Hi @Brian CookYou are really well placed to get out of the rat race early.

I'm live in Federal Way, WashingtonWant to buy and hold a house for the first time. like most people, I want to get out of the rat race by doing the famous House Hacking I already got in touch with a realtor from quicken loans (can somebody recommend me a good agent or a bank?)

My theory is that it may speed up overseas investment as investors there race to get ahead of further devaluations (and before they're swept up in 'anti-corruption' investigations which are mostly designed to weed out anti Xi Jinping factions).There is another hit to demand that also could originate in China; the slowdown in their economy and it's effect on raw materials producers (see http://www.visualcapitalist.com/china-consumes-min... for a good look at that).

I Recently got married and had a baby and am looking to put in some hard work in real estate investing (specifically flipping) in order to achieve greater financial freedom, as getting ahead in the rat race has proved to be elusive!

I'm covering half of my expenses already with my real estate salary so I'll probably be "escaping the rat race" sooner or later

Hopefully, with a "buy and hold" strategy, I can achieve that and have some passive income to fund my hobby of racing my Lotus at various racetracks around the country.I look forward to soaking up the vast amount knowledge here on the forum.

I hope to take the passion I have built, and begin working for myself in hopes of ending my two job rat race.  

What really got me going about real estate was an opportunity to generate wealth beyond what is entailed by this so-called "rat race".

I have had investment properties in the past and have sold them to take another rat race job in the great state of FL. 

Then the race was on to beat the other investors.