All Forum Posts by: Cyle Harris

Thanks for the advice @Steve Morris the rules are the same here in Michigan. After taking the course, our instructors were really thorough in explaining that RE agents only act on behalf of brokers when working in the profession and I have no plans to do anything shady. My main goal is to gain access to the MLS as in Michigan you have to be a RE agent to have access.

I recently passed my state real estate licensing exam and am at the stage where I need to find a broker. I decided to get my license to gain access to the MLS to grow my real estate business through extensive market analysis of my pharm area and ensuring I'm buying my properties at the right prices (just to name a couple). I was debating on this decision for a while but decided to go for it as I predict the benefits will outweigh the cost for my business.

Does anyone have any recommendations of some investor friendly brokerages in the metro Detroit area? I work full time and run my real estate business in my free time so I don't really have the time to add being a full fledge real estate agent to my plate as well. Hopefully I can find a broker that understands my situation. 

My top choices at the moment are franchise brokerages as they seem to offer the corporate structure I'm use to along with lots of networking opportunities. 

@Miller McSwain Yes, I've been using Google calendar for the past 6 months and it's very useful. It allows me to stay on top of tasks throughout the day and allows you to update events from your phone and computer. Thanks for your input, I believe we're doing a lot of similar things to manage time. 

@Dustin Morris Yes, family is definitely important which is why I'm taking the time now to ensure I have time for them as I begin to scale. Thanks for you input. 

@Theresa Harris This was my strategy with my first flip and I agree, with repetition the process of outsourcing gets better. The key is to find good professionals to work with and build relationships.

@Greg Dickerson I 100% agree. Systems will allow me to leverage other professionals while focusing on key aspects of the business. How long did it take for you to automate your business (assuming you've already done this but correct me if I'm wrong) and what were some of the key processes you implemented that saved you the most time? 

Finding the right work life balance is something I strive for. I work full time and also pursue my real estate business (mainly fix and flips) after work throughout the week and on the weekends although setting time aside is difficult some days because of projects at work. My question for the bigger pockets community who also have full time jobs is how much time do you dedicate towards your real estate business and what methods did you take to ensure you're not constantly working and have time to spend with friends and family?  

Yea @Logan Harrell I would agree 100% with @Tom S. comments above. I use to market heavily on Craigslist in search for cash buyers (not exactly lenders) and 99.9% of them were tire kickers. The best private money lenders are those already in your network or close to someone you know. 

You could call them anyway as this wouldn't hurt, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. 

I'm an investor looking to get my real estate license and am wondering how difficult is it to find investor friendly brokers to work under? I have a full time job and am really looking to get my license to assist me in my RE investing (i.e. fix and flips and building my rental portfolio) so I will not have much time to actively look for clients and sell property (other than my own). 

If you're an investor who obtained their license for a similar purpose, how did you find your sponsoring broker and what recommendations would you give? 

I had a somewhat similar experience with my last investment deal. I had someone living in the investment property I bought but was not on any lease agreement nor were they the owners of the property (a "squatter" you could say, except they weren't your traditional case as they were a friend of the previous owner). Long story short, I hired a lawyer and went through the eviction process to remove them from the property. 

Looking back, I really wish I would've pursued a "cash for keys" agreement as my eviction was very costly in both time and money. In your case, I would consult a lawyer for professional advice and also strongly consider pursuing a "cash for keys" agreement (only if your lawyer doesn't present you with better options). If the latter strategy is pursued, make sure everything is in writing and money isn't exchanged until their completely moved out of the property especially since you mentioned this isn't the most honest person.