What age did you start investing?

Real Estate Agent · Nashville, TN · Member since 2020 · 77 posts · 71 votes

Obviously, there is no correct answer. Some investors have the freedom to start when they are in college/a young adult while others decide to invest closer to retirement.

With that being said, at what age did YOU begin to invest?

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Dutch Langley

Flipper/Rehabber · Matthews, NC · Member since 2019 · 198 posts · 239 votes

My husband and I just started flipping last year. (He is 60 and I am 58). Never too late! We love it!!!

63 Reply

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Austin Andrews
Real Estate Broker · St. Louis, MO · Member since 2018 · 101 posts · 85 votes
6y
I began my real estate career many years before, but bought my first 4-family at 26. As everyone says, I wish I would have started earlier!
15 Reply
Brett McManus
Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2020 · 94 posts · 161 votes
6y
Just closed on the first duplex this past Spring at 22!
36 Reply
Bonnie Rhodes
OP
Real Estate Agent · Nashville, TN · Member since 2020 · 77 posts · 71 votes
6y
@Austin Andrews - I'm a firm believer that everything happens in its right timing! I hear the stories of people who figured out a way to house hack in college and I wish I would've known more about real estate investing when I was 18.

@Brett McManus - Congrats! That is awesome. I'd love to hear more about your investment.
10 Reply
Dutch Langley
Flipper/Rehabber · Matthews, NC · Member since 2019 · 198 posts · 239 votes
6y
My husband and I just started flipping last year. (He is 60 and I am 58). Never too late! We love it!!!
63 Reply
Steve Cook
Member since 2020 · 10 posts · 6 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes. 28
1 Reply
Anthony Wick
Rental Property Investor · Ankeny, IA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
About 28 years ago, at age 23, when I acquired my first full time job out of college. Health benefits, vacation, and 401k. Nothing sophisticated or special about it. Just signed up for the company matching. A lot has changed since then, but one thing has never changed, I've never gone below the company match in any job I've ever had.
For real estate, it started when I moved for a job and couldn't sell my house, so I rented it out for years. That was about age 27.
10 Reply
Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
27
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3 Reply
Taylor L.
Rental Property Investor · RVA · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
Stocks and bonds at 22. That was when I finally had a few nickels to rub together and knew I needed to get them to work. Real estate at 26, I believe.
3 Reply
Stephen Predmore
Rental Property Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2018 · 107 posts · 129 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes. Started at 48. It took an unexpected layoff from a job I was working for 20+ years to finally wake up & get the ball rolling. Now I'm using my old 401k to fund a few properties. Wish I had started many years ago.
15 Reply
Jack Dalrymple
Rental Property Investor · East Coast · Member since 2018 · 96 posts · 65 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes
Opened a Fidelity investment account on my 18th birthday and real estate at 34.
8 Reply
Eric Ingram
Developer · Durham, NC · Member since 2018 · 64 posts · 47 votes
6y
12 years old, when my parents opened a savings account (hey I earned a return, LOL)
RE transactions did not happen until 45 years old. I encourage anyone to follow there dreams. I actually purchased Carlton Sheets (google him) course at a young age, but did not believe I could ever do such a thing. Now that I'm doing it I missed out on a lot of opportunities, but remember IT'S NEVER TO LATE!!
Some hard work, but never impossible.

