All Forum Posts by: Alexander Friedman

@Adolfo Cuellar Thank you so much for your thoughts! It's very heartening to hear that kind of optimism from someone who's both in the Portland market (which kind of intimidates me to be honest) and only a few years in to their career. Would you be willing to meet for coffee Adolfo? I'd really like to pick someones brain in person, who was where I'm currently at not so long ago, if you have some time.

@Austin Youmans Thank you for replying Austin. My two other jobs currently are as a door to door salesman for a renewable energy project and as an event organizer for a community of young adults. The income is not great but the event organizing job has the added perk of bringing in tones of connections and it's a residential job so my rent is negligible. I don't have a partner and getting loans is going to be tough at first. I thought I might be able to offset that with partnerships and other creative finance strategies OR by working as an agent for a few years and building a business that provides a track record of income. As for my strategy: I want to BRRRR it up! I'd like lots of rental income in my life :) You know it's funny but writing these responses, here on BP, has something of the clarifying effect of journaling. I think that I ought to start working as a retail agent. I mean if I hustle and make a good income for my self I can still use creative financing options, but I'll also have bank loans as a useful tool in my financing toolkit later down the line. what do you think?

@Jay Hinrichs Jay thank you for responding on this thread and the other one. That clears a lot up for me. Another question that I'd really appreciate your thoughts on: I've been living here in Portland, Oregon for a little over a year and recently got my license to be a real estate agent (though I haven't yet hung my shield with an agency). I'm having a bit of a debate with my self that's holding me back from getting started. What I really want is to be a real estate investor but my education and experience are lacking. Some people close to me recommended that I become a retail agent as a way to build some experience and confidence, learn the industry, and bring in some income for later investment. What I'm wondering is: Is this a good path to a thorough and effective education in real estate or a distraction that will take away time, energy, and $ from what I'm really trying to do? Would I be better served just hanging my shield with the type of brokerage that you're at, going to the local real estate investors club, learning here on BP, and hustling on my own? A note about my current position and whats driving this question: I have some savings that would allow me to be an agent full time for a good long while (about 18 months) but I'm wondering if that money is better spent starting a business as a retail agent (in a very risky, tight, and competitive market) or if its better saved as something to bring to the table with possible creative low money down financing options (I don't have the income history to get a bank loan yet)... 

@Michael Lee Thank you for your perspective Michael. I appreciate the help.

@RJ: Thank's for that perspective RJ. There's something about this thats confusing to me. maybe you could help me with your thoughts: Is there any reason why a broker wouldn't want an agent who's main focus is to be an investor? I mean if you're at a brokerage and you're focusing on finding deals for yourself and just using your license and MLS access to your own advantage as an investor (as opposed to representing other buyers and sellers for the brokerage) would that be some kind of "no, no". Would they care that your not producing in your capacity as an agent so long as you're bringing them commission splits from your own deals? How does one "be an agent" without getting distracted from investing and not get let go from the brokerage?

Is there any reason why a broker wouldn't want an agent who's main focus is to be an investor? I mean if you're at a brokerage and you're focusing on finding deals for yourself and just using your license and MLS access to your own advantage as an investor (as opposed to representing other buyers and sellers for the brokerage) would that be some kind of "no, no". Would they care that your not producing in your capacity as an agent so long as you're bringing them commission splits from your own deals?

@Jay Hinrichs You owned your own brokerage. I have a question for you: Is there any reason why a broker wouldn't want an agent who's main focus is to be an investor? I mean if you're at a brokerage and you're focusing on finding deals for yourself and just using your license and MLS access to your own advantage as an investor (as opposed to representing other buyers and sellers for the brokerage) would that be some kind of "no, no". Would they care that your not producing in your capacity as an agent so long as you're bringing them commission from your own deals?

Hi BP Community! My Name is Alexander Friedman. Please feel free to call me Alex. I've been living here in Portland, Oregon for a little over a year and recently got my license to be a real estate agent (though I haven't yet hung my shield with an agency). I'm having a bit of a debate with my self and I'd very much appreciate the communities thoughts on this: What I really want is to be a real estate investor but my education and experience are lacking. Some people close to me recommended that I become an agent as a way to build some experience and confidence, and learn the industry. What I'm wondering is: Is this a good path to a thorough and effective education in real estate or a distraction that will take away time, energy, and $ from what I'm really trying to do? Would I be better served going to the local real estate investors club, learning here on BP, and hustling on my own? A note about my current position: I have some savings that would allow me to be an agent full time for a good long while but I'm wondering if that money is better spent starting a business as an agent (in a very risky, tight, and competitive market) or if its better saved as something to bring to the table with possible creative financing options like a partner, hard money lender, seller financing, etc... I'd really appreciate your perspectives on this folks.

Hi BP Community! My Name is Alexander Friedman. Please feel free to call me Alex. I've been living here in Portland, Oregon for a little over a year and recently got my license to be a real estate agent (though I haven't yet hung my shield with an agency). I'm having a bit of a debate with my self and I'd very much appreciate the communities thoughts on this: What I really want is to be a real estate investor but my education and experience are lacking. Some people close to me recommended that I become an agent as a way to build some experience and confidence, and learn the industry. What I'm wondering is: Is this a good path to a thorough and effective education in real estate or a distraction that will take away time, energy, and $ from what I'm really trying to do? Would I be better served going to the local real estate investors club, learning here on BP, and hustling on my own? A note about my current position: I have some savings that would allow me to be an agent full time for a good long while but I'm wondering if that money is better spent starting a business as an agent (in a very risky, tight, and competitive market) or if its better saved as something to bring to the table with possible creative financing options like a partner, hard money lender, seller financing, etc... I'd really appreciate your perspectives on this folks.