Five Tips for New Real Estate Investors

Five Tips For New Real Estate Investors

by Brandon · 19 comments

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One of the most common questions I receive is from young individuals looking for tips to get them started in real estate investing.  This is a valid question and one that I am happy to help out with whenever I can. I decided to add this post so I have something I can quickly point people back to, without needing to re-write each time. By following the following five tips for new real estate investors, you will supercharge the beginning of your real estate investments!

1.) Read These Top Real Estate Books

If you haven’t yet read these books, read them (like, now!) :
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki This book will get you excited. When I first read Rich Dad Poor Dad, it put words to concepts I had been trying hard to explain in my own head. The lessons are not difficult, and Kiyosaki’s writing is easy and enjoyable – but the fundamentals he teaches are monumental.

7 Years to 7 Figure Wealth  (my eBook) – This is my personal manifesto of how perfect investing should be. It’s not risky, not lifelong slow, and not difficult. The best part? It’s free! Sign up for updates by adding your email to the box on the right to get my eBook instantly. If you don’t want to get updates from me, just unsubscribe right away! I don’t mind!

The Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing by Spencer Strauss – One of the greatest “big picture” books on real estate investing I’ve read. Much of my own eBook is based off the lessons I learned reading this one.

There are more books listed in my article titled, “Seven Must Read Books for Real Estate Investors.”  However, these books are perhaps the most significant for a new investor and will help jump start your career.

2.) Decide: Career or Investor?

I’ve said it many times before – investing in real estate can either be a career choice or simply an investment.

If you hate your job and simply want to turn real estate investing into a career- you can do that. There are many ways to earn a paycheck from investing. Whether it’s wholesaling, flipping, development, or one of a hundred other ways – you can make money full time in real estate. It’s not easy, however, and you need to be sure you have your finances in order before quitting your job. In order to pay for this type of investing, you’ll need to live off the cashflow  or profits you make in your business.

However, if you have a job you enjoy and make a good income from – you can stay in that job, enjoy the income, and still retire young with real estate. In fact, you may even be able to retire sooner than a full time investor. By reinvesting your cashflow and profits, your return on investment will skyrocket. This is the main strategy I talk about in my eBook to make $1,000,000 in seven years. However, you have to have a job you like and is flexible enough to do real estate on the side.

The choice is yours. You can even mix the two. Perhaps you can work a part time job (making just enough to pay the bills) but spend the rest of your time building up a real estate empire. Having a real estate related job, such as a real estate agent or mortgage broker can be highly advantageous in this case. The choice is yours, but don’t think you are stuck with one way or the other.

3.) Make A Plan (And Be Conservative)

As I mentioned time and time again in my eBook, it is super important that you have a road map to know where you are going. By deciding what type of properties you want to buy, how much cashflow you want to get, and the time frame it’s going to take, you are able to simply follow that plan to fruition. The most important part of your plan is to be conservative. Don’t over-estimate how much property values will climb or how quickly you’ll be able to sell a property. Assume the worst and plan for the best.

For more information about creating a plan, check out my eBook “7 Years to 7 Figure Wealth” or click here for information on one-on-one consulting with me.

4.) Start Looking At Properties

Simply – take notice of the properties around you. Stop in at every open house you see. Get a Realtor to open up some houses that fit your criteria.  Begin to be the expert at whatever property type most interests you. A good friend of mine and newbie investor makes a point to walk around a different neighborhood every single night, talking to everyone she meets and learning a ton about where to – and where not to – invest. She is quickly becoming an expert in those areas and the go-to person when I want to learn about a neighborhood.

5.) Make Friends

Number five is perhaps the most important item on this list- because, without relationships, real estate investing is dead. Get to know the players in your town. Who is buying the properties up? Who are the top agents? How can you help them? Most of the deals I have done have come from the relationships I’ve built.  Make friends with anyone and everyone in the industry. Take in as much information as you can from them and find ways to help them accomplish their goals as well.

There you have it! My top five tips for new investors. If you are just getting started with real estate investors, really take these tips to heart. They are not difficult to follow but can change your life.

Let me know if you have any additional tips or questions in the comments below!

About Brandon

has written 199 Awesome posts in this blog.

Brandon Turner (G+) is the BiggerPockets.com Senior Editor and Community Director and owner of RealEstateInYourTwenties.com. He is also an Active Real Estate Investor (Flips, Apartments, and Buy-and-Hold), Entrepreneur, World Traveler, Third-Person Speaker, and Husband. Come hang out with him on Twitter!

P.S. looking for hard money loans in California? Be sure to check out my friends over at northcoastfinancialinc.com. They have very competitive rates, can fund within a week and specialize in fix and flip loans and other hard money loans.

P.S. Looking for more real estate investing knowledge? If you are interested in a top-notch course to help you understand the nuts and bolts of creative real estate investing, I would like to recommend Ben Leybovich's Cash Flow Freedom University. Ben is a close friend and has been my trusted adviser for years. He's a smart guy and CFFU is pretty awesome. The course is waitlisted, but while you wait for an opening Ben will send you tons of FREE content. Seriously. Click here to check it out.

