and wishing you nothing but the best.

 This was extremely helpful, thank you so much!

I’ve been binging BiggerPockets podcasts and one of the things I’ve taken away from them is the “why?” So I’d like to start there. I have two, the first one is my daughter. She’s 6 months old, wasn’t planned and has been the best thing to ever happen to me. I want to give her everything that I grew up feeling like I couldn’t have. I want her to be proud of who I am and all I did. I’m young but I understand how short life is. I want to have the peace of mind in knowing that if something ever happened I left her something. My second “why?” Is my mother, but I’ll get into that shortly.

My mom was born and raised in Uganda, when I was 6 years old we moved to the US for the same reason many folks make that decision, for a better life. My father left us shortly after that and my mom raised my sister and I. She worked two jobs to provide for us and pay the bills. She’d work during the day while we were either at school or daycare then come home to feed and bathe us before leaving for her night time job as a hotel cleaner. She would call us regularly during the night to make sure everything was ok. She’d often have panic attacks at work if she called and we didn’t answer. For whatever reason, she’d always forget that after a certain time during the night we’d fall asleep. She’d instantly think the worst, usually her thought being that the apartment burned down and we died. It’s extreme I know, but the 3 of us were all we had. Then she’d gather herself, tell herself we were ok then finish her shift so that she could rush home in the morning and find us asleep. This was just the routine we had. 

Anyone who has parents that came from a different country understand how much they value education. My sister and I were reminded everyday how important it was for us to go to school and get good grades. We were convinced that education was the only way that people like us could be successful in this world. And so we listened. I learned early on in high school that school wasn’t really for me. I did well and got good grades but I struggled to see it being the key to me getting the life I wanted. I was convinced that unless you went to school in the medical field or for law, it just wasn’t worth it. But I couldn’t tell my mom that, after all, she was once again working two jobs to put me through private school. I ended up going to college for a few years and then the pandemic hit during my junior year. It was the first time I was able to sit down and evaluate my life and think about what I wanted. I was double majoring in English and Economics as a full time student while still working almost full time to cover my bills and maintain a social life. I was running myself into the ground and racking up debt for a degree that I didn’t even want just to please my mom. Finally, I made the choice to leave school and had a conversation with her about it. She told me I broke her heart and didn’t speak to me for over a month. Eventually we started speaking again, she understood I made up my mind and being her son she reluctantly chose to respect my decision.

I spent the next couple years trying to learn as much as I could about real estate from all angles. I began a full time job as a property manager which I'm still doing; I took a real estate licensing course and spoke to a lot of folks around me who had some sort of real estate knowledge and experience. I also focused on trying to save up as much as I could. I had my full time job, I would drive for Uber/Lyft, flip couches and save up my taxt return money. Within 3 years I was able to save up just under $20,000. I always saw videos about FHA loans and house hacking which was my goal for a first property. I was approved for $250k by a bank and began looking for homes with an agent. It was then that I learned how expensive Vermont real estate was. Double wide trailers cost nearly as much as a single family home was going for in other states. And finding a good duplex came with a price point of around half a million dollars. Combine that with the fact that the demand was so much higher than the supply and I found myself stuck and questioning my decision.

Shortly after I began looking for homes, my daughter was born. The idea of strangers raising my child didn’t feel right and child care was going to cost me almost as much as my $1600 rent, so we made the decision to have my girlfriend be a stay at home mom. After hospital bills, buying baby stuff, paying mine and my girlfriend’s bills and some other unexpected expenses, I quickly saw my savings drop to $13,000. I’ve been able to accept that it’s only going to get lower if I choose to not do something. Afterall, I feel like $13,000 is still a lot more than a lot of people have saved at my age and decided I needed to do something with it. I’m eyeing real estate investing outside of state, that’s my goal, I feel like that’s the only way for me to start. And although I’ve watched A LOT of biggerpockets podcasts episodes, I can’t get this voice out of my head saying I can’t do it. I still feel like I don’t know enough and that I’m getting in over my head but I’m here and I’m still willing to do what I have to do which I believe is as good of a start as any. As my savings declined and I struggled to find a property, I couldn’t help but think about my mom. I feel like I’ve let her down by leaving school and not having anything to show for it. After everything she’s done and all the sacrifices she’s made to put me in a position to be successful, I can’t help but feel like I’ve failed her. I want her to know how grateful I am for all she’s done for me, I want her to be proud. My second “Why?” Is being able to pay her back for everything she’s ever done in more ways than financially. In our culture, being able to brag about your kids’ academic achievements is a big deal. I want to give her something to brag about. I don’t ever want her to feel like she failed, I don’t ever want her to question whether her sacrifices were worth it or not.

I’ve said a lot so I’d like to wrap things up by saying this. Although I know what it is I want to do and I know what life I want to create for myself, I don’t feel like I truly know how. I’m absolutely terrified, but I’ve reached a point where it’s now or never. And as scared as I am, I know I’m ready. I’m excited to be joining this community, I’m excited for any and all relationships that I’ll be able to form and I’m excited to get started. Although I’ve been learning about and chasing this goal for years now, I feel like my journey will officially begin after I hit the submit button. 

For anyone who reads this, I’m sorry for typing all that. Once I start, it’s hard to stop. It’s the English major in me. Any and all advice is more than welcome and greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time!