@Marvin Anaya - Welcome to the vibrant BP community.Yes, creativity is key to REI.

@Hank Sacco - Welcome to the vibrant BP community.

@Phylicia Stephenson - Welcome to the vibrant BP community and as a New Yorker sharing adjoining counties.I see that you are interested in duplex acquisition for house hacking and flips, so, I added two blogs for your review.http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/07/19/how-to-buy-a-duplex/http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/01/07/flipping-houses/On the other hand, I share your pain with regard to the high price of properties and taxes that you encounter in Nassau county.Yes, you will probably have to step out of your comfort zone in Nassau county and look upstate as mentioned.

@Michel SteeleWelcome to the vibrant BP community.

@Dorniecesher Johnson - Welcome to the vibrant BP community.You have come to the right place for help.

@Kyandrea Fowlkes- Welcome to BiggerPockets, a place to interact with a vibrant REI group, learn the real estate business and language at near zero cost.

At present I am writing this post with a strange mix of a heavy heart and bright eyes.I must admit that once again a thread composed of the thoughts of investors so further along in the industry than I, has left me in a bewildering mixed state of melancholy and renewed exuberance.It has been made abundantly clear to me in short order as well that in the ecosystem of REI I would be likened to something like a near defenseless sea cucumber who expels their insides when they get freaked out in a mostly vain and benign means of defending itself.

@Rivka RonayWelcome aboard the vibrant BP community.

@Carl RichardsonWelcome aboard the vibrant BP community.

@Susann BraggsWelcome to BiggerPockets, a place to interact with a vibrant REI group, learn thereal estate business and language.It doesn't matter if you are young or old, totally new or need to build upon your experience.Yes, you have just announced a commitment to the thousands in this community aboutyour seriousness regarding REI and have taken this bold step to affirm it.Your time on this site with the BiggerPockets community will be well spent and can befinancially rewarding if you so desire.Don't get overwhelmed by the massive amount of data archived on this site.Simply, bone up on the areas that you need to expand knowledge in such as, Forums,Marketplace, Learn, Network, Analyze, Resources.Feast on the Podcasts, #askbp Podcasts, blogs, webinars and the myriad of bookrecommendations.REI books suggested by BPershttp://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/04/14/best-real-estate-books/?