How can I provide value to a mentor?

[Devan M.]

I, like so many of us here, am a newbie when it comes to real estate investing and would love to have a mentor. The thing I am trying to wrap my head around is how can I make sure to provide value to a mentor since I am so green and have yet to do a deal? I would never expect someone to give me anything for free, especially time out of their day to advise me on REI aspects that may be elementary to them. Of course, if a potential mentor took me up on an offer for lunch I wouldn't hesitate to pick up the bill, but I would think that is only a start to the value I should be providing someone who is willing to mentor me. I know some of you might say I could pay them, but at the moment cash is not something I have in great supply. I work 40 hours per week at my job, but I was thinking I could do something with my time outside of that to provide value to them. The question is what. Should I just be straightforward and ask any potential mentor what value I could provide to them in my current situation? How have any of you found a mentor and what value did you bring to them?

[Michael Quarles]

@Rick H. 

Of the people I have helped the common denominator between those who are successful and are still in the business buying homes and those who are not is, besides drive, the ability to perform.

Although one can buy a house without money this is not a no money business and the investors who are successful have waited to jump in until they were financially capable.