New investor in San Diego starting journey

[Benjamin Fraser]

My name is Benjamin, though I usually go by Ben. I am a 27 year old single software engineer who just recently got more interested/involved in saving and investing. Though I want to build my stock portfolio as well, I would like to get into real estate investing soon as well.

I'm still doing reading and research, but want to at least get active in the forum to avoid analysis paralysis. I'm mostly finished reading the Ultimate Beginners Guide, and will probably spend some more time educating myself before deciding what to do exactly. I live in a fairly high cost of living area (San Diego), and have a primary residence, a 3 bedroom condo, which I rent out 2 of its rooms, and that I just reached 20% equity in. I'd like to get investment properties in the area, and I'm primary interested in buy and hold for single family and multi family properties. Due to the prices nearby, I am considering using a turnkey company (Memphis Invest) that some friends have used and recommend until I can get into the business in San Diego. I was hoping to get a HELOC or HEIL to help with my first investment property, but after looking into that more I think I'd prefer having quite a bit more equity in my home before tapping into it.

Any advice or help is greatly appreciated, and I hope to be able to reciprocate any help I receive as I grow in real estate knowledge and invest more time into my business.

[Alex Craig]

First of all, good job on wanting to start early. With the power of leverage, the earlier the start the better. At your age, I think you can tap into that HELOC with minimal risk. Understand you will be highly leveraged and goal #1 should be to pay off the HELOC. Make sure that you have plenty of reserves for whatever you may need in life since you are tapping into the HELOC.