Newbie in Los Angeles & Long Beach

Newbie in Los Angeles & Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Member since 2015 · 17 posts · 5 votes

Hello! I'm a new investor just starting out and looking for homes to flip in the Long Beach area. Thanks in advance for your support! I'd love to meet up with other BP members in the area as well. Anyone know if there is a BP Meetup group for the LA & Long Beach area?

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Real Estate Agent · LONG BEACH, CA · Member since 2014 · 209 posts · 43 votes
11y

@Tina C.

I encourage you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions before writing of Long Beach as a potential flipping destination. I talk to investors on a weekly basis who are having success in LB.

Belmont Heights, Los Altos, Alamitos Heights, California Heights, Bixby Knolls, and Lakewood Village are all neighborhoods were you can find the "cookie cutter" type of flips that would be suitable for a newbie. 

Drive potential neighborhoods, take note of any houses with deferred maintenance, and look at title to see if the name on title matches the property address. If it doesn't match there is a good chance it is owned by an absentee landlord and they may be motivated to sell at a discount. Send them a letter and let them know you want to buy it. BOOM!

An inexpensive way to get your feet wet and learn your local market, and you get out and start talking to people. If you need any referrals for agents, title, or escrow, feel free to ask.

Good luck!

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  • Beverly Hills, CA · Member since 2014 · 67 posts · 14 votes
    11y

    I live in Lakewood, so I know Long Beach well. There's not much to look at, but I'm always up for a meetup or discussion of some sort. See my contact info and lets speak soon!

    Best,

  • Investor/RE Broker · Eugene, OR · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 968 votes
    11y

    @Tina C.

    Hi and welcome to BiggerPockets! It’s a great place to learn more about investing and meet the people you want to meet. If you haven't yet, be sure to check out the The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing and don't forget to set up your Keyword Alerts!

  • Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2010 · 804 posts · 230 votes
    11y

    Hello Tina, welcome to BP.  There has been a BP meetup here in LA for the last 2 months.  So the next meeting should be posting soon.  There is a lot to be learn here and plenty of contacts to be made.  Best of luck to you. 

  • Investor · Los Alamitos, CA · Member since 2014 · 35 posts · 18 votes
    11y

    Hi Tina, 

    I live nearby. As another member said ... there isn't much to see if you're looking to flip in the long beach market. You'd have to be experienced since the margins are slim ... no room for newbie error. But open up your search to other CA markets and you will find something. Plus you will start learning and educating yourself even more as you wait for the right opportunity. 

    I attend a monthly FIBI meet up in Long Beach. I've gone to 2 so far and its been informing and the networking has been enjoyable. I'm attending on March 26th if you're around. Look it up on Meetup.com. I'm not affiliated with FIBI in any way. 

    Best of luck to you. 

    Lorraine

  • Long Beach, CA · Member since 2015 · 17 posts · 5 votes
    11y

    Thanks @Lorraine Pennington and @Joe Moore for the meetup group details. I'll look it up now.

    And yes Long Beach is a little tough perhaps I will take your advice @Daniel Sanchez and @Lorrainse Pennington and look elsewhere.

  • Real Estate Agent · LONG BEACH, CA · Member since 2014 · 209 posts · 43 votes
    11y

    @Tina C.

    I encourage you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions before writing of Long Beach as a potential flipping destination. I talk to investors on a weekly basis who are having success in LB.

    Belmont Heights, Los Altos, Alamitos Heights, California Heights, Bixby Knolls, and Lakewood Village are all neighborhoods were you can find the "cookie cutter" type of flips that would be suitable for a newbie. 

    Drive potential neighborhoods, take note of any houses with deferred maintenance, and look at title to see if the name on title matches the property address. If it doesn't match there is a good chance it is owned by an absentee landlord and they may be motivated to sell at a discount. Send them a letter and let them know you want to buy it. BOOM!

    An inexpensive way to get your feet wet and learn your local market, and you get out and start talking to people. If you need any referrals for agents, title, or escrow, feel free to ask.

    Good luck!

  • Investor · Van Nuys, CA · Member since 2014 · 151 posts · 38 votes
    11y

    Welcome @Tina C.!

    Hopefully you find all the people you wanna meet...they're on here!
    Good luck with your endevours!

  • Houston, TX · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 114 votes
    11y

    Hi Tina!

    You are welcome to the biggerpockets group! It is so nice to hear that you open yourself to meeting new people with great ideas! Wishing you success on this Real Estate World!

  • Long Beach, CA · Member since 2015 · 17 posts · 5 votes
    11y

    Thanks again everyone for the warm welcome! 

  • Investor · Carson, CA · Member since 2015 · 18 posts · 9 votes
    11y

    @Tina C.Welcome to BP! I, too, am a newbie investor and I live close by in Carson. I share a similar hope to invest locally as well.

    I've found the BP community to very helpful. I attended my first REIA meeting (FIBI in Long Beach) two weeks ago and asked for any advice on what I should expect and I got some great pointers!

    I'm getting a great education through the BP podcasts, their books and reading books from the library.

    Best of luck to you!

    Brian

  • Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2014 · 19 posts · 7 votes
    11y

    Welcome to BP Tina 

  • Solo 401k Expert · Anaheim Hills, CA · Member since 2012 · 18k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    11y

    Welcome to BP community @Tina C. you came to the right place to learn all more about real estate investing!

    Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet

    All the best!

  • Houston, TX · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 114 votes
    11y

    Hey Tina!

    Welcome to BP community !

    It is a great place to meet new friends and learn about various aspects of real estate and more.

  • Long Beach, CA · Member since 2015 · 17 posts · 5 votes
    11y

    @Brian Lo Thanks for the heads up I found the FIBI Long Beach meet up group and I see that there is a meeting at the end of the month on tax tips. Hopefully I'll be able to make it to that meeting.

    I love listening to the BP podcasts @Brandon Turner @Joshua D.!! It has been a great tool to use when I'm driving, or grocery shopping, or doing chores around the house and even when I'm working during the day. (I'm a graphic designer and work from home and so I've been listening to the podcasts as I work.) 

    @Matthew Nixon you are so right about driving around. Just this morning, as I was driving back home from running errands, I saw 2 vacant homes with signs posted on the doors and windows and shrubs and grass growing high. I drive down this street at least 3 times a week and now that I am actually aware and looking for certain things it's amazing what you end up finding.

  • Real Estate Agent · LONG BEACH, CA · Member since 2014 · 209 posts · 43 votes
    11y

    Hey Tina that's awesome. You're getting the real estate itch, haha. 

    I'm sure we'll bump into each other at the next meetup event. 

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