December 2nd

Hello All!

Why am I starting a blog? There are a few reasons, I hope I can jot down my story and it motivates and inspires. I also hope someone will speak up if they started out just like me and are now successful and want to share. It also will keep me accountable to move forward if I have "friends" checking on my progress. So before I forget let me say thanks and if I can help YOU let me know.

Who am I? Ooh just a 43 year old, married to "sexy poppa" for 20 years with 3 kids. I have a full time job in human resources that I plan to keep while I get this business off the ground. I live in the buckeye state, Columbus Ohio **Go Bucks!!

I don't really want to admit how long I've wanted to get into real estate but in order for you to trust me I have to be honest. I've wanted to do this for about 15 years. If you remember Carlton Sheets, I had his tapes and that was my first inspiration! My sister was onboard too, no money down, we could do this.... But it just didn't pan out

Time passes, put the dream away.... How did all the time go by and I not try to get in the business? You know the excuses..... I don't have the money, I need to get a good paying job, so go to school get not one degree but get two! Bachelors and Masters. Of course the love of your life has been there all along , let's get married have some kids, buy a house...on and on..

Our first house we bought we lived in for 10 yrs but with 3 kids it was getting smaller and smaller, time for a bigger one. It's 2005, why can't we sell the darn thing? Too much inventory says the realtor it's a buyers market. WHAT?! so here goes our first experience renting, it started out pretty good had great tenants for 3 yrs. then they moved out and let their daughter stay..... big disaster she tore up the house. We had to kick them out too because they stopped paying. AWFUL!! Found some tenants for another year but they inherited a house so off they go!

The house was abandoned while we looked for renters, the neighborhood was declining fast ! Mice in the house, raccoons in the roof time to get rid of this- short sale good it's gone.. Ooh but short sale is income? WHAT? We didn't make any money but Uncle Sam says yep. Why didn't I have a real estate business?

Fast forward to November 2013 I hear about some flippers coming to town for a 3 day seminar. I gotta go...I'm tired of the rat race I'm in. I'm paying my bills but I'm not saving like I should I live on a strict budget pay all bills on time month to month. (Not a fun cycle). There has got to be more than this. Here comes that dream again... Good information at the seminar but do I have to break into my 401k just to have a mentor and still not have any real estate? There's got to be a smarter way

Now I'm looking for info online find BiggerPockets and a local investment group. The first meeting is next Saturday so here I go !! I'm on info overload....where do I begin? wholesale seems too complicated I just need to chat it out! I know this was super long but I promise I will let you know what I'm up to

Thanks for listening

Tell me your story I can't wait to hear it!!

Carla