New Member - Miami, South Florida

New Member Introductions
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New Member - Miami, South Florida

Joshua Pavao
Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes

Hey all!

My name is Josh, and I have been following Biggerpockets forums and podcasts for a few months now.

I've recently relocated to Florida from Massachusetts, and always told myself that when I do finally make the move that I will invest in either flipping houses or rental properties (hopefully both!).

I have yet to actually invest into real estate yet, my move to Florida is only a month old and I'd like to be a little more settled in before I start tackling some investment properties.

I have yet to decide whether to first take on some rental properties or a flip, since foreclosures seem to be common around here; I plan to further educate myself on both and learn these areas much better, hopefully by attending a real estate investor's club meetings.

I'm not aware of the trends, the good, the bad, or anything down here, but I feel that there is plenty of potential in rental properties in such a beautiful, tropical, and popular spot such as South Florida.

Well, there is my brief introduction, I have tons of scouting to do in this forum and books to purchase before really making anymore posts, but I'd  like to thank everyone ahead of time for all of the information and help  that you put out there! It truly is amazing.

Thanks for reading!

Regards,

Joshua Pavao

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Most Popular Reply

Lucas Machado
Real Estate Investor · Sunny Isles Beach, FL · Member since 2013 · 788 posts · 333 votes
10y
Originally posted by @Joshua Pavao:

@Account Closed I just signed up for the meeting tomorrow, I've really got nothing to lose from attending, just going to drag my girlfriend with me so I'm not alone lol.

The only thing that makes me hesitant is the feeling that I don't have much to offer yet but tons to learn, so networking can be difficult, I feel, without having some experience in the RE field to offer onto the table as well. But I'll be there with pen and paper for sure!

Don't forget, everyone is a newbie at some point...We've all been there, and we can all relate. I think as long as you are honest about what you know and what you don't know, and have a good energy, the people you meet will respect you.

Also, I don't believe that I need to get something out of every single interaction I have with people in the industry (or life in general). Sometimes you just give because it feels good to do so. I've spent plenty of time at networking events talking to newbies who I may never do any business with. Why? Because I know how it feels to be in their shoes, and I want to help them walk away feeling good about the experience. If they feel good about it, they are more likely to come back, and more likely to get really involved in the industry. Well, I guess I do get something out of it - I just feel better about myself, as a professional and as a human being.

Frankly, anyone who thinks otherwise, I don't want to interact with anyway...Both on a personal level and a professional level. They are out there unfortunately, but they are also easy to spot - once you spot them, just move on!

Hope to run into you at BREIA tonight!

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  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

      I must say it's pretty awesome to see you as one of the people who reply to this. It wasn't too long ago, I was nervous about making my move to FL, that I was talking to my girlfriend about how inspired I was to read a story about someone who was a teacher in Vermont (you, correct?) and decided to give up such a stable position, take large risks, and have success in doing so!

    I myself, spent the last 3 years waiting for my Army Reserves contract to end and working full time as a Corrections Officer at a high security prison for the state of MA (very stable union job), I felt that I had learned just about all there is to learn in that environment and there really was no more room for personal development. I personally couldn't wait to get down here!

    I really hope to meet you and many others at some meetings, although I'll be far out of my element with the knowledge that most of you bring to the table, I'll look at that as my motivation for more development in the REI field!

    1Reply
  • Joe Calderon
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 92 posts · 24 votes
    10y

    Hi Josh. That is a great plan of attack - both will make you money and give you a great experience.

    0Reply
  • Joe Fairless
    Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    @Joshua Pavaowelcome to BP and glad you introduced yourself. Good luck with your flips and rentals. 

    0Reply
  • Lucas Machado
    Real Estate Investor · Sunny Isles Beach, FL · Member since 2013 · 788 posts · 333 votes
    10y

    @Joshua Pavao - Welcome to the neighborhood! And BP! South Florida is a great place for both flips and rentals...Due to the foreclosures, there's a ton of cheap inventory, and also a lot of rental demand.

    Glad you took the big leap to move down here. I also left a cushy 6 figure tech job in California to move down here and invest in real estate, and I haven't regretted it in the slightest. Everything in life worth doing is scary and has some risks!

    Good luck in your investing! Hope to see you around. If there's anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to send me a message.

    0Reply
  • Rony Mueller
    Banker · Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 28 posts · 17 votes
    10y

    Hey @Joshua Pavao! Welcome to BP and to Miami! I just moved to Miami, FL about two months ago too, from Texas! But I used to live down here, so this is like home to me. I wish you good luck in your REI, and if you got any questions I can help you with, don't hesitate to send me a message!

