What has BiggerPockets done for you?

Question

I was wondering what BiggerPockets has done for it's new and seasoned users. What has site made possible for you?

Joe Splitrock · Answer

@Curtis Bonsignore - Educated me on new approaches and areas of real estate I was not familiar with- Opportunity for me to give back by sharing knowledge- Build friendships and professional networking- Encouraged me to do more deals- Share frustrations with fellow landlords

Alex Bekeza · Answer

-Given me insight into niche loan products which are in high demand from bigger pockets members which I can originate more or less nationwide-allowed me to connect with several dozen clients and fund over $20,000,000 in loans for fellow members since I joined the site-connected me with the seller of my first rental property-connected me to meet ups in my area which led to deep connections (clients, referral partners, and another loan officer on our team who joined last year)-has given me access to just about any question anyone has every asked around the country regarding real estate principals, laws, strategies, etc.-BP has provided an excellent forum to share laughter over the many things we run into in RE where comic relief is the only reasonable prescription

Don Spafford · Answer

BP was the motivation and education I needed to get started in REI. BP literally saved me. I went to a guru meeting where I met somebody who introduced me to BP. Had it not been for BP I was headed toward bankruptcy. I could not find a way to increase my income, my expenses were already cut as low as they could be and I was drowning. I learned creative financing techniques that got me started, built relationships, and now just recently passed the $1M net worth mark just three years after buying my first property. Still working toward building more passive income, but I now will have something of value to pass on to future generations and from all that I have learned can help others who are just getting started.

Steve Vaughan · Answer

This. Could not have expressed why BP better if I tried.

Dallon Schultz · Answer

@Curtis Bonsignore we all started with little to no experience at one point so don't let the fear of not asking the right question prevent you from networking. You will find that the majority of contributors on BP are truly here to add value. On occasion you will experience "not as valuable" comments by people that need to inflate their egos but you'll experience that anywhere and everywhere. With that being said it is important to constantly educate yourself in the space so you can have deeper and more valuable conversations with others in the space. That is how you establish credibility with potential partners and investors. To answer your question it took me a while to get involved on BP. I began the majority of my networking in person and word of mouth. I realized though that by taking that approach it was limiting me to local networks. You definitely need and want local networks but I decided that by becoming active on BP it would only expand my network even further. You'll most likely find a few different methods of networking that work and make sense to you and those are the ones you should focus on. If you focus networking on all platforms you might get overwhelmed. Start with one that brings you the most value and get comfortable with that before moving to the next. You'll realize it becomes easier and easier to network.With that being said I do host a free educational based meetup in the Phoenix area focused on multifamily investing. We keep it simple and have created a high energy environment with both new and experienced investors, so everyone can come together to network, learn, and become empowered. We do stream them over zoom as well for those unable to attend in person. This probably isn't something you're interested in but if it is let's connect further and I can provide you with more details.

Taylor L. · Answer

That's awesome Don, well done.BP gives me hope that there are still an awful lot of people out there motivated and willing to work toward their dream.It's also one of the very, very few places on the internet that is not an absolute mess of political arguing or echo chambering. Occasionally a thread will heat up, but it's fairly easy to avoid those. I very sincerely hope the BP ownership & moderation staff keep it that way!

Steve Morris · Answer

What has BiggerPockets done for you?Given me a chance to vent my bile at wholesalers!However, more importantly, I get asked similar questions by clients, so it allows me to think about stuff and how to explain it.

Curtis Bonsignore · Answer

I truly appreciate all of the comments. Its delightful to see how BiggerPockets has helped all of you. Have a wonderful weekend!

Curtis Bonsignore · Answer

@Dallon SchultzIt sounds like you are a great collaborator. Were you attending a lot meetups before you found BiggerPockets or have you grown with the site?To answer your questions: I have not yet started investing, so my struggle is more about asking the right questions (and getting started). I am not big on online collaboration; but, I hope to become better at communicating via professional social media. I am still learning what value I can provide to others.

Dallon Schultz · Answer

@Curtis Bonsignore I'd say biggest value I've found was to connect with other like minded individuals. If I have a question I can typically find others dealing with similar situations or have experience and are more than happy to share their thoughts. It's also provided an avenue for me to provide value by answering questions, motivating or inspiring others that are looking to take their real estate to the next level.It's provided me opportunities to meet locals in the Phoenix area that are also interested in real estate and opened up the potential for face to face meetings.With that being said, what would make BP valuable to you? What would you like to see come from your activity on here?