Where to start?

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Good morning all. I am new to the site and new to real estate investing. I have no clue what or how to get started. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Hi Ken, I am absolutely ready to learn. Forgive my ignorance but what is a Connect?

[Sophia Buesing]

Hey Nikki! Take advantage of all the free resources online. Start looking at properties and running the numbers. Go to local real estate meetups and learn from the real estate investors in your market. Finance cowboy has some great resources online as well. Bigger pockets has a great podcast too! 

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Copy

[Min Zhang]

Hi Nikki, 
First, you need to identify the market where you plan to invest. Determine if you're looking for local or out-of-state investments. Second, conduct thorough research and connect with investors in your chosen market. This will provide you valuable insights into what the market offers. Also you need to need to know your strategy: BRRRR or turnkey rentals?

If you are looking to invest out-of-state, I recommend you read this article on OOS investing. It explains the importance of creating your core four. You will need to get a local, rockstar Realtor, contractor, lender, and property manager.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/core-four-real-estate-team

I invest locally in Columbus Ohio. I can send you a list of contacts in Ohio to help you build your team, property manager. Let me know how I can help!

[Noah Bacon]

Hey Nikki! Welcome to BiggerPockets and thanks for joining!

Here are some tips for networking and making the most of your account.

1) I'd fill out your profile fully before you do anything else! As that will at least help folks that you reach out to know that you are a real person, with a picture and professional bio. Particularly be sure to include your goals for real estate investing so that folks can help you.

2) Follow your favorite forum topics and set up keyword alerts! Adding keywords related to your investment strategy or market locations can be updated in your settings. You’ll receive notifications when there is conversation in the forums you follow or if a user mentions those keywords—so keep them updated often!

3) Check out some of the local meetups that you can find in this forum! There are so many so be sure to filter by your location.

4) Review Dave Meyer’s The State of Real Estate Investing Report 2024 (in your resource page as a member of BiggerPockets!) for real estate investors available to all BiggerPockets members!

5) Consider meeting with a few agents in your area even if you are just getting started! An investor friendly agent can do all sorts of helpful things, like setting you up with a search for properties or connecting you with folks who have recently done deals like the ones you want to do.

6) Consider analyzing a deal or two in your local market, just for practice, with a free use of our Rental Property Calculator (or other calculators).

Hope this helps! Please reach out with any questions you may have!

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Quote from @Sophia Buesing:

Hey Nikki! Take advantage of all the free resources online. Start looking at properties and running the numbers. Go to local real estate meetups and learn from the real estate investors in your market. Finance cowboy has some great resources online as well. Bigger pockets has a great podcast too! 

 Oh wonderful! Thank you Sophia!

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Quote from @Min Zhang:

Hi Nikki, 
First, you need to identify the market where you plan to invest. Determine if you're looking for local or out-of-state investments. Second, conduct thorough research and connect with investors in your chosen market. This will provide you valuable insights into what the market offers. Also you need to need to know your strategy: BRRRR or turnkey rentals?

If you are looking to invest out-of-state, I recommend you read this article on OOS investing. It explains the importance of creating your core four. You will need to get a local, rockstar Realtor, contractor, lender, and property manager.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/core-four-real-estate-team

I invest locally in Columbus Ohio. I can send you a list of contacts in Ohio to help you build your team, property manager. Let me know how I can help!

 Min, Thanks for the recommendation. I actually read that article and found it very informative. I'll take a look at Ohio and reach out if i have any questions. I'd like to focus on Texas, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina but I'm not afraid to look somewhere else to expand opportunities.

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Quote from @Noah Bacon:

Hey Nikki! Welcome to BiggerPockets and thanks for joining!

Here are some tips for networking and making the most of your account.

1) I'd fill out your profile fully before you do anything else! As that will at least help folks that you reach out to know that you are a real person, with a picture and professional bio. Particularly be sure to include your goals for real estate investing so that folks can help you.

2) Follow your favorite forum topics and set up keyword alerts! Adding keywords related to your investment strategy or market locations can be updated in your settings. You’ll receive notifications when there is conversation in the forums you follow or if a user mentions those keywords—so keep them updated often!

3) Check out some of the local meetups that you can find in this forum! There are so many so be sure to filter by your location.

4) Review Dave Meyer’s The State of Real Estate Investing Report 2024 (in your resource page as a member of BiggerPockets!) for real estate investors available to all BiggerPockets members!

5) Consider meeting with a few agents in your area even if you are just getting started! An investor friendly agent can do all sorts of helpful things, like setting you up with a search for properties or connecting you with folks who have recently done deals like the ones you want to do.

6) Consider analyzing a deal or two in your local market, just for practice, with a free use of our Rental Property Calculator (or other calculators).

