Newbie fired up about REI and getting started in 2025!

[Brian A Reed]

Hi Everyone,

I'm Brian, and I'm excited to join this community! After spending 25 years as a Software Engineering and Product leader, I'm now exploring the world of real estate investing (REI) and looking forward to learning from all of you.

My goal is to leverage my current investments and savings to build a real estate portfolio that will eventually allow me to transition away from my current career. I envision this portfolio supporting me during my retirement years—though I still plan to work, just in a different capacity than I do today.

I recently finished reading "How to Invest in Real Estate: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide" by Josh Dorkin and Brandon Turner, which has been incredibly helpful. While I haven’t chosen a specific niche yet, I’m leaning toward purchasing a multi-unit apartment where my 20-year-old son could live and help manage while we rent out the other units—essentially a form of house-hacking.

So far, I've connected with a few real estate agents and gained MLS access, which has been a great starting point. However, I'm looking for tools to help me analyze deals, particularly for multi-unit properties. If anyone has a good starter spreadsheet or knows of a reliable website for deal analysis, I'd greatly appreciate your recommendations!

Looking forward to sharing my journey and learning from your experiences. Wishing everyone a fantastic start to the New Year!

Best,
Brian