Hi BP! I have been reading articles and discussions plus listening to BP popcast for many months, but I have yet to participate the forum discussion. It is time to pay for what I owe :)Frankly I am a newbie in RE inve...

Of course, you need to read The Ultimate Beginners Guide to REI here on BPIf you haven’t already, please read/listen to these books ASAP!

Hello to everyone, I´m Juan Antonio Africano from Colombia, I am 20 years old andI´ve got really in too real estate industry and the ways to invest in it because of my cousin who is a real estate broker and owns his company.I just read the Ultimates Beginners Guide to real Estate Investing and I think it is a good guide which includes the basics.

Check out the Ultimate Beginner's Guide (www.biggerpockets.com/ubg) as a good place to start.

I'm a beginner REI from indy.

Read the Ultimate Beginner's Guide.

Another beginner here looking to set off my career in REI.

But, most beginners don't.Your best shot of finding a deal is "driving for dollars," as Brandon terms it, looking for vacant/rundown properties in good neighborhoods with great school systems, then contacting the owners, who may have been considering selling, but not taken any action, yet.Another key is to pick an area and focus on that, getting to know local values like the back of your hand.

It's all about the guarantor on the lease, experience in that chosen industry, a track record of success, liquidity and net worth of the guarantor, and how easily attachable the assets are if something goes wrong.For instance I would never front money for tenant improvements on a business that is not a proven performer.

Feel free to call.Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthere Check out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice.