14 yr old Kid who wants to become a Real Estate Investor.

[Account Closed]

Hello Bigger Pockets community!

My name is Kedus Meheretu. I'm 14 years old and I want to become a real estate investor. I've been learning about real estate investing for several months now, but have just made a Bigger Pockets account. I have to say I LOVE Bigger Pockets! It has been such a useful resource with helping me learn the ins and outs of real estate investing. Real Estate Investing seems like the ideal investment to me considering the residual income, leverage, appreciation, etc.

I would really appreciate advice from anyone on BP that's willing to give me some.

What books should I read? What articles or posts on the site should I read? What strategies do you use? What niches do you invest in? How did you start? What mistakes did you make?

I would love to hear your stories, experiences, and words of wisdom!

Thanks!

[Riley F.]

I like all of the above advice, particularly interning with a local investor, which will provide you with plenty of practical hand on experience. Also, the above books are fantastic recommendations, and will get your mind working in a different way, but are generally light on real content.

It's my opinion that a solid financial education goes a VERY long way in making an investor. My recommendations are going to be more difficult and specific than the above, but they will serve you well for life.

1. Learn accounting - if your high school has a course, take it, if not, get a managerial accounting book and learn the basics.
2. Learn MS Excel - there is not a single real estate investment that can't be modeled using MS Excel, and know how to use it well will put you light years ahead of your peers.

These two action items alone will make a huge difference in your future.

My last piece of advice would be to start changing the way that you think. Always think about what value you can offer other people whom you want help from and offer it. It may be that you can run errands and paperwork around on your bike for a local investor, help rehab and demo crews, help build excel models, who knows. The point is, what do you have to offer? I can't tell you the number of people that I meet who ask for things from me, but don't tell me what they can provide. Don't be that guy (kid), because the conversation was over before it even started.

I think you would be surprised at the number of investors in your town that would consider taking a high schooler under their wing if they were approached the right way. Learn something about the above, and cold call them. You might surprise yourself.