My sister and I have been thinking about starting something for a while and are finally taking the plunge.

I plan on doing all the research I can to educate myself before taking the plunge and this community looked like as good a place as any to start. 

The stock market plunged like hell and the media reported an error that was dubbed "fat finger"The result of that day was that the Congress still will not have the power to fully audit the Fed.

Anyone take the plunge in the Portland neighborhood yet?  

They are the reason I took the big plung in REI.  

I would suggest taking a step back and set in your mind on two or three strategies of real estate investing.The best way to do this is use the REI forums and search subject matter by reading all post on the subject of interest and evaluate your own abilities and make a determination if you have the ability and means to do it.Next research your public library on the subject, study the materials, and if it still peaks your interestGo to a used bookstore and study even more materials on the subject and if it still peaks your interest seek out the teacher that reaches you deep down inside, the one that speaks to your mind and heart but before you take the plunge for the mega course order the cheapest item they have book, ebook or course and if it works take the mega course.I have people who want to take my mentor course all the time but many can not even get past the application process!

I wanted to join to learn more about real estate and also provide any help if I can.I have some background in real estate as I grew up in a large family of construction workers and real estate investors (I just haven't taken the plunge myself, yet).

My advice to you is have someone mentor you in this type of real estate investing before ultimately taking the plunge.

As new investors my husband and I are learning as much as we can get our hands on before taking the plunge into our first rental, hopefully beginning of next year.

I live on the West Coast as well, and if your like me when I started out in REI, after years of trying to get into REI locally, I finally took the plunge by investing out of state with a full service turnkey provider, which provided me a fairly passive way for me  as the owner of an unrelated (to REI) business at the time.