From teacher to 10 units in 10 months!

From teacher to 10 units in 10 months!

Real Estate Broker · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 193 posts · 346 votes

I’m so excited because I just closed on my 10th out of state unit today! I did my first deal ever exactly 10 months ago, thanks to the Bigger Pockets podcast, a lot of library books and a lot of good people. Before this I was an environmental education teacher for over a decade, and last year I got hooked when my friend had me listen to the podcast. So when yet another grant-funded position ended earlier this year, I chose to take a break from full time work and focus on RE instead...and it’s been so amazing!!

On my break I took classes in construction management and spent a lot of time going to meetups. Now I’m working as a project manager for a GC to get real world experience (building a ground up affordable housing development in LA), and I’m getting my real estate license. I also donate 1% of all gross revenue (not just profits) from real estate investments to affordable housing and community development, and am partnering with other investors to create a social equity financial model for our rental properties. More on that when I set up the blog. 

So my commitment to social justice hasn’t gone away, it’s just transformed into this new field (new to me) of real estate investing. I’m also really passionate about my non-profit colleagues finding their way to financial freedom as well. (If you can only read one book, read Your Money or Your Life). So far I’ve got 4 houses and 3 duplexes with none of my own cash invested except the first deal, and my goal is to be at 30 units with at least $60,000/year of net cash flow within the next 3 years.

My wife loves me AND is sick of me talking real estate all the time lol so if people ever want to catch up and talk RE I’m in! Some other folks in LA like @John Koster and @Shiva Bhaskar and I like to connect on out of state investing over beers every couple of months, and a new thing we’re talking about too is Opportunity Zones.

So anyway, I haven’t really shared too much of my story here and I just wanted to spread some inspiration for other go getters and life changers on the forums. 

As @Alexander Felice says, I think you’ve got to be a little obsessed. And take action! Thanks for all those who have supported me so far and to many more!

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Real Estate Agent · Washington, DC · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 52 votes
7y

Amazing! You have accomplished so much in just 10mths. Congratulations!! Mind sharing how you funded and structured your first deal/rental purchase and how you were able to scale so quickly?

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  • Rental Property Investor · Shakopee, MN · Member since 2015 · 985 posts · 374 votes
    7y

    Congrats!  

  • Paul CoxPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Manassas, VA · Member since 2013 · 194 posts · 156 votes
    7y

    Dude that is so inspirational and motivating all at the same time...looking forward to hearing more of your story

    Paul

  • Guy with Great Hair · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    7y

    great story! Congrats! 

    Obsession always works ;) 

  • Spokane, WA · Member since 2018 · 28 posts · 17 votes
    7y

    Love the story! I will look into reading the book you mentioned above!

  • Real Estate Agent · Washington, DC · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 52 votes
    7y

    Amazing! You have accomplished so much in just 10mths. Congratulations!! Mind sharing how you funded and structured your first deal/rental purchase and how you were able to scale so quickly?

  • New to Real Estate · Caldwell Idaho · Member since 2017 · 20 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    Absolutely love your story! I sure hope you are going to write a book about your journey someday! Put my name first on the waiting list for that please! Thank you for inspiring us and showing us that this can be done, it is greatly appreciated. Be blessed!

  • Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 1 post · 7 votes
    7y

    That's awesome. I'm an Estimator, previously a PM, for a Commercial Specialty Sub in the LA area and do residential on the side. Let's grab some beers!

  • Real Estate Agent · Indianola, IA · Member since 2019 · 43 posts · 44 votes
    7y

    What an amazing story! I work in education as well. Over the course of the last year or so I have been exposed to entrepreneurialism in a few different ways and had a complete mindset shift. My husband and I have decided to start investing in real estate and bought our first property, a 5-plex, about a month ago. It refreshing to hear stories like yours which inspire us to keep moving forward. Congrats on all your success and best of luck in the future! 

  • Kingsland, TX · Member since 2018 · 164 posts · 86 votes
    7y

    Congrats! Thank you for your inspiration! I think it's great that you donate 1% of your gross revenue to affordable housing. That is a great idea! Thanks for the book recommendation.

  • Member since 2019 · 4 posts · 10 votes
    7y

    Awesome story! Congrats. I hope to be in your shoes in the next 10 months (or at least on my well on my way there).

  • Real Estate Agent · West Hartford, CT · Member since 2016 · 449 posts · 476 votes
    7y

    @Sammy Lyon great post and congrats on all your success so far! 

  • Rental Property Investor · Newport Beach, CA · Member since 2018 · 44 posts · 22 votes
    7y

    Congrats! I am a teacher in South LA and my husband and I just closed on our first investment property in FL! 

    Love your story!

  • Member since 2019 · 1 post · 5 votes
    7y
    Great read. I like how you prepared yourself for your RE investment career. Do you mind sharing what state you started in? I am in CA also, and I'm having a difficult time deciding if I should invest here or out of state.
  • New to Real Estate · Las Vegas · Member since 2019 · 63 posts · 47 votes
    7y

    oh my!! This is what I needed to hear! Your story is amazing! Thank you for the inspiration. 

  • Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 3 votes
    7y

    Thank you for sharing Sammy! Such an inspiration! I love BP for a chance to get inspired by people like yourself. And absolutely would we interested in a meetup of some sort. So far, I only have one property out of state too that I am renovating now. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Oakville, CA · Member since 2018 · 23 posts · 7 votes
    7y

    Inspiring!!!  . Keep crushing it ...

  • Rental Property Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2016 · 30 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    Thanks for sharing. I work in the education space too and it is good to see you having a big impact with your investing. I like the idea of 1% gross revenue going to a cause you believe in. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2019 · 3 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    Great stuff!  I'm LA based and have some properties both in SoCal as well as out of state.  Let's grab a beer and talk shop.

  • Jake ThorntonPro Member
    Camas, WA · Member since 2019 · 44 posts · 36 votes
    7y

    Super awesome. So inspiring. 

  • Member since 2018 · 1 post · 2 votes
    7y

    Congratulations!!! This inspire me and my wife since we decided to start doing real estate to be able to dedicate at some point more quality time to our lovely childrens. Please share more about your real estate success and how we could be successful as well. 

    Thanks

    Alexander A

  • Rental Property Investor · Leander, TX · Member since 2018 · 183 posts · 264 votes
    7y

    Well done @Sammy Lyon! Sounds like YOU should be the next guest on the Bigger Pockets podcast! @Brandon Turner - you listening? ;)

  • Rental Property Investor · Brea, CA · Member since 2016 · 73 posts · 34 votes
    7y

    Awesome story!! I am also an Educator in southern Cali, teaching Construction. Would love to connect to talk shop on day. 

    Thanks for the motivation. 

    Kent Kiess

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Abington, MA · Member since 2019 · 27 posts · 16 votes
    7y

    How do you do deals with none of your own money. I haven’t figured this out yet. I’ve done several deals with my own $ but need to figure out how to not let my liquid assets limit what I can do. Do you do hard money? Hard money usually requires at least a down payment. So just curious.

  • Member since 2019 · 1 post · 1 vote
    7y

    Congratulations!!!

  • Sunnyvale, CA · Member since 2017 · 7 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    @Sammy Lyon this is very inspirational. Thanks for sharing your story. Which markets are you focusing on?

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