Beginner from South Florida

[Pedro Faraco]

Hi everyone,

I'm a complete beginner in real estate investing. I'm happy to be joining BiggerPockets to start learning from the forums and resources here.

My family immigrated to the U.S. in 2022, and we now live in South Florida (Greater Fort Lauderdale area). I'm 53, so with retirement hopefully 10 to 15 years away, we're motivated to create passive income for a stronger retirement and long-term financial security. Real estate seems like a promising path after considering our options.

I work full-time in IT. This has given me some experience with numbers, problem-solving, and managing projects. I hope these skills will be useful as I learn more. My wife and I also own a gym franchise that she manages day-to-day. We've built practical know-how in operations, cash flow, and running a small team.

Right now, I'm focused on reading the forums, listening to podcasts, going through books, researching different markets, and saving for my first investment. I know there's a huge amount to learn. I'm open to whatever beginner-friendly strategies or approaches make sense.

I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from people who've started as immigrants, entrepreneurs, or while holding down a full-time job. What first steps, resources, or mindset shifts helped you the most when you were just beginning?

Thanks for reading. Looking forward to learning from the community and hopefully contributing down the line!

[Sean Graham]

Welcome to the community! @Pedro Faraco. With your operations and numbers background, starting with a simple, cash-flow-focused strategy will translate well. But you need steady learning and patience, as it matters more than speed.