Andrew Earle

I’m 43 years old, married for 19 years, and have a 15 year old daughter and 13 year old son. I have dabbled in real estate since my wife and I house hacked our first property 18 years ago. We purchased a duplex and lived in one side. We inherited the chain smoking alcoholic tenant in the other side. Inwoild literally peek in the window at night tonaww him passed oit on the coich with a cigarette in his hand, and go in, put the cigarette and tuckmhik in to bed. As a mid-20 year old, I purchased a few other properties, sold some, kept and rented some. When 2008 came along, our life took a big turn and I left the successful sign business I had begun and grew, packed up my family, sold our cars, rented out our primary residence and moved from Maine to Redding, California. Little did we know of what was soon to follow in the collapse of the economy and real estate market. We lived for three years in relative isolation from the chaos of the economic collapse surviving off the proceeds of a land deal I had made just prior to moving. We used that time basically to focus on each other and grow personally, relationally, and spiritually. For the most part, the few rentals I did own supported a lot of our fixed costs. We did lose one property that went backwards in value and I ended up losing the tenant and having to short sell it. After moving back to Maine, we didn’t jump right back in where we left off by any means. My business partner at my sign company did not want me back. I volunteered for my brother in laws non-profit organization called Dusty Feet whose mission was to help steeet boys in Nairobi Kenya. The bills piled up and we were financially in trouble. I ended up taking a job as a salesman for a linen company. For the past five years, I’ve sold linen service to hotels and restaurants and made a decent 6 figure salary. I’ve been able to rebuild my credit and bank account. I finally gotten back to the point where I am actively purchasing properties, building, rehabbing, and renting. I am wiser and smarter and excited to continue building my real estate portfolio but not just for myself this time. I want my kids to learn everything from what I have had to search out and learn on my own. I am still learning quickly and have soooo much still to learn. Each day is new and exciting and I can’t wait to discover what other amazing ways thay there are to grow my wealth and earn money though real estate.