Hope this helps! Please reach out with any questions you may have!

 Thank you Noah. All good tips and I will look into all of them.

[Michael Smythe]

@Michelle Tanguay McIntosh which of the many materials offered on this site have you read so far?

[Patrick Drury]

@Michelle Tanguay McIntosh
Welcome to the forums. Watch the BP podcast and join local meet-ups in your area to get to know local investors so you can see what's working for them and that will allow you to learn about your local market. Look at the thread under house hacking/ Watch the bp podcast on house hacking this is a great way to get started. 

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Quote from @Michael Smythe:

@Michelle Tanguay McIntosh which of the many materials offered on this site have you read so far?

 I've read several on the forums and the article on the CORE team

[Michael Smythe]

@Michelle Tanguay McIntosh so, asking "where to start" is the best question you can ask after what you've read so far?

Why haven't you read some of the free articles and books available?

[Logan Laperriere]

Quote from @Michelle Tanguay McIntosh:

Good morning all. I am new to the site and new to real estate investing. I have no clue what or how to get started. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 Hi Michelle,

Welcome to the BP fourm,

I recommend that you start attending local meet ups and network with local investors. They will be knowledgeable about the local areas and you can ask with investment strategies are working for them. If you are interested in investing out of state I would recommend that you do your research on the area, and build your team prior to purchasing your first property. Do you currently own a home? House Hacking is a strategy that you may want to consider. I invest in Michigan, we still have many areas with both positive cash flow and appreciation. If you would ever like to talk about different markets in Michigan I would be happy to chat. 

[Savannah Yingling]

Quote from @Michelle Tanguay McIntosh:

Good morning all. I am new to the site and new to real estate investing. I have no clue what or how to get started. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Nikki! I see a bunch of good advise above! I agree you should take advantage of online resources, listen to podcasts, read books and get out in person to really understand your market. Local real estate meetups are a great way to learn and pick peoples brains about their experiences. I'm also an agent in Virginia, anywhere from northern VA to Norfolk. Best of luck with getting started!

[Asif Kabani]

Quote from @Michelle Tanguay McIntosh:

Good morning all. I am new to the site and new to real estate investing. I have no clue what or how to get started. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.Embarking on your real estate journey is like navigating a thrilling adventure. Think of yourself as the captain of your own ship, charting the course toward financial freedom and success. Start by setting clear goals and mapping out your strategy. Don't forget to pack your curiosity and willingness to learn – they'll be your trusty companions on this exciting voyage. Fair winds and following seas!

Embarking on your real estate journey is like navigating a thrilling adventure. Think of yourself as the captain of your ship, charting the course toward financial freedom and success. Start by setting clear goals and mapping out your strategy. Don't forget to pack your curiosity and willingness to learn – they'll be your trusty companions on this exciting voyage. Fair winds and following seas!

[Michelle Tanguay McIntosh]

Quote from @Logan Laperriere:

Quote from @Michelle Tanguay McIntosh:

Good morning all. I am new to the site and new to real estate investing. I have no clue what or how to get started. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 Hi Michelle,

Welcome to the BP fourm,

I recommend that you start attending local meet ups and network with local investors. They will be knowledgeable about the local areas and you can ask with investment strategies are working for them. If you are interested in investing out of state I would recommend that you do your research on the area, and build your team prior to purchasing your first property. Do you currently own a home? House Hacking is a strategy that you may want to consider. I invest in Michigan, we still have many areas with both positive cash flow and appreciation. If you would ever like to talk about different markets in Michigan I would be happy to chat. 

Will do. Thank you!

[Wale Lawal]

@Michelle Tanguay McIntosh

Welcome to the exciting world of real estate investing. You have a variety of options on how to begin this thrilling adventure. You may start your real estate investment adventure with the following stages and advice:

Learn for Yourself.
Establish Your Objectives.
Know the Various Investment Strategies
Create a Small Network First and Develop Connections
Examine Your Financing Options.
Do due diligence by conducting market research.
Take Action

It is OK to begin with little steps when real estate investment is new to you. Keep this in mind. Continue studying along the road while exercising patience and persistence. You may create a profitable real estate investing portfolio by being committed to the process. 

Good luck with your endeavors in real estate investing!

[Nicholas L.]

@Michelle Tanguay McIntosh

start with a house hack:

https://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing/house-ha...

do not buy a random property thousands of miles away

good luck

[Sloane Kraftsow]

Welcome to Bigger Pockets! I would love to connect!

[Dmitriy Fomichenko]

Welcome to BP @Michelle Tanguay McIntosh ! You have found the right place for a plethora of information on REI.

Read Beginner’s Guide to help you get started: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing

Good luck on everything!