Why I will no longer answer questions from the unknowledgeable

[Don Konipol]

For the last 15 years I have been answering questions from unknowledgeable wanna be investors who watched a guru on YouTube and now wants to know where to get the earnest money to tie up multi million dollar properties before he can flip them for $200,000 profits.  After I provide a true, unbiased reasonable response more likely than not I’m “attacked” for (1) being a “hater”. (2) having “it in” for wholesalers or subject to buyers or lease option advocates or land flippers, or….. (3) not “understanding” the strategy or tactic in question (4) being out of touch with the way real estate works today.  So, to separate the rare newbie who is willing to do the real work at educating himself on what really is necessary for success from the people who want to take what they perceive is the guru/mentor shortcut (or the “cheap” version in which instead of buying the program you hang around the edges seeking “free” information from those who have paid for those program) I will not answer specifically as to why the program they’re suggesting won’t work or is too risky or borders on illegal.  Instead I will offer a simple suggestion.  Read and study 

Principles of Real Estate Practice: 6th Edition

by Stephen Mettling (Author), David Cusic (Author

Or a similar text.  IF you do I will be happy to answer any or all questions you may have.  But if the newbie won’t put the effort in to learn (1) the principles of real estate (2) real estate law and basic real estate finance I won’t make the effort to share the benefit of my knowledge and experience. 

[Joe Villeneuve]

The problem as I see it, is we live in an age of information, and instant gratification,...with a lot of impatience added leading to the use of shortcuts.

All of this leads to a complete lack of understanding what the difference is between information and actual knowledge.  The internet is full of information, and knowledge.  Both are valuable, but they are not the same.  Knowledge will give you complete pictures, systems, creativity, etc... and is contiguous. Information fills in where there might be gaps in the knowledge, or connects one set of knowledge to others.

Too often, due to my first paragraph, we find too many thinking that if they collect enough "quick" info, by shear volume, they have gained knowledge.  They haven't.  All they've done is create more gaps.