All Forum Posts by: Lauren Nolan

@Account Closed mentioned! Discover has one that even offers rewards which is not typically available on secured cards. I will be signing myself as well as my partner up ASAP. Thanks for sharing and I’m glad it worked so well for your husband! 

Thanks David! I have never heard of Credit Carma but it sounds like just the service I need. I have never thought of taking out more than one card but if that could help boost my score more quickly I will surely need to consider it. Thank you for your well wishes and I am very excited for this journey!

Hi Lance! Happy to meet a fellow Michigander :). I need to do everything now, basically starting from scratch and I was thinking of opening a bank account with Capital One anyway so the secured card from them could be a great option and will definitely look into it tonight. 

Thank you for your feedback, Geordy! I am definitely going to get a credit card this week as that is definitely a top priority. Great idea to put groceries on it as well. Thanks.

Hello Everyone!

My name is Lauren and I am a brand new BiggerPockets member feeling motivated and COMMITTED to beginning my real estate investment journey. That being said, I am in a bit of an odd situation and am looking for some advice. 

I moved abroad when I was 22 and have lived in China and Australia for the past 4 years. I have just moved back to the USA with a great experience under my belt and a soft place to land as my parents are happy to have me stay with them rent free until I decide where to move.

My partner is from Belgium and will hopefully be receiving his green card next month to join me. Both of us are totally debt free but with that, neither of us have ever owned a credit card/have no credit. So, we need to figure out how to build our credit in order to apply for loans for investments. Any advice on this is greatly appreciated. 

Secondly, we need to decide where to live and where to invest. Because I am new to investing, I feel it is safer to invest near where we will be living, but my partner MUST be near a surf beach with consistent waves so that really limits are selection. We are thinking Northeast FL, but I am unsure about the strength of neighborhoods/markets compared to price value. I am from the Muskegon/Grand Rapids, Michigan area and have contradicting feelings about whether it is a good idea to begin investing here (MI) despite needing to move closer to the ocean (FL) or waiting to begin until we decide where to move. Does anyone have any advice on good areas to move and/or if it is wise for beginners to make out of state investments? Strength of opportunities in NE Florida or Muskegon/Grand Rapids MI?

I would like to focus on either Multifamilies (duplex, triplex, fourplex) where my partner and I can live in one of the units and rent out the others as we are low on savings, or doing BRRRR with single family homes.

Thank you so much for reading and I am so excited to dive deeper into the forums and become an active and enthusiastic BP Member!!