(yes, that's an affiliate link!)

{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }

Joe September 8, 2012 at 4:43 pm

I think the 5th tip is one of the most important ones. This is not only true for real estate investing but for almost anything in life. A big question for many is how do you do this? One of the best ways is to simply buy someone a cup of coffee. If you are looking to network with a top agent in your area simply call them up and say you’d like to pick their brain about the area for a few minutes and ask if they have time to grab a cup of coffee.

I’m loving the articles – thanks Brandon!

Reply

Brandon September 20, 2012 at 4:16 am

Thanks Joe! The coffee thing is an excellent idea. Also a good idea is to schedule a meeting wherever the investor is going to be. Investors love to show off their current projects, so it’s a great place to build relationships. Thanks for the comment Joe!

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Webponder September 10, 2012 at 10:30 am

Reading “Rich dad, poor dad” was full of wow moments for me too. Or rather, it was like reading somebody express my own poorly structured observations in a simple and powerful form. Certaintly a place to start!

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Brandon September 20, 2012 at 4:54 am

I love the way you stated that! “it was like reading somebody express my own poorly structured observations in a simple and powerful form!” Perfect! Ironically, what you said there was what I was trying to say, but you just expressed my poorly structured observation in a simple and powerful form! 🙂 Thanks!

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Scott Costello September 11, 2012 at 5:29 pm

Very good points Brandon!

Reading books is a great way to get started, but just watch out for going over board and wanting to know everything before you get started. The dreaded Paralysis by Analysis!

Networking and building relationships on the other hand is HUGE. Many doors open when you make friends with people. If you keep talking to investors in the business, you’ll eventually find someone willing to really help you out when you need it.

The biggest things for me though was just doing it, instead of planning to do it.

Reply

Brandon September 20, 2012 at 4:44 am

Yes – the dreaded Paralysis by Analysis! That was the biggest thing for me too – just doing it. I’m reminded of a line in the book series “A Game of Thrones” where one of the characters often says, “If I look back, I am lost.” In other words, she just kept moving forward, forcing life to happen around her. The same could be said about real estate investing.

Thanks Scott for the encouragement!

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Real Estate of Cabo San Lucas September 11, 2012 at 11:16 pm

Great post, you’ve made me a subscriber!

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Brandon September 20, 2012 at 4:16 am

🙂 Thanks!

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Roselynn September 13, 2012 at 8:52 pm

Making friends (5) and Having a Plan (3) are the keys to success as an investor. Thanks for a great article brandon. these two cannot be over emphasized. A suggestion, I got is to attend at least one networking event each week and really taking the time to have a conservative plan before you quit your job

Reply

Brandon September 20, 2012 at 4:42 am

Thanks Roselynn! That is a super good idea. I actually wish I did more networking. I live in a bit of a rural area, so we don’t have a ton of stuff. (Maybe that’s just a lousy excuse!)

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Marc September 14, 2012 at 8:20 pm

Career or investor I think is the most important one. Some people live and breathe real estate daily and could not do anything else. But even if you are not that passionate, you can still make money in real estate without having to give everything up. In this case, a great project manager, property manager and a good agent is key.

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Brandon September 20, 2012 at 4:19 am

Marc – this exact thing has been on my mind for the last few months! I am a firm believer that people just need to work a job they LOVE and then invest on the side. Obviously, if real estate is a job someone LOVES (like I do) then make that a career. Thanks for the input Marc! We’re on the same page!

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Upcoming Properties In Delhi September 18, 2012 at 9:21 am

I am very happy that I found this site. The post is written in very a good manner and it entails much useful information for me. Thank you for the post.
Regards,
Krrish

Reply

Brandon September 20, 2012 at 4:24 am

Thanks Krrish!

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Kevin October 25, 2012 at 10:23 pm

Hi Brandon, great tips thanks! Really like your blog as it hits home to a lot of things I am looking at. I am a 25 yr old newbie with a real estate agent background, been spending the last 9 months learning everything I can but haven’t made that first plunge yet!!would love to do it full time but basically have no money to put up front.. Thanks again any info is great

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Brandon October 25, 2012 at 10:47 pm

Hey Kevin- Thanks! I know the feeling – I started with no money as well. You are doing it right by learning all you can! Once you feel comfy – start building a plan and then just follow that plan! (I know – much easier said than done – but it works!) Keep in touch!

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Affordable residential properties Gurgaon November 20, 2012 at 7:03 am

Thanks for sharing Excellent ideas. I m sure that will be helpful for everyone.

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Lucas Peczek August 14, 2014 at 7:43 am

Great article as always. Hey, I laughed when I saw those books. Those were the first few books I read when starting out so great advice there people!

To go along with tip 5, I would include not only making friends but surrounding yourself with those you aspire to be like, as well as befriending your team of advisors. You don’t want to be paying out every time you need advice and you want to be sure they’re not just trying to sell you on something they can earn a commission on.

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SuperBrain February 26, 2016 at 3:03 pm

Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Spending some time and actual effort to
produce a good article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and don’t seem to get anything
done.

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