Brand new to real estate

Tacoma, Washington
New Member Introductions
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Brand new to real estate

Kevin BallowePro Member
New to Real Estate · Shelton, WA · Member since 2025 · 3 posts · 4 votes

I am a rookie in the Tacoma Washington area and looking forward to learning from you all. I understand that knowledge is not free. An education will cost me one way or another! 

I would appreciate the opportunity to learn from the best if you have time for another student.


Kevin Ballowe

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  • Payton HaightBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2021 · 124 posts · 86 votes
    1y

    Hi Kevin, welcome to BP! The BP community has been a huge help in my real estate career. A couple of questions for you:

    1) Do you have any past experience in real estate and do you own your primary residence?

    2) Do you have any strengths which may give you an edge in some aspect of real estate? Such as a construction background, etc.

    3) What are your goals for real estate? Do you need a portfolio that generates income in a short time period or are you looking to build wealth over time?

    If you do not own your own home (and potentially even if you do), I would start out by looking in to house-hacking. It is a good way to learn real estate while significantly reducing your risk. 

    [email protected]380-324-0445
    0Reply
  • Kevin BallowePro Member
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Shelton, WA · Member since 2025 · 3 posts · 4 votes
    1y

    Payton,

    Thank you for reaching out. At this moment I do not own a home, but next year I will have our home built with cash.

    I do not have any strengths in real estate yet. My current career requires a high attention to details. I repair submarines. Maybe that will be helpful. I understand I need 3 things: Time, Money and Skills. Next year I will have the money and the time. So then I will work on the skills. This is my last year at the Shipyard. My goals for real estate are to flip houses and add some rentals. We will see what comes next after that.


    Kevin

    0Reply
  • Melissa JusticeBusiness Member
    Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2024 · 519 posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    @Kevin Ballowe,

    Welcome! You're spot on—real estate education definitely comes with a cost, whether it's time, money, or learning through experience. But the return on that investment can be life-changing if you stay consistent and surround yourself with the right people.

    Since you're just getting started, one path that might be worth exploring is turnkey rental properties in the Midwest and Southeast of the country, especially if you're looking for something more hands-off while you build your knowledge base. These are fully rehabbed, rented, and professionally managed properties in landlord-friendly, cash-flowing markets. They allow you to start building a portfolio without needing to swing a hammer or manage tenants yourself.

    It can be a great way to "learn by doing" with fewer headaches upfront while still analyzing deals and understanding how everything works behind the scenes. If you ever want to talk through what that process looks like, happy to share what I've learned!

    Best of luck,

    Melissa

    [email protected]313-221-8718
    0Reply
  • Kevin BallowePro Member
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Shelton, WA · Member since 2025 · 3 posts · 4 votes
    1y

    Melissa,

    Thank you. I plan to start off local in my area.

    I will get my entity set up and funded this year and start my first flip next year! 

    Kevin

    1Reply
    • Melissa JusticeBusiness Member
      Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2024 · 519 posts · 1k+ votes
      1y
      Quote from @Kevin Ballowe:

      Melissa,

      Thank you. I plan to start off local in my area.

      I will get my entity set up and funded this year and start my first flip next year! 

      Kevin


       Nice! Best of luck!

      [email protected]313-221-8718
      0Reply
  • Brandon VukelichBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Tacoma, WA: 🏢 27 LTRs 🏡 3 STRs · Member since 2018 · 549 posts · 458 votes
    1y

    Welcome @Kevin Ballowe! We all start somewhere so good for you to getting your ducks lined up to get started. I'm local-ish (Port Orchard) and like connecting with investors, beginners to well seasoned vets. Happy to chat biz anytime you'd like. Just a heads up, the flipping space is still extremely competitive in the greater Puget Sound region. I just toured an off market duplex in Bremerton this morning and there were over a dozen parties there. Best wishes on your journey. Keep repairing those subs!

    Broker at Multifamily Properties519 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
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  • Julio GonzalezPro Member
    Specialist · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    Welcome to BiggerPockets, Kevin! 

    -Julio

    561-253-6640
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