what is my first step

I want to get started buying properties, and I have many tools available to me, but I dont know what the best first step would be.
I am in the mortgage business, so I have many connections in repairs, remodeling, title, financing, appraisals etc…
I just dont know what is the most effective way to buy and sell. I think most importantly, how do I find the homes that everyone else is not already after.
Any tips at all would be appreciated.

Lincoln,

Getting started can be overwhelming. But you are ahead of most with the resources/team that you have.

Try reading some of the Getting Started articles here for some ideas:
http://www.reiclub.com/art/find.php?cat=Getting%20Started

Also, Peter Conti and David Finkel have a well-written book out that is a good overview of one portion of the business, “Making Big Money Investing in Real Estate: Without Tenants, Banks, or Rehab Projects”

MoniqueUSA

Lincoln,
Here are some additional ideas -
join your local reia group. Attend every meeting you can! Network with everyone you can - attend sub groups that interest you. I always recommend attending any seminars they offer - especially a good one day thought by the same speaker. Those are inexpensive ways to learn a ton. You need to set your personal goals. Why do you want to be in real estate investing? How much do you want to make? Why? what will you use it for? What are your strengths? What are the things about real esate that excite you? is it just the money? Do you like to see things improved - ie ugly to beautiful? do you like to make people happy? give something to someone that no one else has offered? a second change to have the American dream? etc… you must first answer some soul searching questions…then set your personal goals - they must match what is important to you. Then you can start in a direction that matches those areas…but honestly - in the long run…you will end up involved in all aspects if you love the business…but start with one or two strategies.

Wendy Patton

Hey, Wendy…

It’s good to see you posting…

How you doing… ??

David Alexander