Keep pushing!
12 Reply
Joe PrillamanPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Carolina Beach, NC · Member since 2017 · 441 posts · 462 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes, purchased my 1st primary residence at 25 and 1st investment property at 26!
4 Reply
Rodney Robinson
Rental Property Investor · Melbourne, FL · Member since 2017 · 114 posts · 108 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes Great discussion! I started investing in stocks in college, around 19 or 20. I got into real estate (mentally) at 2013, but did not buy our first property until i was 25 (primary residence that became our second rental). Three years later, at 28, we bought our first actual rental. No regrets, as we had important priorities in starting a family and paying off personal debt and I am now moving faster, but as others stated, make the commitment, and make a plan, regardless of your age. Now, at 30, I am focusing on multifamily and look forward to a growing business over the next five years.
Age is less important than trajectory. Do not use your age (whether relatively older our younger) as a measuring stick for success. Best wishes on your success.
10 Reply
Ian WalshBusiness Member
Lender · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
23
3 Reply
Daniel Haberkost
Rental Property Investor · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2018 · 682 posts · 729 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes 21 I bought my first duplex, what about yourself?
2 Reply
Whitney HuttenPro Member
Investor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
I started investing in the stock market when I was 10 with my dad. I bought my first piece of real estate at 25 by partnering with my grandfather.
Podcast Guest on Show How to Build Generational Wealth Without Losing it Along the Way
5 Reply
Shane Brooks
Investor · Durango, CO · Member since 2019 · 33 posts · 4 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes I bought my first property at 18 as a college house hack in Colorado! Didn’t know the term house hacking back then but knew I could rent out the other rooms and did not want to pay for expensive apartments on campus!
2 Reply
Anthony GaydenPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
I bought my first 4-plex at 34. I still own it 6 years later.
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8 Reply
Brian Ellis
Rental Property Investor · South shore, MA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
28, now 32 with a few rentals and one under contract.
Im curious to what the level of success has been for those who have started early, and those who have started late...
6 Reply
Jaquetta T Ragland
Real Estate Agent · Winston Salem, NC · Member since 2014 · 486 posts · 303 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes I was 23
4 Reply
Gwen Fyfe
Rental Property Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2016 · 227 posts · 287 votes
6y
Stock market as soon as I started working, real estate at 28, about 4 years ago. I think it's great to start early but I'm also a little concerned about young people going into this business with the "I'm all-knowing and invincible!" attitude so many of us have as young adults. I definitely had to learn some hard lessons in my first year or so.
9 Reply
Rason Lockhart
Rental Property Investor · Groton, CT · Member since 2015 · 16 posts · 11 votes
6y
@Bonnie Rhodes I’ve been studying real estate from my mentor since I was 21-22 years old. Now I’m 27 and finally back on the market for my first multi family property now. It took me awhile to get here but it’s all a process, just getting the loan on the multi family property is a process in its own right, then finding a deal that makes sense is another. I wish I would have gotten my first property sooner of course but like you said you don’t want to force anything to happen.
4 Reply
Danielle Angelo
Rental Property Investor · RI · Member since 2019 · 3 posts · 4 votes
6y
Age 25 with stocks and bonds, and age 26 with real estate by partnering with my dad. That was just last year but, for me, was as soon as I could after getting my first "big girl" job (seven years of school and student loans really puts a damper on things).
4 Reply
Nicholas Lambert
Rental Property Investor · Haverhill, MA · Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 13 votes
6y
25! Closing on my first three-family house hack in a few weeks!
2 years ago I graduated college and jumped right into the workforce and thought this is life now for the next 40 years. I quickly realized that I did not want to be stuck in the rat race all my life trying to nibble at the cheddar. Therefore, I adjusted my lifestyle, saved up and invested every dime I could, and educated myself for a few years until I decided action was needed to be made. Now here I am, closing on the first of many properties to come. I plan on using my first house hack as a learning tool for my REI career, and the foundation of my future investments!
12 Reply
Anjali LeBoeuf
Portland, OR · Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 9 votes
6y
21 years old I bought twenty-eight acres raw land edge of National Forest Las Vegas NM for development. No money down on contract. Then 3 houses in town Las Vegas NM. Later three homes in Granada Hills, CA developed two as prototype Alzheimer's Homes. I'm an RN and residential broker. Bought & developed partial sub-division Portland OR. Currently holding 2 level rentals in Portland OR. Over 12 years as licensed broker in CA. Now OR &WA. Big picture now: Buying RV & Mobile Home Parks USA. Looking for deals and developing lender and investor relations.
4 Reply

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