Ian Covington

I grew up interested in computers near Huntsville, AL and spent 7 years in the USAF after high school. In the USAF I was a network engineer and I continue to do it as a government contractor to this day. I have always invested to a degree, but it wasn't until I had my first civilian job that I developed a burning desire for it. I read all the great books and really began investing heavily and wisely into stocks. Annually I put 25-30% of my income into 401k, Roth IRA, and normal taxed brokerage accounts. After taking a job a in Charleston, SC, I put my previous home for rent rather than selling at a loss. While in Charleston, I took advantage of the amount of wealth in the area. I would go to Sullivan's Island and strike up conversations with the locals with a drink and a good topic. Eventually I'd ask, "So, how did you get to where you are?" An overwhelming majority of the island residents (all 1M+ homes) said they, and most other residents go there through real estate. They admitted being doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc at some point, but real estate is what took them to the next level. I smartly took notice of the trend and have been studying and loading my real estate gun since then. *23Aug17*Closing on a great property soon. My property manager clued me in to a non-MLS SFR she owned and was selling in order to grab office space. The price is right, she continues to manage, and it already had a trusted tenant with less than a month on a renewed lease. Not bad for a second step into the RE world.