If I can only afford 1, which 1?

Question

Like I'm sure many of you have, over the years, I have bought my share of "Guru" books and home study courses.  I read every one, got motivated, tried to work their "Step by Step" systems, then got discouraged and quit.  Maybe I'm a little slow but there always seemed to be a vital step missing.  I came to believe that the only way to be successful in REI was to have plenty of money to buy at retail prices & great credit to finance your ventures with banks & brokers.  I have spent hours on the net reading free e-books, reviewing countless real estate sites, only to realize that the info was there to hook me for a sale, not educate.  I became convinced that anyone claiming to make money in RE was a fraud & scam artist.
Then I found this site and slowly my faith was restored.  I have lurked around here for months reading and really "Learning".  I am interested in wholesaling and I have read everything I can find here.  Late last night it finally clicked and I saw how all of the pieces fit.  Thank you all!

Now, WHEW!  I need the arsenal of tools it takes to make it happen. 
I need forms, letters, scripts, websites, business cards, software and anything else I can use to attract buyer & sellers, analyze my deals & manage my business. 
 
Here is the question. 
Yes! finally!  Is there a one stop shop where I can get the things I need instead of attempting to reinvent the wheel?  I know you folks won't steer me wrong so please let me know what you think works best. Thanks in advance

Sorry this post is so long, just hope you never get me on the phone.  LOL                      :type:

Marcus LaGrone · Answer

Donna,
Get involved with your local R.E. Investment Association. I believe your post stated that you were in North Carolina....If so, this is probably the best association in the area. http://www.creianc.org/

Associations are the best places to network with other like minded investors locally. You can bounce ideas off them, learn different techniques in a Focus Group setting, and find out which forms you need at what times.

On another note:
Just about everyone that can get publishing (or decides to self publish) claims to be an expert in investing.  What most of these so called gurus don't tell you is that in order to be successful in investing, the number 1 rule is you have to know your sub market. 
 
Each small area is different and different techniques work in different areas.  Please do not get caught up with the technique before you get caught up with the area (sub market).  
1)	Study your market 1st, when you are done studying your marketâ€¦..study it even more.   
2)	Narrow your investment footprint to a very small area (according to what you have researched)
3)	Determine which techniques work in this area.  Contrary to what people teach, you will only have a couple of techniques that work in a given area.

Example:
A local investor that I have worked with for quite some time, started his business with wholesaling property in the Atlanta area.  Until the market crashed he was moving 20-30 houses per month (wholesale).  When the market changed, he had to change also.  There is no longer a market for wholesale properties in the Atlanta area, so he moved to the suburbs and began buying, renovating, and renting or selling at retail(depending on the situation).

The above example is a real investor.  He has continued to be successful because he knows his market and what will work in each sub market.

You spoke about a step missing in all the â€œGuruâ€ booksâ€¦.this is the step.  Master your market and network locally.

The technique doesnâ€™t sell many books, but it sure does work!

Jim Wineinger · Answer

Donna, the only one stop shop that will give you everything you need is YOU.

Everything that you do will depend upon you and the way that you attempt to do things.

Each situation that you encounter will require a different form depending upon the local laws in the area that you are doing (or finding the) business (deal) and the type of deal that you want to do.

Therefore your business plan utilizing your own strengths is the place to start.

You can not get from point A to point B without knowing which road to travel and where point B is. 
After finding out where point B is and that it will take 3 left turns you need to apply your strengths which are right turns so it may take you 5 turns and a couple of different roads to get to point B.

But you can find most of those GENERIC forms have been posted at one time or another by several posters right here. So search for them and change them to fit your strengths (and local laws).

But before anyone can even give you generic advise we must know which road you want to attempt to drive.