Getting started
I got my start in real estate when I was 21.
My uncle gave me a loan so I could buy my first house. It was a small townhouse that I bought for $44,000, mainly because my lease was ending and I needed somewhere to live.
Without that loan, I don’t think I would have been able to buy a place. I recognize that gave me a tremendous advantage, and it’s something that’s certainly not available to everyone.
I lived in that townhouse for about four years. During that time, I put a lot of sweat equity into the place, building a fence, adding a shed, replacing fixtures and furnishings, and more. It was definitely a learning experience.
I eventually got married and my wife moved in with me. We used to make a bit of money on the side by renting out the other bedroom on Airbnb. We had some cool stories to share from that, including helping a group of Pakistani hurricane evacuees and joining a craft beer tour with some cool German guys. We also had someone steal our blender, so it all kind of evened out.
The townhouse was a good deal and has significantly increased in value since we bought it back in 2013. To be fair, the economy was still wincing from the Great Recession then so just about anyone who bought property – and held onto it – saw values go up.
You don’t have the be the fastest swimmer if you’re swimming with the current. But the fact is that we jumped in (with a lot of help) and that’s how we got our start.
