The Downside of Calculators and Analysis Paralysis

[Jonathan Greene]

I've been reading so many posts by new investors looking to close their first deal, but what they talk about the most are the calculator projections and constant analysis that they are doing from home. I wanted experienced investors to weigh in and remind all the new people out there that you can't learn about REI without seeing hundreds of properties. I've been doing it for 30 years and I still look at a minimum of 7 properties a week just for fun and to stay on top of the local market. It certainly helps that I have a RE license and can get into properties whenever I want, but I also operate a separate off-market investment business. You can't get a feel for real estate investment as a career, hobby, or side hustle if you aren't looking at properties every day and having discussions about how you can help sellers or other investors. You should never buy your first property until you've seen 50-100 ones that didn't work out. Thoughts?

[Jay Hinrichs]

If your talking vanilla rentals then I think calculators that are so specific down to exact return are just not that helpful. As the numbers will NEVER be as presented in the calculator.. so you miss deals you should have bought and you buy ones you should have passed on.

you need simple back of napkin macro numbers then go look like you said.. all this drilling down to see if it makes a 10.378 return is just over kill in the SFR rental realm.. IMHO.