New to Real Estate - Advice on starting out

[Devin LeBlanc]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself and ask for some advice. I just graduated from Appalachian State with a degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, and I recently moved to Atlanta for work, quite a change of pace coming from the mountains!

I’m looking for weekend work where I can get hands-on experience in real estate. I love being hands-on and I’m not afraid to take risks, so if anyone in the Atlanta area could use an extra set of hands, I’d love to help out.

As for real estate itself, I’d love some book recommendations and other ways to build relevant skills. My plan is to start with house hacking and flipping, then move into long-term or short-term rentals. I’ve been looking into volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to sharpen my construction skills, and I’m also considering electrical classes and similar hands-on training. I’d say I’m a go-getter, and I’d love to connect with anyone open to mentoring me, or anyone who could use some extra help and take a bit of work off their plate.

My current goal is to save up for a down payment on a duplex or triplex. If you have any advice on the best way to get there, or any general tips for someone just starting out, I’d love to hear it!

[Jimmy Lieu]

Quote from @Devin LeBlanc:

Hey everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself and ask for some advice. I just graduated from Appalachian State with a degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, and I recently moved to Atlanta for work, quite a change of pace coming from the mountains!

I’m looking for weekend work where I can get hands-on experience in real estate. I love being hands-on and I’m not afraid to take risks, so if anyone in the Atlanta area could use an extra set of hands, I’d love to help out.

As for real estate itself, I’d love some book recommendations and other ways to build relevant skills. My plan is to start with house hacking and flipping, then move into long-term or short-term rentals. I’ve been looking into volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to sharpen my construction skills, and I’m also considering electrical classes and similar hands-on training. I’d say I’m a go-getter, and I’d love to connect with anyone open to mentoring me, or anyone who could use some extra help and take a bit of work off their plate.

My current goal is to save up for a down payment on a duplex or triplex. If you have any advice on the best way to get there, or any general tips for someone just starting out, I’d love to hear it!

Welcome to BP! It sounds like you're already approaching this the right way by focusing on building skills before jumping into your first deal. Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity is a great idea, and I'd also recommend trying to connect with local flippers or small contractors who could use help on weekends. Even if you're doing demo, painting, or cleanup at first, you'll learn a ton just by being around active projects. For books, I found The Book on Rental Property Investing and The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs really practical when I was getting started. One thing I'd add is to spend time underwriting deals every week, even if you're not ready to buy yet. The more properties you analyze, the faster you'll recognize a good deal when it comes along. Since you're planning to house hack, keep saving for that down payment while learning how to estimate repairs and run numbers confidently. That combination will put you ahead of a lot of people who only read books but never take action. Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!