Starting Out - Looking for Mentors

[Robyn Murphy]

Good morning everyone,

It is my pleasure to introduce myself to this community. My name is Robyn Murphy, and I'm a 24 year old from the Halifax, NS area with a passion for real estate. I am thrilled to be part of this forum and excited to network with like-minded individuals who share the same interest and eagerness for real estate investing.

While working full time in a different industry, I have been saving up money to comfortably sign up for the salesperson licensing course, write my exam, and start my journey as a real estate agent. In the past six months, I have been occupied reading books, listening to podcasts, and watching YouTube videos to gain a thorough understanding of real estate basics and specific terms.

Recently, I attended my first local investing meetup, and this evening I'll be joining The Real Estate Investor Meetup at The Garden Restaurant in Halifax. Apart from saving for the course, I have also begun reserving funds for my first investment property, with a long-term goal of achieving financial freedom through investing in small and large multifamily buildings.

As a newbie in this field, I am keen to shadow anyone who is willing to mentor me and show me the ropes. I am also open to any business opportunities and would love to offer my assistance in any way possible. Real estate is my true passion, and I am open to investing my personal spare time to gain more experience and knowledge in any real estate-related task.

I am a good people person with experience managing employees, delegating tasks, and resolving conflicts. My organizational and analytical skills make me adept at analyzing deals, while my experience in cleaning and prepping houses for new tenants/owners is a bonus. I am also an attentive listener who can help you find exactly what you need, and a quick learner with excellent communication skills.

I am excited to connect with all of you and learn from your experiences. I believe that with the right guidance and support, I can achieve my goals and contribute positively to this community.

[Hamp Lee III]

Welcome to BiggerPockets!

I'm a part-time realtor. I'll share a couple of things that has helped me along the way:

1. Study, Study, Study. Train, Train, Train. You’ll soon discover that the information you’re studying to pass your real estate exam doesn't even scratch the surface of all you need to learn to be a good real estate agent. So, I would recommend going through your brokerage training (if they have one), reading books, watching videos, and listening to podcasts. There are a couple of great books in the BP bookstore on being an agent.

2. Select a niche. There's so much we can do as real estate agents. If you don't select a niche, you'll spin around in circles trying to do a little of everything and not mastering anything. I suggest starting with what you're already doing. I'm an active duty member who invests. I’m a third-generation real estate investor. I want to help families build their financial legacies through real estate. This has been working very well for me, so really spend time honing your niche.

3. Select a brokerage. I’m rather new, but my decision to choose a brokerage largely came from what I needed now, and your specific niche.

I’m active duty Air Force and found that many brick and mortar brokerages wouldn’t work for me. I found a great cloud-based brokerage that will allow me to train without physically being in the office taking leave from my military position.

I think about finding a brokerage like going shoe shopping. What works for you today may not work tomorrow. Make the best decision for you today. If it doesn’t work, make the best decision that day. There are so many options otherwise that will keep your head spinning.

Lastly, remember that you are interviewing the brokerages not the other way around. Be yourself and go in with what you are looking for. I had three things, but they changed as I visited more brokerages and narrowed down what I wanted.

4. Provide value to others. Posting on BP and sharing real estate information with your sphere of influence (and social media) is a great way to get started. It lets others know you're a real estate agent, and you know what you're talking about. It's a great way to build trust. Farming your local subdivision with monthly newsletters can also do this, depending on your niche. Believe me, people will reach out to you.

5. Identify the needs of your SOI. Your SOI may have specific needs. Many of the people in my SOI want to use their VA loan a second time or start investing. So, I'll adjust my messages to focus on those areas. Your SOI is unique, but when you provide value to them, you might see an even greater return.

I hope this helps. I wish you all the best!