New Member from Vista, CA

[Mary Obidinski]

Hi all,

I am an investor, attorney and broker from Vista, CA. I first started getting into real estate in 2004 when I randomly got a job in the legal department of a real estate developer (I wasn't seeking out a job with a real estate company, I was just looking for ANY job at that point, LOL). I started out as a paralegal, they sent me to law school, and I was eventually general counsel before I left to start my own practice. 

As an investor, I have done some fix and flips in the Tampa area, and own a rental in Phoenix. From my experiences in Tampa, I have decided I really prefer doing projects that I can drive to easily. So I'm currently looking in parts of California, Arizona, and Nevada. I found Bigger Pockets when I was doing some online searching for investor-friendly contractors and real estate agents in some of the markets I'm looking in. I didn't know about this site when setting things up in Tampa, and I wish I did, as I think we wasted a lot of time and didn't necessarily run things as efficiently as they could have been run.

One thing I love about real estate is analyzing deals and putting together creative offers that can be win-win for both sides. I am constantly trying to learn and improve in this area. I've been browsing the forums and listening to some of the podcasts, and feel I've already picked up some great advice that I didn't know about or hadn't thought about. Looking forward to learning more!

Mary   

[Account Closed]

welcome to Bp's .. and you go girl .. Ok now thats thats said .. I just wanted to say that you learned very early to stay in your own backyard .. at least until you have enough income and savings that you can take higher risks .. but, when starting out .. I always suggest to stay within driving distance and i mean what would you accept in distance if you had to drive everyday to work .. I trued early on in my investing to flip a property 6-6.5 hrs away by car .. it went nowhere for a couple years .. it didnt help that i was newly married also .. my wife woukd cry and then complain everytime i tried to leave to get things moving on our property miles away .. good new for me is that I bought it right and when i sold it I still made money .. enough to pay cash for the 5/4 on 2 acres here in cerntral Fl , that I am living in now .. some call it luck .. so do I ..hehehe .. 

I wish you the very best and continue to make smart decisions and you will go far ..

God Speed, 

Michael Short 

P.s. 

I almost forgot .. be sure to take full advantage of Bp's .. this site is so great .. the best real estate site for discussions and to learn from others mistakes..  it had literately changed my life and Fast tracked my investing career.. I hope it does for you as well ..