Traveling Central & South America for 1 year using real estate

Traveling Central & South America for 1 year using real estate

Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes

Hey guys! I'm writing to you today from some beautiful as well as very chilly mountains located just an hour north of Bogota, Colombia. I am new to the site, but I'm very familiar with the podcasts! I have listened to all of them over the last three years and have really gotten a lot of inspiration as well as a mass of usable information out of each and every show. For this I am eternally grateful to Josh and Brandon for putting together such a great  platform for us to use and grow with. I am wanting to reach out to you today to hopefully inspire as well as motivate you. If you dream big enough, and work hard enough there is nothing that we can't do in this life!!!

I have been traveling by motorcycle through Central and South America for over a year now using only my real estate passive income. This trip has been truly life changing with all of the great experiences as well as life lessons traveling brings. Before I set out on this trip I spoke no Spanish and really didn't even look at a map to do any kind of route planning... But I knew in my heart I would find great friends along the way as well as amazing perspectives to see this life through. Some of my previous backpacking travels include Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East as well as parts of South America, but this is the first time with a motorcycle! I can say I will never travel again without one :-) The freedom it gives is worth its weight in gold!!!

I am a full-time real estate investor and I have my mail sent to Oklahoma City which is where I call home as well as where I have choosen to invest in the multifamily market of 73106 / 73118 for the last 10 years. I truly feel that the Oklahoma City area is a fantastic place to live as well as invest. It just so happens that I was fortunate enough to move there and find out first hand in 2006! However exactly like this trip south of the border when I got started in real estate I knew absolutely nothing about anything but I knew that I would learn along the way. The only thing I had going for me was the fact that I had read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. That book forever change my life when I read it at 16 years old. From then on I knew I had to be a real estate investor to get where I wanted to be in this life.  I am not a big fan of mentors or gurus... I feel that experience is the best educator for anything in life but especially in real estate. I do however feel that we don't need to reinvent the wheel, and we are here on this earth to help each other! There is absolutely no reason to pay a mentor thousands of dollars to get started when you could use that same money to buy your first deal and learn a hundred times more than anyone could ever teach you in a weekend seminar. In my experience I have found the harder you work the more luck tends to find you as well as great like-minded people to grow with. With that in mind I am excited to be a part of this community as well as to be doing life with you all!

I am very much looking forward to connecting with you guys as well as to be better able to serve you!!! I by no means know everything about anything but I can share what I have learned in my experiences in multifamily and travel. I'm currently looking into getting into large apartment building and apartment complexes in OKC. My plan is to travel until this time next year and then come home to write the next chapter of this life as I turn 30!!!

Much love! ttyl

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Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2015 · 233 posts · 188 votes
10y

Great story @Nathan Allen. It's a very inspirational story and it just proves that if you make right decisions in life it can prove to be very rewarding. Congrats!

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  • Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2015 · 233 posts · 188 votes
    10y

    Great story @Nathan Allen. It's a very inspirational story and it just proves that if you make right decisions in life it can prove to be very rewarding. Congrats!

  • Baltimore City, MD · Member since 2015 · 30 posts · 9 votes
    10y

    Wow! Congrats! I'm trying to get my company to allow me to work remotely and travel the world for a year. You're so lucky! I can't wait until my investing takes off like that!

  • Mcallen, TX · Member since 2015 · 4 posts · 4 votes
    10y

    Super Epic!! 

  • Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 933 posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    Nathan,

    Good post.  Trial and error does work, but why risk the time, money and effort at the school of hard knocks.  Great players have great coaches, suggest most folks would benefit greatly from being super focused on a niche and rubbing elbows w/the best.  Get there faster, safer and in one piece.  Soak it all in, by all means act, but do it in w/a plan and experts advising along the way.  My coach after 3 months even enabled me to participate on the GP side of his deal exponentially increasing my learning experience and finances.  If you haven't tried it, hard to knock it.

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    10y

    Thanks @Juan Vargas (Not sure how to tag people on here hahaha) You got it buddy!!! Consistent and persistent wins the race every time :D  

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Khadijah Celestine:

    Wow! Congrats! I'm trying to get my company to allow me to work remotely and travel the world for a year. You're so lucky! I can't wait until my investing takes off like that!

