It’ll also help make the garage conversion less like a garage shaped room and give buyers something else to focused on instead of the step down?

Depending on your big picture plans, you may want to start in a certain area and focus on their investor groups. 

Hi @Dee Bullock, I would suggest picking on specific area to focus on learning that area first.

Please click on the links, give them a read, and share your thoughts in the comments.First is a post that I feel will help not get overwhelmed with the amount of info that is here on BP:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52761-the-simple-guide-to-getting-started-on-bpThe second is a post that will help get you focused with your real estate investing goals:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52743-im-new-to-bp-any-advice-would-be-appriciatedThe last one is a post that will help you choose an “investor friendly” real estate agent.

Please click on the links, give them a read, and share your thoughts in the comments.First is a post that I feel will help not get overwhelmed with the amount of info that is here on BP:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52761-the-simple-guide-to-getting-started-on-bpThe second is a post that will help get you focused with your real estate investing goals:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52743-im-new-to-bp-any-advice-would-be-appriciatedThe last one is a post that will help you choose an “investor friendly” real estate agent.

For me personally my focus last year was mostly on new construction and we aquired very little in that year.

@Kevin Jones Hey Kevin, I used to do some development and investing and now I am mostly focusing on agency.

Is it worth it to purse this particular certification or should I just focus on REI? 

Hey @Nick Barker   you should have a leg up running the numbers :)I regularly attend or are a part the top 4 of these, the other 2 are ones I do not attend but I believe are valuable.Let's grab coffee some timeTC meet up listhttps://www.meetup.com/Saint-Paul-Landlords-Meetup/https://www.meetup.com/Real-Estate-Investing-Rehab-Meetup/https://www.meetup.com/Future-Millionaire-Real-Estate-Investor-Club/https://www.meetup.com/BP-Bi-Monthly-Meetup/https://www.meetup.com/Rental-Property-Wealth/events/251370403/https://www.meetup.com/Millennial-Investors-Focus-Group/events/24588250Tim

My wife and I both worked for nearly a decade for a commercial property company focused on leasing and sales in the retail sector so personal real estate investing was always a path we knew we would pursue having seen first hand the wealth real estate can generate.