What seems to be a simple question can't really be answered anymore than someone asking what career they should pursue or what major to take in college. Fact is, there are so many aspects of real estate, including finance, marketing, management, development, that it's easy to ge overwhelmed by the choices. I would suggest finding ways to get an overview of the different ways people make their living in the industry and the related services ( escrow, title, appraisals, lender, etc.). If you like the idea of becoming a real estate entrepreneur, find real estate investment clubs in your area, leave your credit cards at home and get a glimpse of what small-time operators do. Some are landlords with perhaps a handful of rental homes. Other may engage in buy-sell speculation. Still other are hard money lenders, offering capital to rehabbers or longer-term investors. If you wanted to fly airplanes, you might decide if you like the idea of flying fighter jets or jumbo jets. You'd then have a better sense of whether your training would come from the military or if you'd need to pony up the dough for training yourself. I don't think the U.S. Military has a real estate training program ( Army Corps of Engineers?) however you might learn some aspect as a runner, gopher or assistant for a real estate investor or appraiser, for example. This might get you exposed to the all-important skillset of valuing property. After all, you don't know what to pay for something if you don't know what it's worth. I'm currently updating my licenses. This means lots of studying and practice testing for questions that really don't help the licensee do deals or make money. So, if you're thinking of getting a license to list and sell properties or to originate loans, for example, remember that getting a license won't necessarily provide you an income or prepare you to become the next Donald Trump. On the other hand, studying ought to become a big part of your preparation both before and during a career as a real estate investor.

David Pond, before you start investing you need to set down and figure out what you want to accomplish by investing. Are you looking to do this full-time? What is your priority? Are you looking for immediate cash flow or future value? How much do you have to invest? How is your credit? Could you get a bank loan? If you can answer those questions, then we can advise you where to start.

David - I would say you should start by researching wholesaling then get your feet wet a little. Wholesaling gives you a ton of experience that you wouldn't learn in 10yrs of being a real estate agent. Do this until you are able to build up a nice cushion in your back account and then start investing your earnings into rental properties or get into rehabbing. Hope this helps!

Do you have the means to invest in real estate? Ie money, credit, or a way to finance an investment. Wholesaling isn't investing, its a job, do you want a job? One that you have to outlay cash and your success depends on your determination and drive. Really, you have to research the different aspects of real estate, decide which best fits your ideal, then start reading. You're the only one that can answer your question, with the information provided.

Followed Discussions Followed Categories Followed People Followed Locations

Buying & Selling Real Estate

Market News & Data

Market Trends & Data

Buying & Selling Real Estate

Out of State Investing

Real Estate News & Current Events

Real Estate Technology

Investor Mindset

General Info

General Real Estate Investing

BiggerPockets Exclusive PRO Area

PRO

BPCON

New Member Introductions

Questions About BiggerPockets & Official Site Announcements

Off Topic

Starting Out

Real Estate Success Stories

Real Estate Horror Stories

Real Estate Strategies

House Hacking

BRRRR - Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat

Commercial Real Estate Investing

Innovative Strategies

Mobile Home Park Investing

Multi-Family and Apartment Investing

Land & New Construction

Wholesaling

Rehabbing & House Flipping

Short-Term & Vacation Rental Discussions presented by

Tax Liens & Mortgage Notes

Medium-Term Rentals

Buying & Selling Small Businesses

Outdoor Hospitality

Landlording & Rental Properties

General Landlording & Rental Properties

Managing Your Property

Marketing Your Property

Tenant Screening

First-Time Home Buyer

Real Estate Professionals

Mortgage Brokers & Lenders

Contractors

Real Estate Agent

Financial, Tax, & Legal

Creative Real Estate Financing

Personal Finance

Private Lending & Conventional Mortgage Advice

Insurance

Tax, SDIRAs & Cost Segregation presented by

Foreclosures

1031 Exchanges presented by

Goals, Business Plans & Entities

Legal & Legislation

Real Estate Classifieds

Classifieds

Real Estate Events & Meetups

Reviews & Feedback

Ask About A Real Estate Company

Real Estate Deal Analysis & Advice

Guru, Book, & Course Reviews

Syndications & Passive Real Estate Investing

Updated over 12 years ago, 10/14/2012

1
Posts: 0
Votes

David PondPoster

Broomfield, CO

Buying & Selling Real Estate

Where to start?

David PondPoster

Broomfield, CO

Posted October 09, 2012 22:51

I am living in Colorado, I am just looking for some guidance to where I should start investing i.e. Whole Sale, Foreclosure, etc. Also should I try and flip a property or just flat out buy one. Any information that could be provided would be greatly appreciated. Thank You

David Pond

0 Votes

4 Replies

Jump to Last Reply

Sort By:

Oldest

Loading replies...

Your Profile Views

Curious to see who's interested in your profile? Unlock your views with Pro

Connect with others

7 day free trial. Cancel anytime.

PRO

Upgrade to Pro

Market Finder - key investor metrics for all US markets

Deal Finder - investor-focused filters and notifications for new properties

Calculators - Unlimited access to 9+ property analysis calculators

Find an Agent

Find & Match With an Investment Friendly Real Estate Agent

Enter your market to get started

Rent Estimator

Address or ZIP

loading related articles...