Northern Chautauqua County Noob

[Jeff Storey]

I'm Jeff, looking to diversify income and assets. I am currently a programmer making decent money so I'd like to get things moving while I still have the 9 to 5 angle working for me.

I had planned to start investing this year but didn't expect the cash deal to plop in my lap in February. My kid was working for a local contractor and they approached me about a house that was about to be taken for taxes and I scooped it up for 40k. To make the cash deal happen quickly I used a home equity loan of 70k so I could have funds to renovate and then I hope to refinance in the fall. Recommendations for whom is the best bank to do this will be very welcome.

In the meantime, I've been watching the local market for properties that work and have found this area to list a LOT of cheap houses that need more money to even get to code than they would be worth and I won't go the slumlord route. Has anyone else tried my neck of the woods and found different? Dunkirk and Fredonia are the primary areas.

Just this week I had another cash deal come to me and I'll probably jump so I'll make my original goal of obtaining 2 properties this year.

I could also use some recommendations for roofers that service my area.