How do I start with some cash but no job?

How do I start with some cash but no job?

Investor · Central Texas · Member since 2019 · 6 posts · 0 votes

I'm a full time student from Austin, Texas with the coming summer and fall semesters left in school. I've been telling myself I can't start investing in real estate until I graduate and get a job but now I know it's probably a matter of "How can I.." rather than "I can't until.."

A BRRRR or flip would be great for my first project. I'm familiar with the steps and processes for both but not sure how i could fund my first deal with 25K cash, about 700 credit score, no income or job, no leverage-able assets and no experience yet (and ideally get my cash back out quickly.)

Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

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Whitney HuttenPro Member
Investor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y

@Alex Yang I'd work on getting a job in the real estate arena OR a high-paying field like tech (lenders like W-2 employees right now). Then I'd figure out a way to do a house-hack as my first investment (small multi preferably, but you could do an SFR) and get a co-signer. Then get roommates or renters to pay down the mortgage and live for free. I'd save all of the money I would spend on housing for my next deals. Then do it all over again a couple of times while I'm young with no kids or spouse. With time, my renters will have paid down the current mortgage, fueled your savings for the down payments on future deals, and allowed you to live for free or almost free.

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  • San Antonio, TX · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang You may want to start out by finding deals for other investors. This is the way I started out by first becoming a bird dog and then transitioning into a wholesaler. This is a good way to build up cash. If you have time to find deals for other investors, you should get paid well and help others in return. Once you have enough cash, then you can look into buying and holding. You may want to attend your local real estate investment club to start networking. Figure out who the key players are in your area. Strike up a relationship and see if you can learn from them but also work with them at the same time. Hope that helps. Best of luck! 

  • Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang how long until you graduate?

  • Investor · Central Texas · Member since 2019 · 6 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Jordan Moorhead Early December 2020

  • Investor · Great Neck, NY · Member since 2016 · 679 posts · 467 votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang

    Under normal circumstances, I would say go to networking events and talk to real estate professionals who have successfully invested in BRRRR and flipping. Now with the pandemic, I would say keep reading and educating yourself. Try to find those type of people online and consider seeing if you could partner up with someone initially. You're still very new so I don't think going on your own is your best route.

  • Investor · NJ · Member since 2018 · 869 posts · 921 votes
    6y

    I'd start with getting a job you'll have a difficult time getting any sort of a loan without some sort of income. 25k isnt enough money to fund a deal to not have a job. 

    You could always try wholesaling but that's really not for everybody and you could easily burn money on advertising with no ROI or results.

  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y

    If you have a pot of money, but no job, why would take some of that pot and place a bet on something in hopes that you would make more when the downside of losing that money, with no job, is disastrous. What's the rush? You are still in school? Can you work while you in school to add money to the pot? Austin is an investor-savvy area, there are a lot of REI events that you can attend when they come back in-person. Don't try to invest too early and risk losing your savings when you have a good amount for your age saved up if you have 25k. If you didn't have time to get a "real job" while still in school, you could get your RE license and do that on weekends after you pass the test. The RE class is great learning for investors, much more useful than for agents over the long-term, and then you can see properties and will understand more of what the numbers mean when you do graduate.

  • Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang get on having a job by then! Talk to some lenders now.

  • Specialist · Easton, PA · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang

    Ummm get a job, and in two years you can get a loan.

  • Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Alex Yang:

    I'm a full time student from Austin, Texas with the coming summer and fall semesters left in school. I've been telling myself I can't start investing in real estate until I graduate and get a job but now I know it's probably a matter of "How can I.." rather than "I can't until.."

    A BRRRR or flip would be great for my first project. I'm familiar with the steps and processes for both but not sure how i could fund my first deal with 25K cash, about 700 credit score, no income or job, no leverage-able assets and no experience yet (and ideally get my cash back out quickly.)

    Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

     "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard", this very true quote stands true for so many things in real estate investing be it talent, money, credit, connections and so on. So yes, it's totally possible to overcome this hurdle with hard work, although is it the best path at this time, thats so hard to say without knowing a lot more about you and your life, even then it's just an outside opinion not a fact of future. 

    I say the best path is the one with the highest potential of REI success, and only you can really say which that is.

