All Forum Posts by: Joseph Williams

@Matt R. Catalina looks great, and nice that you can submerge into a great dive right off of the shore.  Thanks for the recommendations.

@Carrington Booth Everyone seems to be recommending KW.  I've contacted them and begun pre-licensing processes.  Also, just checked out your profile; I love seeing other former East Coast people that have moved to (and made it in) LA.  I'd love to pick your brain a bit later in the process if that's alright.  Happy hunting for new properties/clients!

@Ali Boone Haha thank you! I'm used to brutal, snowy winters.. I have no shortage of layers.  If you find yourself in Spain again, I'd be more than happy to answer questions and share travel secrets.  And thanks! Really appreciate how welcoming you and HI have been.

@Ali Boone Barcelona is heaven on earth.  I met my girlfriend, who's from LA, in Barcelona, and it's the only other place she says she'd ever live.  In the summer months especially, I think Barcelona can compete with any city for vibrancy, aliveness, culture, and quality of life. Woke up to the sound of drums beating in the distance every morning and was woken up to drunken English chants every night from below my balcony.. Loved it.  Plus, their current soccer team is one of the best ever.  Like Jordan and the Bulls in their prime.  History being made.

Can't wait to come shift into the California lifestyle though. :) Thanks again for being an inspiration.  If you have any advice for starting out in LA, I'm all ears!

@Matt R. Definitely.  Been looking mostly in the West LA area around Koreatown, Wilshire, Hollywood area.  Seems like 1600 will be a bit low end but by 1800 there are plenty of options.  Also considering picking up a Westside Rentals membership.  And man, I would love to.  I learned to surf during a weekend in Morocco, but never got past the standing and enjoying phase.. Meanwhile, ~10-year-olds carving up waves around me.  Is there decent scuba to be found around there?

@Engelo Rumora Thanks for the response, looking forward to talking today!

@Matt R. Much appreciate the advice about life in LA.  I'm counting on a friend to join me in the move and we're looking at ~1600 for two bedroom apartments - reasonable compared to NYC or DC prices.  I've been looking at KW and planning on starting the RE licensing course next week.  It's comforting to hear good things about them, so thanks!  And by lifestyle design I just mean living where I want while investing elsewhere [where it's smart].

@Mark Nolan and @Dmitriy Fomichenko, thanks for the warm welcome.  I'll be sure to get keyword alerts activated.

@Matthew Nixon Great to hear a success story from a local from where I am and to where I'll be. I'm definitely interested in talking at some point in the future. Looks like getting a RE license is the best first step, and I'm ready to get moving. Hope all's well in sunny California!

Hi! My name is Joe Williams and I'm a not-so-new forum member from the quaint town of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  As I've been lurking the forums for nearly a year and listening to the podcasts religiously, I figured it was time to make an introduction.  

So, a little background: I'm 24, just returned from Barcelona, Spain where I earned a Master's in International Relations, and have since been working as a historian.  Upon returning, I, following the ritual, read 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad', and a few others (notably, The Alchemist) and quickly became engrossed by real estate.  I sought out a mentor, escaped a pyramid scheme, learned about my parents' rental property (mostly the headaches endured), and have since entrenched myself in RE- and entrepreneurship-related readings, podcasts, discussion, and thought processes.

My original plan was to move to Florida with a friend, buy a multi-family, have tenants pay mortgage via rent, etc.  I've since changed my mind.  The mindsets and strategies of a few big names on the forums, namely Ali Boone and Engelo Rumora, have made me reassess my plan.  Turnkeys and lifestyle design seem the way to go.  As such, I'm job hunting in Los Angeles, California.  I have a small network there and I'm hoping to carve out my path and live the life I desire.  

If anyone has any advice for finding RE-related work in the big city, I'd love to hear it.  I'm still in the soaking up information stage, and I'm excited for what the future holds.