I wanted to start by saying thanks to everyone who posts and makes this forum the amazing tool that it is.
That being said, here’s me:
I’m 27 years old and have had a long list of ‘careers’ in my years on this planet but my long-term goal and focus has always been REI.
History: I’ve always been a hard worker and fortunate enough to excel and over achieve in whatever it is that I do. I have a competitive spirit and never accept anything less than perfection out of myself. I began working full time at the age of 15 as I was the only child of a single mother in Western Nebraska where the economy wasn’t very good. I’ve been in the food industry as a host, busboy, server and trainer. I was the youngest certified corporate trainer in Concord Industry at Applebee’s at the age of 17. I then moved onto banking and got my foot in the door as a teller in Nebraska and used this as a tool to transfer to Colorado upon high school graduation where I quickly moved up to higher positions within the bank and went back and forth between Key Bank and USBank for better opportunities each time. I then moved to car sales as the experience and teaching was what I was after. After about a year and a half and consistently being top of sales or in the top two I decided that I didn’t enjoy that industry and moved on to the cellular industry. Three years there and countless sales records (My last full year there I made more money than the #2, #3 and #4 spots combined and at a profit margin of almost 80% on accessories versus their average of 50% and on down from there) and even running my own stores led me to the fact that it was time for me to do things for myself instead of making others rich off of my efforts. I started my own online businesses with a primary focus on eBay where I’m a Power Seller and things are going lovely. In the interim, I wanted more knowledge and actually went to real estate school and am only a test away from my license. I then went to ‘work’ for a newer mortgage company as a broker. Both of these were to get knowledge on how some of the related aspects of REI function. The company I was training for went under and my training was very limited and I didn’t get what I would consider useful information from it.
Current: At any rate, I’ve been listening to MANY books on CD (I’m not a fan of reading and it takes too long) and built my first house in August which I now live in. It was purchased for ~$210k and has just appraised at over $250k after landscaping/fencing and a few other minor improvements. I have some equity that I can borrow against to get me started if need be. I have a credit score above 700 (713 to be exact but it was in the upper 700’s prior to establishing a business account with Dell who pulled credit EVERY time I placed an order on credit despite them telling me no when I asked upon setting up the account so it’s on it’s way back up again) and a good history of payment responsibility. I have $5k in cash (would have been more… dayum taxes got me good this time around) and another $10k or so in inventory and parts I can sell cheaply to get more if needed. I also have a few cars one of which I plan to sell that will get me another $10 in the bank or so after paying off the note. The other cars I own are paid for and have sentimental value so I’ll be holding onto them. I’m a car buff at heart and finally through hard work last year was able to buy a Supra and a Typhoon which are cars I’ve lost sleep over dreaming about since before I was old enough to drive. Every time I get behind the wheel of one of them it’s all grins and one of the key reasons that I work as hard as I do.
Future: I’m reading this entire forum post for post and thread for thread and will begin posting when done any questions that are not answered. I have a local mentor that is buying distressed and otherwise properties and then strips them and repairs them using high end materials and then resells them for good profit. He has already said that he would mentor me and show me the ropes so I’m doing all I can in the meantime to educate myself as much as possible. I have no problem making my first deal to get started but feel as though some more education could spell to thousands on my first deal. Last thing I want to do is make a simple little mistake that costs me thousands when a little more education would have prevented it. Once I feel I’ve got a firm grasp I plan to jump in as I have nothing but time right now and the tools needed to get me going in the right direction.
So, hello and thanks and I look forward to the future here.