first blog and intro

Finally after visiting this site almost everyday since I signed in as a member, and silently reading through forums, posts, and blogs, I'm ready to write something.

My (temporary) obstacle is that I am 100% new because I just got to this country in February. I am not familiar with the business, I do not even have a driver's license yet (I'm working on it) so I feel shy to network with people for fear that I might not be taken seriously because I'm young. I don't want to make a bad impression on prospective buyers and sellers when I meet up with them and my dad is driving for me. Like most of us, my family does not believe you can make money in real estate so it would be difficult to ask for their support. Although I'm considered an adult, I live with my family therefore I am only partially independent. I have a 9-5 job at minimum because right now I would fall under "entry-level high school graduate" since my bachelor's degree is not acknowledged here. Since I'm new I have not yet established credit, I don't even have enough money to make a down payment on a property, but we all learned that it shouldn't be a problem

Despite this I have already started doing something but at a slower pace than I desire. I already talked to an agent who has worked with investors in the past, he knows real estate attorneys who can offer free consultation, he's familiar with what I'm trying to do which is to "make money in the middle" by locking up a property in contract and selling at a higher price. The problem is he expects me to be pre-approved in case I get stuck with the property. I haven't given up yet, I will try to convince him that I can make it work. If not, then I have talked to other agents who seem interested.

I have 4 investors/ cash-buyers in my list, all through craigslist, and I see an endless supply of renters in craigslist. I feel confident that if I find a deal, I can make it work. I'm focusing on three adjacent cities. My city is like a retirement place, the 2nd one has a lot of renters, and the third one is a college city. Now I'm trying to figure out how to find motivated buyers. The county courthouse is about 1hr drive (and I can't drive yet) sooooo.. What is the best way to proceed?

PS: I have set a deadline on myself that I will profit from real estate before the end of this year, no matter how many failures/ experiences I get out of it. I sincerely appreciate this website and the helpful community that has built it. You all deserve the best out of life.