New to REI & BiggerPockets

[Ryan Jordan]

Hello everyone! 

My name's Ryan and I'm new to REI and BiggerPockets and would like to begin my REI journey!

House hacking in Northern New Jersey to me seems like the ideal first step for me because I work in NYC and need to be able to commute multiple times per week. Would love any advice from folks who have done something similar!

Also looking to potentially go to some REI meetups or clubs to start meeting folks in person and hopefully get some mentorship, so any comms on that would also be real helpful.

Thanks everyone in advance! 

Ryan 

[Laura Navaquin]

Hey Ryan, welcome to BiggerPockets!

I spent 11 years working and living in downtown Manhattan, and now we split our time between NY and Florida while investing in six states with 21 properties, over 10 flips, four businesses and a venue in upstate NY underway. I haven't personally done house hacking, but I can say from experience that networking is everything. Joining REI groups and meetups will teach you so much and it's also where you'll often find deal funding, partnerships, and the right people for your team: contractors, investor-savvy realtors, attorneys, etc.

Even though I didn’t house hack myself, I’m extremely thankful for the networks, lessons, and partnerships I’ve built along the way. They’ve opened doors to opportunities I couldn’t have found on my own. So my advice would be: show up, connect, and keep an open mind, you never know which conversation might lead to your first deal or a key mentor.