Brand new from Houston, Texas!

[Will Porter]

Hey everyone,

I can't really remember what first started my interest in REI, but the recent "REI Summer Fest" in Houston was the spark that lit the fire, and I found my way here from /r/realestate on reddit. Like most people, my big goal is to develop enough mailbox money to cover my expenses -- but for starters, just getting a first place with positive cash flow seems so daunting...

I'm a lawyer working in the oil business (Houston, duh) and I like photography and playing guitar and singing (poorly). My girlfriend is trying to get me into two-stepping, so I have that going for me, which is nice.

I've been devouring free stuff online for the past week or so and my next step is to attend some free seminars at RICH and Lifestyles Unlimited.

What other things can a newbie in Houston do to start meeting the rest of the community?

Thanks!

[Paul Timmins]

@Will Porter 

Welcome. Time to build the foundation below.

Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthere

Check out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.

Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice. And you get the benefit of having over 80 past ones to catch up on.

Two Great reads, I bought both J. Scott The Book on Flipping Houses,The Book on Estimating ReHab Costshttp://www.biggerpockets.com/flippingbook

Locate and attend 3 different local REIA club meetings great place to meet people gather resources and info. Here you will meet wholesalers who provide deals and all the cash buyers (rehabbers) you will need.

You might consider Niche or Specialized Housing like student housing. Rents can be 2-4 times more. Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

Download BP’s newest book here some good due diligence in Chapter 10. Real Estate Rewind Starting over

http://www.biggerpockets.com/files/user/brandonatbp/file/real-estate-rewind-a-biggerpockets-community-book

Good luck

Paul