Is Real Estate Right for Me?

[Drake Imholte]

I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A MENTOR. I am asking how to advertise to find a mentor in my area effectively. After reading tons of books on real estate and finance, I believe this is my future. I love to analyze properties and talking to people. I enjoy moving parts and dealing with numbers. I want to start buying properties but I am currently stationed at Miramar base in San Diego, California. I could be moved at any moment and the houses here are quite expensive. My BAH could cover costs while I am stationed here, however the second they move me my BAH will drop significantly. Any vacancy would be a huge issue. I have tried to reach out to real estate agents, brokers, and investors to see if I could work for them to start getting experience. I know at the start I don't have much to offer. How can I be more effective in my search for a "mentor" and are people usually put off by people looking for these types of posts? What are effective ways I can see what path I want to take in real estate? Do I want to be a real estate agent, mortgage broker, appraiser, ect? What will help me make a better decision?

[Andy Eakes]

@Drake Imholte If your current situation is something that concerns you in regards to finding and securing a mentor, I would find someone who has been in your current position in the past and has found success doing the things you want to do in REI. I know there are a ton of military investors in San Diego who make a killing investing with their VA loans. Plenty of them on here as well. I would also find an agent who works with military investors. If you want some names, PM me.

They will probably understand what you are working with right now and can point you in the right direction. Even if they don't do deals with you, they will be a good person to just reach out to and bounce ideas off of. 

Of course all of this will thrive if you narrow down what you want to do in REI and what your goals are. It will make the overall mentor experience much more beneficial and worth your time and theirs.

Good luck!