     Good stuff Khadijah! Remote work can be very rewarding but at the same time it can be difficult for some people to stay task oriented when they dont have to punch the clock... I know it was a big shift for me hahaha There was luck involved on a few deals but the situation I am currently in has more to do with hard work and sacrifice ;-) Keep on keeping on and you will get there sister... It took me 9 years to be an overnight success story lol

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    10y

    Thanks Michael Floyd! Glad you enjoyed a bit of my story :D

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @David Thompson:

    Nathan,

    Good post.  Trial and error does work, but why risk the time, money and effort at the school of hard knocks.  Great players have great coaches, suggest most folks would benefit greatly from being super focused on a niche and rubbing elbows w/the best.  Get there faster, safer and in one piece.  Soak it all in, by all means act, but do it in w/a plan and experts advising along the way.  My coach after 3 months even enabled me to participate on the GP side of his deal exponentially increasing my learning experience and finances.  If you haven't tried it, hard to knock it.

     Thanks David! 

    I dont know about the great players my man... I can only speak about my experience as well as the experiences of other investors I know. I can say from my prospective of being a financially independent 28 year old blessed to be able to travel this world I havent met anyone who had a coach or guru to thank for their success. In my opinion I think these are great ways to spend money on something to feel like your are doing something to get closer to your goals much like buying a gym membership. We dont need a gym to be in great shape, we need daily effort! Consistent effort to form our lives into what we want out of them.

    Im all for having like minded friends and learning from their experiences as well as telling of your own much like we can here on BP. I have friends that are rocking huge apartment complexes as well as friends who are buying their first property. People helping people I feel this is by far a better use of our most valuable asset we have... Our time.  

  • Bulawayo, Zimbabwe · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 253 votes
    10y

    Great stuff.inspiring

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    10y

    Thanks Bhekizwe! Glad I could share a bit of my story with you :D Keep o keepin' on! Wish you all the very best my man!!!

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    Thanks for all the love guys! Here we are 20 months on the road and I am about to finally complete my journey!!! Looking forward to getting back to Oklahoma City, and finding a larger apartment complex to turn around!!!!!!

    Its going to be amazing  being back home in OKC as I am going to turn 30 this year! Not everyone is so lucky to be given this gift of life with so many years to enjoy... Let alone to have won the birth lottery by being born in such a fantastic country where we have the opportunity to make our future better if we so desire. What a blessing! Keep on keepin' on guys!!!!

  • Real Estate Broker · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2015 · 239 posts · 224 votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Nathan Allen:

    Thanks for all the love guys! Here we are 20 months on the road and I am about to finally complete my journey!!! Looking forward to getting back to Oklahoma City, and finding a larger apartment complex to turn around!!!!!!

    Its going to be amazing  being back home in OKC as I am going to turn 30 this year! Not everyone is so lucky to be given this gift of life with so many years to enjoy... Let alone to have won the birth lottery by being born in such a fantastic country where we have the opportunity to make our future better if we so desire. What a blessing! Keep on keepin' on guys!!!!

     Much respect!  My goals are very similar and it's awesome to hear your story.

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    Thanks so much @James Maradits! That means a lot to me man. What do your goals look like exactly? When do you plan on achieving them by?!? 

    Please feel free to reach out! I'm more than happy to help in any way possible. 

    Thanks again! Dream big. Work hard. There is nothing that cant be done if you are persistent, and passionate!!!

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    Thanks for reaching out guys! Feel free to message me here on BP with any questions you may have. I might be offline for a week at a time as we are camping quite a bit here in Chile, but I will get back with you when we find WiFi :D

  • Investor · Rochester, WA · Member since 2013 · 221 posts · 30 votes
    9y

    Oh man!!! One of my dream trips!!! congrats to you! Would love to hear more of your story. Safe travels!

  • Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2017 · 69 posts · 15 votes
    9y
    Hey Nathan. Congratulations on your journey! I know that was an unforgettable experience. I, myself, am a traveler too. I, also, aspire to have the freedom of passive income to travel. Can you tell me a little about how you got started. Such as how your first deal went, and how you've been able to domino-affect your gains. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a great book; I only wish I had read it sooner.
  • Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    9y
    But where do you fit your kids on the motorcycle?
  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    @Matthew Murphy It was one of my dream trips as well brother. Glad I got to make it happen!!! Thanks my man for the congrats :D Feel free to ask anything you would like my man. Im more than happy to share my experiences! 

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    @Hung Nguyen Thanks very much! It has been an epic 22 month on the road!!!!! Almost to the end of the world here in Argentina :D Grrrrrrreat man! Always glad to meet another traveler who is in the real estate game. 

    Ya man I got started when I was 17 saving for my first quadplex which I bought when I was 18. I dropped the ball on just about every aspect of property management in the beginning which cost me a lot of money... But I find the lessons which hurt the most are often the most valuable farther down the road. With multifamily its waaaaaaaay easier to domino effect your returns because you have so many ways for cost savings. Like instead of buying 4 single family homes with individual roofs a quadplex has some economies of scale like only having one roof.  Also the financing is much easier because the bank looks at the property much more than they look at you.

    Ya man I wish I would have read it earlier as well. My next goal is to help young people in Oklahoma City figure out who they want to be when they grow up. Im going to buy another 100 doors to fund the project!!! Keep on Keepin' on Hung and you too will be traveling full time! Dont get discouraged man... Its not easy gaining your finical freedom, but if it was everyone would have it :D 

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    @Max T. hahahaha No kids for me my man! I got a vasectomy in Costa Rica this time last year. Never really wanted them as part of my life's dream. I love hanging out with my younger cousins, and being crazy uncle Nate for a few hours. Then its nice to come home to a quiet home, and read a good book lolz. 

    I met a guy in Ecuador who was traveling the world for 2 years on a bike with his girlfriend who got pregnant in the beginning of their trip... They just put a sidecar on their motorcycle for the baby, and continued their trip for the next year hahahaha Nothing can stop you if you are determined!!!

  • Edmond, OK · Member since 2017 · 12 posts · 4 votes
    9y

    @Nathan Allen Wow! What an awesome trip! I went on a trip to the mountains of Peru a few years ago (2012 I think?) and we rode motorcycles for about 1000 miles through the mountains. Very beautiful country there, and beautiful people as well. I would love to make it back down there some day to do a trip like that again.

    I'd love to hear more about your experience when you get back here to OKC, I just moved back here a few months ago. Maybe we could meet up for coffee sometime?

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    @Jacob McCarley Thats fantastic!!! Peru is an amazing country my man!!!!! Maybe one of my favorites on a bike for sure :D Glad you got out there and saw it. Especially on 2 wheels!!! I feel that adds a new level to any trip. Do it man! You wont regret doing something that sets your soul on fire... EVER!!!!!

    Im looking into coming back to the city in late April as that will be 2 years on the road for me, and there is still much to be done this year! I would love to meet up, and catch up. Please message me in 2 months, and we will put something in the books :D

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    ITS A GOOD DAAAAAY!!! After just over 31,200 miles (50,200 kilometers), 14 countries, and 22 months on the road I have finally made it to the end of the world... Ushuaia!!!!!!!

    This motorcycle adventure combined with all the people I got the chance to meet along the way has been a truly life changing experience for me. I am sooooo incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be able to turn yet another one of my lifelong dreams into my reality  Big thanks to all my family, and friends! I could not have done this without you!!!

    A few more months I will be back in the city, and looking to buy a 90 to 120 door apartment building or quite possibly a 150 plus pad mobile home park. Either way I'm looking to find a property that will need some heavy TLC as well as a full turn around. Lets do this thing baby!!!!!!! :D :D :D 

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    Thanks for all the congrats guys! Much appreciated :D 

  • Rental Property Investor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 36 votes
    9y

    Hey guys! Quick question... Is there a way to post pics on here? A few people have messaged me asking to see the bike and some of my favorite places I have gotten to visit on this trip. Thanks, and much love!!!

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