New member from Tacoma, WA.

[Travis Barnett]

I have just started my Real Estate career, and when I say just started, I mean literally this month. I have decided to become a real estate investor. I would like to flip homes, and eventually have a handful of free and clear, buy and holds that generate $1000-1500/mo each.

In 2001 I ordered a Real Estate Agent course online that was going to prepare me for the state test but at that time in my life I wasn't as dedicated as I should have been, so I never finished the course work. I think I just liked the idea of becoming an agent, the freedom, unlimited income, the luxury. So fast forward 15 years and now is the time I need to make it happen. My idea is to finish what I started in 2001, but in a classroom because I feel like I learn better when I can ask questions immediately, and get my Real Estate License. I think it would help me understand "The Real Estate Deal" better and I could start networking. 

My brother-in-law is going to start investing in real estate this year and I figured i could help him buy homes and sell them, with my license.

My end goal is to NOT be under another company like ReMax, John L. Scott, Windemere etc. and to have my own brokerage geared more toward my own/family portfolio investing. I am also open to wholesaling when I get a network established, but i realize it can be very tough to make that work, being so new to real estate.

I am reading as much as i can right now about real estate, here on BP and books. I am also listening to podcasts to learn as much as I can. I plan on taking an Agent class very soon, in the next 3 months. Finding a classroom course is harder than I thought it would be. I SCUBA dive part time, but my wife is the bread winner for the moment, so i have all the time in the world to look for deals, study, and take a class.

Any advice or constructive criticism would be helpful. Should I stick with finding a classroom course or is there an online course that is better than what was available 15 years ago? Is there a brokerage that I should avoid, being a new agent? Is there something that I have to do first or be sure to not do something first? i.e.: should I start looking for properties now, either flips, holds, or wholesale or wait until I have more experience?

Thanks in advance for all the input.

[Ryland Taniguchi]

Originally posted by @Travis Barnett:

I have just started my Real Estate career, and when I say just started, I mean literally this month. I have decided to become a real estate investor. I would like to flip homes, and eventually have a handful of free and clear, buy and holds that generate $1000-1500/mo each.

In 2001 I ordered a Real Estate Agent course online that was going to prepare me for the state test but at that time in my life I wasn't as dedicated as I should have been, so I never finished the course work. I think I just liked the idea of becoming an agent, the freedom, unlimited income, the luxury. So fast forward 15 years and now is the time I need to make it happen. My idea is to finish what I started in 2001, but in a classroom because I feel like I learn better when I can ask questions immediately, and get my Real Estate License. I think it would help me understand "The Real Estate Deal" better and I could start networking. 

My brother-in-law is going to start investing in real estate this year and I figured i could help him buy homes and sell them, with my license.

My end goal is to NOT be under another company like ReMax, John L. Scott, Windemere etc. and to have my own brokerage geared more toward my own/family portfolio investing. I am also open to wholesaling when I get a network established, but i realize it can be very tough to make that work, being so new to real estate.

I am reading as much as i can right now about real estate, here on BP and books. I am also listening to podcasts to learn as much as I can. I plan on taking an Agent class very soon, in the next 3 months. Finding a classroom course is harder than I thought it would be. I SCUBA dive part time, but my wife is the bread winner for the moment, so i have all the time in the world to look for deals, study, and take a class.

Any advice or constructive criticism would be helpful. Should I stick with finding a classroom course or is there an online course that is better than what was available 15 years ago? Is there a brokerage that I should avoid, being a new agent? Is there something that I have to do first or be sure to not do something first? i.e.: should I start looking for properties now, either flips, holds, or wholesale or wait until I have more experience?

Thanks in advance for all the input.

 I have coached realtors at Keller Williams and from experience I can tell you that many of the things you learn as a realtor do not help you as an investor. The most valuable thing you learn as a realtor is how to pull comps and the market. But being a realtor does not help (at least in Seattle) does not help you to find great deals. The wholesaler route is much more educational in that regard.

I see many investors who go the realtor route and get sucked up in the retail sales and "full price" side of things. 

Join a team or company that only does investments.

I left Keller Williams (which is a great company) because it just was not investor-friendly and I felt got in the way of my flipping, development and rental business.