    0Reply
  • Victoria Avery
    Professional · Boston, MA · Member since 2015 · 84 posts · 16 votes
    10y

    Welcome to BP Joshua! 

    You already made a couple of great decisions: 1) BP, 2) You left Mass before the snow! :)

    With these two choices, it is clear you are on the right path to a great future!

    Keep it up and seize your moment!

    Victoria

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    @Lucas Machado and @Rony Mueller

    Thank you both for the support! It sure is nice to hear from locals saying that there is indeed potential and demand for approaching this type of REI. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions along my journey and this group really is an amazing thing for me to have stumbled across or else I'd be pretty lost!

    Do either of you attend any local club events that you would recommend to be of value? I'm pretty mechanically inclined, so I do plan to do a lot of the rehab on my own, at least for the first one and see how it goes. I plan to start educating myself there by attending some workshop classes at Home Depot for home improvement (learned about that here on BP).

    But I digress, if anyone has any local-ish club events that they may feel would be of value to attend, feel free to let me know! Thinking more about it, I'm probably going to take advantage of my VA Veteran loan and go for my first flip before a rental. We'll see!

    @Victoria Avery - I couldn't be happier to of left MA when I did! I kept telling myself after last winter that I will NOT spend another winter up north, so my timing ended up working out pretty well!

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    @Account Closed that would be awesome. I'll message you now 

    0Reply
  • Matthew Murphy
    Investor · Rochester, WA · Member since 2013 · 221 posts · 30 votes
    10y

    Welcome to BP. Congrats on the move. Good luck in your investing!

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    I left you a "note".. Hopefully that's what this forum considers to be a private message and you receive it!

    If not, feel free to e-mail or text me, Nick.

    0Reply
  • Rony Mueller
    Banker · Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 28 posts · 17 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Joshua Pavao:

    @Lucas Machado and

    Thank you both for the support! It sure is nice to hear from locals saying that there is indeed potential and demand for approaching this type of REI. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions along my journey and this group really is an amazing thing for me to have stumbled across or else I'd be pretty lost!

    Do either of you attend any local club events that you would recommend to be of value? I'm pretty mechanically inclined, so I do plan to do a lot of the rehab on my own, at least for the first one and see how it goes. I plan to start educating myself there by attending some workshop classes at Home Depot for home improvement (learned about that here on BP).

    But I digress, if anyone has any local-ish club events that they may feel would be of value to attend, feel free to let me know! Thinking more about it, I'm probably going to take advantage of my VA Veteran loan and go for my first flip before a rental. We'll see

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/84/topics/242...

    For some ideas...

    And yeah, this November 4th there's going to be a BREIA (Broward REIA) meeting 5:30-8:30. Also, there's another thread here in BP I can't find it right now, but it's about a meetup that South FL investors, here at BP are organizing. I'm not sure when it is, but look it up.

    I read that @Account Closed organizes awesome meet ups as well? 

    Sorry I didn't answer before, was my wife's birthday/Halloween! 

    Last, I also recommend you to set up some keyword alerts like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, South Florida, etc. 

    0Reply
  • Corey Melkonian
    Real Estate Agent · Watertown, MA · Member since 2015 · 366 posts · 77 votes
    10y

    Welcome to BP, Congrats on the move to Florida. Good luck in your investing, I'm in Mass and I'd love to do some investing in Florida as well and one day move down there.

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · TX · Member since 2015 · 119 posts · 40 votes
    10y

    Hey @Joshua Pavao welcome to bigger pockets. BTW writing a note does not send a private message rather it lets you keep private notes only you can see. To send a message you would have to request to be colleagues and send a message then.

    I work as a RE investment analyst and Realtor. I like to specialize in house hacking so If you have any questions about getting started through that method feel free to contact me. 

    http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/11/02/hack-housing-get-paid-live-free/

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    @Rony Mueller have you attended any of those BREIA meetinngs? I did sign up for them for e-mail alerts and just keep getting offers to attend boot camps for $xxx. So I'm curious if attending a meeting with them just turns into a sales pitch or not.

    The next meet up seems to be Nov. 11th according to the meet-up website. Here is the link!

    http://www.meetup.com/GREAT-Opportunity-Las-Olas-Real-Estate-Investors-Meetup/events/225934175/#event-comments-section

    There also seems to be an unofficial coffee meet up in the West Palm Beach area this week too.. Although I don't believe an actual location or time has been decided yet.  

    @Account Closed thanks for the offer! I have looked into house hacking and it seems very interesting actually.. and seemingly to be the best way I could use my VA Veteran loan because I have to live there for a year in order to get that loan.

