Hello BP-peeps! My name is Chris Collins. I'm currently working full-time with a local area non-profit in the educational setting. The only actual real estate experience I have is buying my own home a couple of years ago. I have spent the last 6 months or so learning most of the basics of real estate investing and identifying my niche (which is still developing), but I'm interested in making the right situation work for me and whomever I deal with. So I have not done my first deal/project yet but I'm very eager to start. I have began reaching out to FSBOs and looking at REO because I'm not afraid of doing the dirty work (that I can actually do). Anyway, joined BP after listening to a couple of podcasts through the Michigan Real Estate Investors Facebook group.

Hey Chris. Welcome to our group BiggerPockets community!

You've got the right move joining BP site!  As a start, I am giving you some suggestions on how BiggerPockets can help you the basics of Real Estate investing.  Please feel free to contact our members.

      1. Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Money and Rookie Podcasts

      2. Attend the FREE WEBINARS

      3. Attend a Meetup in Your Area

      4. Purchase the Beginner Books: How to Invest in Real Estate, Set for Life, The House Hacking Strategy

      5. Peruse the forums! Ask questions! Answer Questions!

Hope you'll identify your niche and continue to develop your RE learning! Good luck and stay safe for now!

Best regards,

Craig Curelop

Originally posted by @Chris Collins :

Hello BP-peeps! My name is Chris Collins. I'm currently working full-time with a local area non-profit in the educational setting. The only actual real estate experience I have is buying my own home a couple of years ago. I have spent the last 6 months or so learning most of the basics of real estate investing and identifying my niche (which is still developing), but I'm interested in making the right situation work for me and whomever I deal with. So I have not done my first deal/project yet but I'm very eager to start. I have began reaching out to FSBOs and looking at REO because I'm not afraid of doing the dirty work (that I can actually do). Anyway, joined BP after listening to a couple of podcasts through the Michigan Real Estate Investors Facebook group.

 How is Flint RE market? Is the water situation better? I can always tell I am in Flint when I am on the I69 and the roads get bumpy....

@Chris Collins Hi Chris! I am also here in The Flint, Michigan area. We should connect on a call or something soon and chat about what your next move is!

@Hai Loc Thanks for the comment. Flint is seeing a lot of buy and holds. Lots of foreclosed properties and land bank-owned. Not sure about your road comment, this is MI about 80% of the roads here are bumpy everywhere.

@Bradley LaBrie Thanks for comment, Brad. That would be great. I'm currently seeking out financing options that might fit my situation currently. I've got quite a bit of free time as most of us probably do! A call would be great!

@Chris Collins

Welcome to the BP family! Good to have you here! Here are some recommendations for you:

Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/users
Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts
Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing
Check out BP Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcast

If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box. He or she will be notified of being tagged so that the conversation will continue.

Wishing you the best!

@Chris Collins awesome! Usually I have a small meetup if local investors but right now, for obvious reasons, we don’t.

It won’t allow me to give my phone number here but I’ll DM you and we’ll encourage each other on this journey!

@Chris Collins Welcome to BiggerPockets! I am also apart of the Michigan Real Estate Investors Facebook Group. Hopefully we can connect at one of the meetings. Gotta love someone that is willing to get their hands dirty and do the work. Best of luck and do not be afraid to reach out some time. 

@Chris Collins

Welcome to Bigger Pockets!

This is a great place to learn and network. A lot of forum members are very knowledgeable in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, rentals, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.

@Dmitriy Fomichenko thanks for the comment and great advice. I’ll check those out!

@Connor Anderson thanks for the comment. Yeah, working on projects here and there in my own home has been a great lesson in what I’m good at and what I have a lot of room to grow! It will be great to connect with you. I have a realtor friend out in Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo area! Shawn Gholston

@Justin Windham thanks for the advice. There’s definitely a wealth of knowledge here that I’ll definitely tap into!

Welcome! BiggerPockets can take you so far when it comes to knowledge and resources. It has been absolutely great for me. 

I'm sure you're already involved as you mentioned; the Podcasts, Webinars, Calculators, Youtube Videos, Networking Tab, and Forums are fantastic. You will get really comfortable before you know it. Then, as Brandon Turner encourages, pull the trigger on that first deal and learn.

Good Luck!

@Chris Collins welcome to BP.   There are tons of local people on here like me who are willing to help you out.  

Originally posted by @Chris Collins :

Hello BP-peeps! My name is Chris Collins. I'm currently working full-time with a local area non-profit in the educational setting. The only actual real estate experience I have is buying my own home a couple of years ago. I have spent the last 6 months or so learning most of the basics of real estate investing and identifying my niche (which is still developing), but I'm interested in making the right situation work for me and whomever I deal with. So I have not done my first deal/project yet but I'm very eager to start. I have began reaching out to FSBOs and looking at REO because I'm not afraid of doing the dirty work (that I can actually do). Anyway, joined BP after listening to a couple of podcasts through the Michigan Real Estate Investors Facebook group.

 Welcome aboard Chris.

Welcome!

@Chris Collins great to see you on BP sir! 

Keep meeting as many investors as you can, never stop learning & tell EVERYONE that you meet what you do.