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Go to school and get a good job.
Ever hear that phrase? Well, I did all the time growing up. It seemed like it was the only way to be successful. And I know I’m not the only one who took the advice.
I did what I was told:
🌟 Got 2 Bachelors and a Masters Degree from an Ivy League Institution
🌟 Began a career in Cancer Research
🌟 Was making 6 figures in my 20s
But I wasn’t happy….and I sure didn't FEEL successful. I remember holding back tears on the subway every morning commuting to my office. I was surrounded by hundreds of other people that were also exhausted, weary, hopeless just letting another day pass them by as they sat in a cubicle.
I became depressed thinking this would be my future. I had no idea how to get myself out of this hole. I just felt like I was being swallowed up into this life of meaningless repetition..
I had to get out.
And one day I hit my breaking point..
I quit. Just walked away from the job and my career.
And then I went drinking.
I put a message on FB asking where I should move and only got one response.
Spain, it said.
So I sold everything I owned and moved there 8 weeks later.
I didn't know anyone there. Didn’t speak Spanish at the time. Just knew that I was unhappy and that nothing could be worse than where I had been..
Yet, I found a quality of life I never expected. Wine at lunch….and nobody asked what you did for a living. They cared about you as a person. Jobs did not define them. I started a Tour Company there showing tourists the amazing life I had found and then expanded into Portugal where I bought a beachfront bar.
But my dream of living on a beach came to a screeching halt.
The guy I bought the bar from screwed me over and I lost everything. My tour company, the bar, and a little over 100k that I had invested into it.
I was broke, my credit was ruined…and I had to move home to my parents house….at the age of 30. 🤢
Then, the universe threw me another curveball.
While playing softball, I met my now husband, Emilio. He immigrated from the Dominican Republic just a few years before and was looking for the American Dream of homeownership.
But I didn't want to buy a home.
I wanted to travel the world!
But as we do in relationships, I compromised.
I suggested we buy a multifamily so we can live on one side and rent out the other.
But we had NO IDEA how to buy a house.
I called realtor after realtor only to be hung up on. “We can talk when you get pre-approved” “We can talk when you find a house on Zillow” But I didn't know how to get pre-approved. I didn't know how to pick the right house.
It was all so confusing.
Until we met Michael, our realtor. He was patient. He sat down and walked us through the process. He spent time answering our questions.
And then it happened!
We bought our first Duplex in Yonkers, NY! And the second I got that first rental payment, I knew I wanted to do it again. I had gotten a small taste of the power of real estate investing and I wanted more.
But everyone told me it couldn’t be done. I had just bought a house. They said I couldn’t do it again. So I went on a mission to learn everything I could about real estate investing. I read all the books, listened to all the podcasts, picked everyone’s brain that I could.
But it was overwhelming. There were so many strategies and conflicting advice that it was so hard to figure out the exact steps I needed to take.
But I figured it out. I cracked the code. The answer was right there in front of my face. And it was so much easier than I thought!
So we were off!
Over the next 3 years, Emilio and I would go on to buy 10 more doors in NY and DR generating 6 figures!
And remember that compromise I made to buy that very first property? Well, now it was my time to collect!
The cash flow from our properties now funds the traveling lifestyle I always wanted.
🌟 We spend our winters in DR to live in constant summer
🌟 We don’t worry about PTO balances when we want to spend a month in Europe
🌟 We take bucket list trips to places like the Great Wall of China (where we got engaged!)
🌟 And we can wake up every morning deciding what we would like to see happen that day.
And the best part…. You can do the same!
Here’s my secret sauce:
1. Dream Big- The #1 mistake I see investors make is that they chase other people’s dreams. They see people flash big checks on IG and try to duplicate their success. But you are you. Your set of circumstances are different. Don’t chase their dreams. Follow yours.
2. Take Calculated Steps- Now that you know what direction you specifically need to go, become an expert in THAT strategy. When you focus your energy in the right place, you will be able to make better progress and even have fun along the way.
3. Act Now- You did the work. You put in the time. You can now make confident decisions to build your portfolio. No more being stuck in analysis paralysis!
Listen to my full story here!