Young, naive and clueless! Starting out investor!

[Jason Chung]

A little about myself: I am 18, broke, but ambitious! (that pretty much sums it up!).

I have been reading a lot of books, and currently own the following books:

- Real Estate in Canada by Don.R. Campbell (I'm Canadian, Vancouver)

- Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller

- Land Lording on Autopilot by Mike Butler

Those are just my Real Estate Investing books

I'm learning a lot by Don.R.Campbell, his ACRE system is really easy to follow and I can picture myself actually buying a property with his advice. I really want to get going, but I need money first (and trust me when I say I am being frugal; my girlfriend is getting a bit mad about my frugal ways).

I want to become a Financial Planner (I read a lot on the Stock Market, and business, and real estate). I like finance a lot, and seeing other people my age go out and buy expensive clothes, cars, eat out a lot makes me feel good, I know a secret that they don't! Understanding that expensive clothes, cars, and eating out are all depreciating asset and wasting their "investment money" makes me feel "wise(?)" among my peer. Not that I am better than anyone, but since I save my money, it gives me a little "leverage" that I will have more money to invest in appreciating asset (real estate) in the future, than them. A little "head start". :)

I want to invest in real estate as soon as possible. I don't think money will be a huge problem. If I have $10,000 (one year of work), then I can probably find partners, or sell things, to fund my investment (anything is possible).

After reading books for one year, I would like to start investing right away. I'm not greedy, and want to be rich fast, but I'd like to not be caught up in "reading books/no action". I also would like to use my knowledge from reading books, and put them finally into action. Buy a house!

Not a lot of people, or family support me. As they don't understand what I am trying to do, and think I can't do it. I sat my dad down one night and told him about investing in houses, and he carefully, but sincerely, try to steer me into becoming a business manager (I like reading about start-ups tho). I'm focus on my own life though, and other people opinions don't foster a new path for me. "You don't ask someone who isn't a millionaire how to be a millionaire". So, you wouldn't ask a bread maker how to craft jewellery? I think that example was a bit off from "The richest man in Babylon". Whoops.

Currently. I'm just reading till my eye BURN. I stay up all night reading real estate books, because I feel like I am not maximizing my time enough. I feel a need to become successful. It haunts me everyday that I am not being productive enough. I try to figure out the "smartest way" to do things. I am contemplating about getting a job to grow some money on the side for investment, and I think I will read books when I am not working. This plan for work is because of my thought on having a lot of knowledge on real estate, but having no money to "proceed". Blah. That would suck. Maybe I could do Mobile House, like Mr.Tuner. Hmm... Maybe. I need to read more books on that.

I'm pretty sure this whole thing is MUCH more simpler than it seems right now to me. I'm just over complicating things. So, I tend to just take a second, and clear my head, and calm myself out, and tell myself, "Everything will be Okay".

I really want to get going and become a success by 30.

That's a little bit about myself. Help me if you can. Any comment for my clueless direction will be awesome! Seriously. Anything.

Thanks for taking your time out of your busy investor life! I hope to be like you guys one day!

[Roy N.]

@Jason Chung

You're enthusiasm is evident and fortunately for you, you have no money at the moment, otherwise it sound like you would have forked it over for promises of simple riches. Take a deep breath, put down the Flavor Aid, and get some perspective on ACRE and it Guru. While Don Campbell may appear moderate compared to others on the Guru circuit, his business is still recruit & sell.

You can learn all you need to get started though your reading (though I could recommend a different selection of books); networking in a local real estate investment association (there are a few on the lower mainland); and participation here.