Anyone with experience with Innovative Investors?

Question

Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with a real estate mentoring program from 'innovative investors' ? The owners(Darius Askaripour and Hugo Ramirez) claim to fame is 'direct accessibility' and small group etc. But the price tag, as always, is quite high.

Anyone with any feedback ?
thanks.

Jerry Puckett · Answer

My experience with them went like this: I went to a "free" informational seminar because it was literally 2 blocks from my house. I watched a pretty good presentation by Darius, who is a very good speaker. I observed and could just about tick off the 7 laws and 21 principles of Sales Mastery technique being put into action. Including the closer, which was a high pressured "sign up for our class now because there are only 23 seats left" which involved an "investment" of $400. The whole point of the presentation was that they were not "gurus" making their money through teaching. But rather had figured out all the pieces of the RE puzzle, and were looking to move into different markets where they would need "partners" to implement their systems and split profits. Sounds good. They claim to have a lead origination technique that would let you cherry pick from hundreds of deals per month, and a list of cash buyers a mile long. Uh huh. I declined and left. The next day (as I suspected and even told my wife would happen), I got an email offering me lots of free stuff. Yeah, they gave me for free this $750 dollar course that would put me on a fast track with short sales. Garbage. If there is anyone who paid money for that trash, I feel sorry for them. You could get more out of 2 hours on Biggerpockets than I got out of watching those seven, hour long videos. And even at that, in the second video which was supposed to be about origination, they only pointed to another $950 course to sum it up and fill in the holes. But wait! These guys want to partner with you, not sell you Guru education! My bohiney. Just go look at their website. You want someone to partner with, find someone on BiggerPockets, or go to a local REI club. Don't waste your time with folks who offer teasers to suck you in. That screams GURU.

Jerry Puckett · Answer

Hi Jessie, Let's see.... You just joined the site today, and before you even complete your profile, you write your very first (and lengthy) post which isn't an introduction, or questions about the site. No, you dive right into a thread you would have had to search for to find, and immediately begin to defend someone you are affiliated with.hmmmmm..... Thanks Jessie, but I think I'll just sit back and watch the topics you post about...and if you are going to even fill out your profile. That's another thing that usually precedes entering into discussion. Without these things you are not particularly credible, and it actually falls back on Darius and Hugo (the Innovative Investors" for putting you up to this. Meanwhile, my inbox continues to be blown up by these guys trying to sell me courses. There was absolutely nothing in their $750 "Renegade" series that would actually help anyone. :shake: I don't doubt that they do some deals, and yes Darius is a wicked good speaker.But I believe the majority of folks who will make an "investment" there are going to be disappointed. Just curious...how about some details on that deal of yours? The one where your cut was $6700?

Curt Davis · Answer

Jack, Also do not be fooled by scams that seem legit like the Robery Kiyosaki programs. They will suck you dry with expensive courses and the only thing you will learn from them is how to increase your credit card limit to purchase more garbage. And yes, I meant to say Robery as that is what they are doing to you and you wont even know it!!!!!

Jerry Puckett · Answer

I came to BiggerPockets and answered a forum question. We all warn each other about stuff like that here. I'm not taking the bait Jessie. It would appear as though you've inherited some traits from your father.... Fire and Brimstone indeed. I apologize for aggravating you enough to engage in personal attack.

Jessie Henson · Answer

Jerry, No one put me up to anything. I was reading an article on their site and clicked around and stumbled across this thread. I didn't even know about Bigger Pockets until today. You seem to be very upset and negative...two traits which result in nothing happening. I see people like you all the time that blame others for you not having what you want. My dad was the same way and unfortunately he died cursing everyone in the world. Fire brimstone to the very end and it got him no where. So what, you got a FREE course and FREE videos and attended a FREE training. What are you complaining about? What did you do with the info? As for my deal it was a 3/2 colonial in Nassau county. The homeowner lost his job and had some equity in the property and wanted to sell fast and move to his vacation home in Virginia because it was cheaper to live there. I had contacted this person from a lead GIVEN to me...not that I bought, from the group and called and left numerous messages for the homeowner. he called me back and had some questions (which i could not answer) so we did a conference call and Darius and Hugo were on the line with me...(I don't know many gurus that do that) and afterwards he was ready to at least see an offer. We placed a bid for 265,000 as the properties in the area sell for 400,000. he denied it then we came up to 290,000 and he accepted. he only had 210 left on the mortgage and just wanted to leave NY. We wholesaled it at 313,000 to a buyer which the guys provided...not me and I walked away with 6700. So how many deals have you closed? Maybe you should go watch those videos.

Jerry Puckett · Answer

Really Claire? You were just Googling them? Now what are the odds of that? Another first timer, just signed up today, no profile, no other posts. And you chime in minutes after Jessie in a post that's been dormant for awhile. Who do you guys think you're kidding? It's getting deep in here....smells pretty fishy!

Claire Pettigrew · Answer

Real estate investing is such a funny thing. So many people want to gte into it and of course there's money to be made but it's definitely not easy. I was just googling this company as I'm a realtor and went to contract with them for a property in Jersey and wanted more info. They've done business with our office before so i do know that they really are investing but I didn't know they had trainings. On the real estate end they're good and pretty well known in Northern jersey. I see one person's opinion but anyone else have experience with them as far as training goes?

Jessie Henson · Answer

I have had an experience with Innovative Investors that I would like to share but first off I want to tell you that I have tried many programs and most of them take your money and run for the hills. I've done a few deals myself and know what it takes to make the profits one desires from real estate but I also knew I was lacking in a few areas and in no way an expert investor. I heard about this group from a friend and went in there very skeptical and not ready to part with a penny. As I heard the gentlemen speak, I realized that they were saying the things that no one else was. I didn't feel sold, in fact I felt enlightened and relived that I actually met real investors. I made an investment not because I was "sold" or "pushed", quite the opposite. They're not salesmen. I made the investment because they were genuine, truly passionate about real estate, and more importantly really took the time to answer ALL my questions, and trust me I had a ton of them. That was a few months ago. So let me give you my report of what happened later on. They were accessible...surprise surprise. They actually got back to me and gave me a list to call from to locate motivated sellers (I never go this from anyone before). I started my first deal in 9 days and was taught how to make the offer the right way. The deal went dead BUT I got another one 3 days after, was led through the process in DETAIL and literally 27 days later the property sold via wholesale and I personally made $6700. No one ever helped me close a deal in any other program. Are they real YES! Do they actually care YES! Can I speak for anyone else...of course not but I do know their group is big and gaining speed and I know of numerous other people that are part of the organization that are not only happy but also CLOSING DEALS. I's recommend them to anyone and if anyone thinks that investing in training is "crazy" then don't even do real estate...you do know that you'll have to invest in something at some point right? The Innovative Investors are proven, and call them gurus or investors... [b]The question you need to ask yourself...is who have you REALLY made money with?

James Hiddle · Answer

Those who can-do Those who can't-guru

Joel Owens · Answer

The reality is almost all of these programs know the vast audience has a few k sitting around but MOST of them do not have enough cash to get started with their first deal. This is where all this "no money down" trash and the like comes from. They are simply selling a pipe dream to extract the little money they have."Wake up people!". All these groups do is take the cash and do investments themselves with the capital.Running other businesses before I have seen time and time again where other companies will sell their soul for a nickel. I have to go to sleep at night with a clear mind.I don't know how these people live with themselves.I don't have experience with this particular company but almost all of them seem to operate the same way with a slight twist. Do free work and learn from someone local and forget this stuff.