Hey Folks, I'm new to RE investing and currently in the process of developing my business plan.  

Depending on your investing strategy, you may want to find something"just in front of" development, or invest after it has arrived.  

I did a lot of business start up research over those years and drove my husband nuts with ideas from Herbalife to website development. 

I have access to 5 acres of land in a high end area that is being readily developed.

thank you BenThank you JohnRegarding self-employment over a w-2 jobWhen I was just out of the Marine Corps and I had this job at Johnson Controls engineering firm because I was a science major, had a lot of calculus physics and chemistryMy job was to sell to developers and builders That wanted air and water  control devices and I was on straight commission basicallyI had like $20,000 in commissions that they  didn't pay me for I got really upset and at 25 yrs of age I didn't have very much EQ, and my emotions got the best me I basically even went to a lawyer and asked  how can I get my 20,000 in commissions here's the proof they owe me the moneyMy lawyer says it's gonna cost you 10,000 in legal fees to sue them at a minimum he's going to need that upfront as a retainerAnd then there was no guarantees I would get the 20 kThat's why I made the commitment at 25 never ever ever be a W-2 employee and I work as a 1099 alwaysThen I found a real estate 60-year-old mentor who taught me everything from distressed property to foreclosures to divorce to bankruptcy to probateI work for five hundred a week for 2 and a half years and then opened up my own business and did approximately 28 seller interviews a weekMy closing ratio in the beginning wasn't very good because I sucked at itBut with the good coaching from my teacher I got better and better and betterI quit after 2 1/2 years and started my own company on a shoestring it wasn't easyBut I made over hundred thousand dollars my first year if it wasn't for the teacher I would not know how to run a business and I would not know how to hire people and I would not know how to market and I would not know how to negotiateAnd you never stop learning because I made a Ton of money I was 29 and I made over 1 million and a quarter I rolled it back into the company which was a mistakeBut live and learn!

Learning and developing skills is my main concern. 

To me, I find it very valuable to develop relationships with agents.

Building a new development on the site.Interested in hearing from anyone with experience. 

My name is James Radcliffe, I live in Connecticut just outside of New York and I am currently involved in developing an online sales platform for a 30 year old art business here.

More info here: http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521/topics/187...As far as getting started, developing your strategy and whether to get lic'd or not....It's easy to get lost in all of the info and different investing approaches to real estate.