Edwardsville, IL · Member since 2012 · 28 posts · 2 votes
Hello everyone! I've been following the site for a little while now and decided it was time to join in. I'm excited about being around like minded individuals and learning from all the amazing knowledge you guys are sharing. Hopefully I'll be able to repay the favor to some new investors on here down the road! I'm "newish" to investing in that I've only owned 2 investment properties in about 15 years, but I've been interested in it forever. Got my real estate broker's license in 2007 to be around the business more. Looking forward to taking it to the next level and making investing the primary focus of my business life. Currently looking for wholesale deals and renovations, with the longer term goal of getting some buy and holds.
Welcome to BiggerPockets, James. Like you, I dabbled in REI for many years before I really dove in. Coincidentally (or not), that was about the same time I joined BP.
Be sure to set up some Keyword Alerts for some of the topics you are knowledgeable about, or other topics that interest you (like Illinois, rental, Rehab, etc ) so you'll be notified that those words were mentioned in the forums and can jump into those conversations! It's also an awesome way to meet new people from your area when they introduce themselves to this forum!
I got my license to get my foot in the real estate world, learn how the process of buying and selling works, and make some money in the process. I'm currently active as a real estate broker, but am looking to eventually use the license primarily for my own investing.
On a side note, while I've got your ear, just want to say I love the weekly podcasts! You guys do a great job of bringing in great people to learn from, but more importantly, you do a great job of asking relevant questions to dig a little deeper and get the most out of the interviews. Keep up the great work!
Welcome James! I'm from the St. Louis area as well (CWE and downtown). We've got some excellent real estate groups in the city (SSIC, ULI, REIA, etc.). Let me know if you attend any events in the future--always nice to meet offline too.
Thanks Kyle Zaylor. I was just asking someone the other day if they knew of any good RE groups in StL. lol I'm a member of the MERIA on the IL side, but I'm looking for a more growth oriented group to network with. Where's the best place to get info on the St. Louis groups?
Meetup.com is a fantastic resource. I personally recommend the South Side Investment Club. It's the largest real estate group in the city and has some great ways to network, teach, learn, etc.