    Unfortunately my girlfriend and I just landed in a very nice community in a townhouse in Aventura and will be here for the next year (and may renew the lease).

    You guys have been real great so far with the support and I truly look forward to becoming a part of this community!

    0Reply
  • Rony Mueller
    Banker · Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 28 posts · 17 votes
    10y

    I'm attending to the meeting for networking and see what's up, I've never attended one. But you're right, there will be a sales pitch, but I always ignore that part. 

    Thanks for the meet up link! I will look into it once I get home! 

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    Not a problem Rony!

    @Account Closed actually just had a conversation with the boss and she agreed that living for free sure is tempting. Sometime before our lease is up here we may look into some house hacking! Our rent here is pretty high, so going from this to living for free and maybe even making profits would be a huge difference and beneficial for sure!

    Thanks for the idea, I'm definitely curious as to what the duplex's, triplex's or more look like around here. I may very well touch base with you, sir.

    1Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · TX · Member since 2015 · 119 posts · 40 votes
    10y

    @Joshua Pavao Anytime, hope you stay active here on the forums.

    0Reply
  • Ronald Pierre
    Investor · Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 8 posts · 5 votes
    10y

    Welcome to Miami , I'm a real estate investor , the city I target are little haiti , model city, miami gardens ,the inner city could be a great challenge but for me it a walk in a park depending on the area , since I was rise in little haiti. If you have any question about these area or other feel free to email. 

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    Thanks Ronald. Still not precisely sure where my first flip will be yet, but I won't rule out any areas around me until I know more about it

    0Reply
  • Lucas Machado
    Real Estate Investor · Sunny Isles Beach, FL · Member since 2013 · 788 posts · 333 votes
    10y

    @Joshua Pavao I posted about some local investor meetings here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/311/topics/238766-new-member

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    @Lucas Machado Awesome thanks! I didn't realize Dade had a REIA as well. I had joined Broward and have really been contemplating going to their event on the 4th but it really seems like just a big sales pitch judging by the e-mails I have received (I may be WAY wrong on that assumption)

    Thanks for the info!

    0Reply
  • Annette A.
    Waterville, ME · Member since 2015 · 269 posts · 53 votes
    10y

    welcome to BP.  congrat's and good luck on your new venture. 

    0Reply
  • Lucas Machado
    Real Estate Investor · Sunny Isles Beach, FL · Member since 2013 · 788 posts · 333 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Joshua Pavao:

    @Lucas Machado Awesome thanks! I didn't realize Dade had a REIA as well. I had joined Broward and have really been contemplating going to their event on the 4th but it really seems like just a big sales pitch judging by the e-mails I have received (I may be WAY wrong on that assumption)

    Thanks for the info!

    I think you will find that to be the case for all REIAs...But these events do cost money, and everybody's gotta eat!

    That said, they are still valuable, and you can avoid the sales pitches if you want. The first portion of the meetings is for networking. Yes, the room also has a ton of vendors who are there to pitch their services, but: 1) some people find that useful (I for example have established relationships with some of those vendors) and 2) you can avoid them if you want, and just network with the other people in the room.

    For the second portion of the meeting there is some quick elevator pitching by the vendors, followed by some speaking (and the speaking often has some sales pitch sprinkled in). These talks can be useful - depends on what you're interested in, what they are speaking about, who is speaking, and whether or not you've heard that person speak on that subject before. Usually the networking room clears out during the talks, so clearly a bunch of people find value in it.

    Even if you just go for the networking, and leave when the speaking starts, I think it's well worth it. I end up doing that fairly often if there's no one left to network with.

    I'll probably be there tomorrow...Hope to run into you at a local event soon!

    0Reply
  • Joshua Pavao
    OP
    Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 34 votes
    10y

    @Account Closed I just signed up for the meeting tomorrow, I've really got nothing to lose from attending, just going to drag my girlfriend with me so I'm not alone lol.

    The only thing that makes me hesitant is the feeling that I don't have much to offer yet but tons to learn, so networking can be difficult, I feel, without having some experience in the RE field to offer onto the table as well. But I'll be there with pen and paper for sure!

    0Reply
  • David Shoultz
    Delray Beach, FL · Member since 2015 · 17 posts · 0 votes
    10y

    @Joshua Pavao where is the meetup in Delray this weekend?  I'm also new to BP and looking to meetup with some local BP peeps.  I"m a Builder and my wife a real estate Agent and together we've done a few flips  locally and making offers on another today!

    I'd love to meetup in Delray this weekend, can you shoot me over the info?  We are here local to Delray.  Thanks, looking forward to meeting you.  

    0Reply
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