Should I pay for Real Estate Investing classes?

[Yuri Woitscheck]

Hi,

New to BiggerPockets podcast/website and a beginner Real Estate investor.  I have seen hundreds of Real Estate classes out there designed to teach/mentor RE investing, setting up systems, etc. but not sure if it is worth the investment.  Lots of great books available, this podcast is AWESOME, and more information then you could consume in a lifetime so a little torn on whether to spend the money on the classes or not (they are relatively expensive but come with full step by step mentoring).

I am a hands on learner so wanted to get everyone's thoughts on question above.  Ultimately, my goal is to set up cash flow for retirement and leave my two young daughters a decent portfolio of assests.

Really appreciate any advice, looking forward to getting involved in this community, and super excited about RE investing in general.

Thanks so much!

Yuri

[Ethan Perry]

@Yuri Woitscheck. I would say stick to free or very inexpensive resources. I personally have not done any classes but the amount of free and almost free resources out there on RE investing is insane. I’d stick to books, bigger pockets forums, podcasts, YouTube, and personal networking. That’s my two cents!

[Bill O'Donnell]

@Yuri Woitscheck

No. You can learn everything without paying the often ridiculous prices most classes charge.

The only exception is if some particular class is required for a license that you want.

But for investors, no classes are required. The information is available free. Seek it out, and buy something.

Your first property will teach you the rest.

[Jonathan Greene]

No way. Don't pay for a thing. The only time to pay as an investor is when you want to take your existing business and scale it to the next level. There is so much amazing, free info out there, don't get caught in a pyramid scheme looking for a magic egg. Anything you pay a little for will have a higher pay off to get you anywhere and it won't get your farther than this and learning by building relationships. Don't spend money. Meet people. Add value. Listen to podcasts. Read books. Get out and see properties with an investor-friendly agent. Join virtual REI meetup groups. Then you will still have money to buy your first property because you didn't spend it on some fake guru who just wants your cash.

[Levi K.]

@Yuri Woitscheck Hello Yuri,

My experience and thoughts are below:

I didn't take any expensive courses.

I did read some books and listen to many podcasts.

That being said, I did spend a lot on time searching for info that I thought I needed.

Also, the info DID NOT always cover the situation/question I had.

To "collapse" time and save a lot of money I would recommend the following:

1) try to attend any RE meetups in your local area and get connected with like mind investors. You will be blown away by the their eagerness to help/educate/share.

2) sometimes local association of realtors offers very affordable classes (I took 3 sessions with SDAR at very very affordable price. I did pay a little bit more since I was not SDAR member, but the value I got and connections I made were priceless)

3) check out Udemy for FREE REI classes as well.

At the end of the day, nothing beats the hands on experience 😃.

I love coaching my friends and colleagues about real estate investing. With in 1 hour they have a wealth of knowledge that took me 5 years of experience.

Hope it helps.

Regards,

Levi

[Shawn Bhatti]

I would say no. I have learned quite a bit just from browsing content on this website. If anything, consider a paid membership to have access to greater perks. Most people who charge insane charges do not have your best interest in mind.

[Yuri Woitscheck]

Thank you for the affirmation my gut was telling me. Cant tell you how much appreciate the input!!!

[Tuan Tran]

@Yuri Woitscheck

See if there is an online/ in person class locally either through a junior college or adult school. I’m currently taking an online class at a local jr college and would say it’s one of the best class I’ve taken....ever... to including college courses.

Maybe because I have a vested interest or a topic that I really enjoy; either way, learning quite a bit. Its very basic, but learning a ton on basic like market analysis, transaction process, rehab, foreclosures, etc. The instructor also provides personal experience so it provides a level of “trade secrets”. The class had people from various parts of the country as well as foreign students from Canada....all for $95.

I wished I took this class prior to buying my rental property.

See if the link works for you

ed2go.com. Search for “real estate”

[Theresa Harris]

No.  most of them will try to upsell you to another class and repeat the process.  Learn what you can for free and if there are specific questions you can't find the answer to using the search function on BP, then ask.

[Victoria Torres]

@Theresa Harris. I took a course with Coach Carson www.CoachCarson.com and it was great. The course was very well structured and not too expensive. The best part is you get automatically set up for free courses for life. I have repeated the main course 3 times as I learn something new in each session. He is the best teacher. Try one of his free classes and then decide. Best wishes.

[Dan Travieso]

It is great that you want to become an investor! That being said, remember that the primary objective of an investor is to put your cash where it will obtain the highest Return on Investment (ROI). That being said, one can gain the same amount of knowledge reading a handful of $30 books and free webinar and podcasts then they would with a $2000+ investment class. Based on those numbers, which do you believe will be the better investment of your cash?

Also, in regards to you learning by being hands on, investment classes don't provide that. You only gain that by getting out there and analyzing properties and doing deals. The lessons you learn from experience will be a hundred times more valuable than those investment classes....