    Maybe taking what time you'd used on trying to invest now would be better used getting a RE license and getting "in the game" on that front. You will learn and gain a lot that is directly applicable to REI, not to mention could help on that j.o.b side of things.

  • Investor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 194 votes
    6y

    Hi Alex,

    I think using cash or any credit is a huge mistake, instead I would just make friends and see how you can help them.  For example I have a bird dog your age who texts/calls sellers and if they want to do a lease option he does a three way call with me or another investor and we pay him sometimes $200 - $300.  So far he is making an extra $1,000 or so a week working less than an hour at MOST lol.

    Love on people just get to know them the biggest thing I tell people your age (I'm a teacher) is that if you aren't in love with what you are doing, do something else but in the meantime make friends and just help them in some way because that skill will transfer to other things.

    Hope that helps.  Thanks!

  • Rental Property Investor · Woodstock, GA · Member since 2017 · 517 posts · 772 votes
    6y

    Can one of your parents co-sign on a loan. 

    They may have trouble pulling out that check...

    Unless you show them you could house-hack a property, and BRRRR out their money from there so they don't need to have it stuck for too long.

    You could pay them interest on it. 

    After it works, they may want to fund some other deals.

  • Whitney HuttenPro Member
    Investor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang I'd work on getting a job in the real estate arena OR a high-paying field like tech (lenders like W-2 employees right now). Then I'd figure out a way to do a house-hack as my first investment (small multi preferably, but you could do an SFR) and get a co-signer. Then get roommates or renters to pay down the mortgage and live for free. I'd save all of the money I would spend on housing for my next deals. Then do it all over again a couple of times while I'm young with no kids or spouse. With time, my renters will have paid down the current mortgage, fueled your savings for the down payments on future deals, and allowed you to live for free or almost free.

  • Investor · New York City, NY · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 269 votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang

    I agree with @Rachel H.

    You will need to start hunting for a great deal and then either wholesale it out or bring in a capital partner for you to fix and flip. Most capital partners such as us like to see a project manager have some skin in the game in a typical joint venture. It is certainly possible. $25,000 should be enough to do a quick cosmetic remodel. 

    Best of luck in all your endeavors.

  • Investor · Central Texas · Member since 2019 · 6 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Anthony Dadlani when you say capital partner, are you referring to a private money lender as opposed to hard money or a credit union/bank?

  • Investor · Central Texas · Member since 2019 · 6 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Whitney Hutten Thanks for your input. That has exactly been my plan but I got this feeling that I was making excuses by waiting when there may be another way to start now. Thought I'd entertain possibilities available sooner.

  • Investor · New York City, NY · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 269 votes
    6y

    @Alex Yang

    I actually mean a private investor...Friends , family, a mentor.

    Would love to have a conversation with you about your experiences and business. Please feel free to reach out to me and schedule a call. Best of luck in all your endeavors.

  • Member since 2020 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Rachel H.

    Hey how do you start out looking for deals for investors? Birding dogging as you phrase it? I’m constantly finding good deals on flip properties but I don’t have the capital to move on them. If there’s a way to learn how to forward that information to an investor for profit I’d like to know how that process works. Thanks!

  • Member since 2020 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Anthony Dadlani

    Do you invest in fix and flips for investors? What would you consider good skin in the game for a newbie investor?

  • Investor · New York City, NY · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 269 votes
    6y

    @Gabe Rivera


    yes.  Would love to have a conversation with you about your experiences and business. Please feel free to reach out to me and schedule a call. Best of luck in all your endeavors.  

  • San Antonio, TX · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Gabe Rivera:

    @Rachel H.

    Hey how do you start out looking for deals for investors? Birding dogging as you phrase it? I’m constantly finding good deals on flip properties but I don’t have the capital to move on them. If there’s a way to learn how to forward that information to an investor for profit I’d like to know how that process works. Thanks!

    Yes, you can start by networking with other investors who do business in the areas you do business in. They can be found through your local real estate investment clubs and also by calling on the for sale and for rent signs in those areas. When you drive neighborhoods, any homes and/or properties where contractors are working on them may be potential owners for other real estate investors. If you approach them as someone who may have a leads and opportunities in the area, most would be willing to take a look at any deals that come your way. From there, it's just a matter of staying in touch and building relationships. 

    Hope that helps! 

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