All Forum Posts by: Dominick Hayes

Thank you Mr. Caldwell for the quick feedback! I actually just finished Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and I was unaware there were others in the series, I'll have to look into those. I'll follow that with the sandwich lease options from Wendy Patton. 

Thank you Mr. Gulley! I will absolutely take that advice, I think a book that focuses on the ethics and guidelines of the real estate business is a great place to start. I do ask, though, is there a better way to get started besides the traditional route? Aka: Spending money advertising, spending money marketing myself, newspaper articles, magazines, signs, pictures, etc.. It just seems a bit much. Though I am ready to pursue all of this, I want to confirm it's the best way to start a business, or is there a better way?

Hi all, I hope this forum finds everyone healthy and happy.

The last forum I posted over 2 months ago was about a young family trying to make their way in the real estate business by way of property investment. This time around, we find ourselves in a different, but perhaps, better situation. 

I have been tailing one of the top real-estate agents in the local area for several weeks now. He keeps giving me a bunch of insight on what the interior of the business looks like, how to go about daily operations, what I have to do to find success and so no. He gave me several books to read, of which I've completed one called "Actvate Your Passion" by Madison Hildebrand, and the other of which I'm half-way through called "SOLD!: A Proven Social Media Strategy For Generating Real Estate Leads". I have realized in the several months since I've taken a slight interest in real-estate, that I WANT to be a real-estate agent.

My question is this: I am still a full-time employee with my job.. and I haven't planned to put in my 2 weeks until the very last second. Though my day job requires nearly 60 hours of my time, is it feasible to take the real estate course for my state Georgia/South Carolina in the meantime? Also, are there any other books I can dive into while I start on the beginnings of my real-estate journey? 

Any and all information is a huge help! Thank you for reading, and have a blessed one.

Hey everyone, I'm hoping this forum reaches somebody who might be able to help. While taking an interest in real estate investing and understanding how to buy/rent/own/manage properties as the primary source of income, I've stumbled on the idea of becoming a real estate agent. I'm obsessed with property and finding value in an area, and I am certain that I can apply my passion in this field. I've been researching and reading a TON on what this career would look like for me and, the more time that I spend reading and looking at this stuff, the more I like it. I understand that there are classes to take and each state has different requirements. So for starters Im located in South Carolina in the Bluffton, Hilton Head area. There are multiple classes that are offered but the only type that my schedule allows at this time will be online classes. So my question would be, is there a certain website/type of class that I must take to get my license? I don't want to waste my time or money on a class I don't need and I can't tell the difference between different courses offered by different websites. I'm just looking for a starting point! If anyone has any ideas for us, that would bet early appreciated! Thank you in advance! Dominick and Dana

@Todd Heitner

Thank you for the welcome! It is truly a pleasure to be here. I am excited to learn as much as I can, and I'm just trying to catch up with you!

@Michael R.

Thank you for your response! Can't tell you how much it means, I've been taking notes and reading opinions... There's so much information out there it's like.. the more that you know, the more you realize you DON'T know. Makes me want to get more involved and figure out what I need to know. 

You have provided what we're looking for, a starting point. We truly feel that we do everything possible to set ourselves up for success, and there's nothing we won't read into for the sake of possibly needing to know it down the road. So, after doing some research we are very interested in the 2-4 unit home (duplex style). 

If we went this route, what would be your advice on where to start? Foreclosure listings? Talking to local real estate investors? Is there a 'best' way to go about acquiring a duplex in the local (Savannah, GA/ Hilton Head, SC) area?

Any and all feedback isgreatly appreciated! Thank you!

@Nnabuenyi Anigbogu

That is excellent advice, thanks so much. I've got a notebook and I've been jotting down these ideas - because we're getting married this October the most logical move for us seems like going for a duplex or 2-4 unit home, and looking into an FHA loan. I want to learn as much as I can about it before I commit of course, but that is indeed a great starting point. Thank you again for taking the time to educate us, we really will put it to work!

@Nnabuenyi Anigbogu

Thank you for your response! It's definitely a challenge to keep my emotions in check, especially after years of not knowing what I wanted to do. But it's true, while ok to keep passion there is a time and place for it. My fiance is a thinker and researcher, while I'm the doer. In that aspect it makes sense why we were meant to be for each other! Lol.

But you're right; it will benefit both of us to not jump into something without proper consideration, and while we're still new on the subject it's important to learn as much as we can about it. So what is house-hacking? I've heard it twice now in the last hour and never before I joined the website...

Thank you for taking the time!

@Brandon Turner

 It's great to be here! Thank you for creating the opportunity for each of us to link together!

@Randy E.

Thank you for your response! Awesome feedback. I've read a good bit of forums that feature people who have had success owning-and-renting duplexes/triplexes, and that sounds undoubtedly smarter than owning a home upfront and trying to make things happen outside of your home with a mortgage already in the back pocket. It's a great scenario and I think we will have the funds to excel in that kind of environment - excellent idea. Question, as Luke mentioned below, I heard that taking advantage of foreclosures are a great way to find a great value at a lesser price, then fix it up and flip for profit. Is this conceivable for duplexes/triplexes as well? Or is it less common to find duplexes/triplexes via foreclosure offices...? Again thank you for reading!

@Joshua Springer

Thank you for your response Josh! House-hacking sounds like a good place to start, is that a website? I'm ready to take a look if that's what you're recommending. 

And check out that picture! I'll be here to stay!

@Luke Stickney

Thank you for your response Luke! Totally agree with your philosophy; at no point does anyone with credibility say "do *THIS* and watch what happens next!" I would be quite foolish to try to make a quick buck and keep-it-moving in a market that is risky in it's own nature. We've been crushing a bunch of good reads, Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Slight Edge, The Intelligent Investor, Mad Money... Every author from Kiyosaki to Jim Cramer says you need to SAVE your money and TALK about the best things to invest that money in while you grow, and I've been afforded the opportunity to get the best advice from experienced hands like you! So thank you. 

BTW that plan you jotted down at the end, to find a foreclosure after equity is built up, invest in it then rent it out and start again, that's the long-term strategy we're looking for! Thank you!

I can't believe I'm here! FINALLY!!!! I found a forum where one can voice their opinions and thoughts along with thousands of others who are in the SAME BOAT as I am, and I'm finally here... And I am WAY too pumped for this opportunity and should probably think twice before I commit TOO much of my personality to the forum but.. I should be as transparent as possible to get the most honest answers to my questions! So Here goes! Being brand new is a gift and a curse. I'm 26 with a fiancé and we have been burning through books trying to figure out the best ways to not go broke... Or, more importantly, live a comfortable life that is plentiful with kids and pets and ultimately, guide us to a safe and relaxing retirement. The one common theme we keep finding is savings (of course), investing (duh.), and flipping real estate (...whaa?). Of course the least common vehicle of having your money work for you would be the one area that catches my attention.. so I started reading about real estate. Through various books and numerous articles I've expanded my knowledge base from 0% to about 0.5% (hey, any progress is progress!) but I couldn't be MORE intrigued! This is it. This is what's going to take my family to the next tier of living. And Bigger Pockets just found its way onto the front screen of my iPhone and I thought it might be the number one opportunity to learn as much as I can by reading opinions and asking questions.. I've got millions of questions. Too many that it would most likely overload the data allowed on the website and surely scare off every person who's tried to read this (if you've made it this far, thank you for your time!)... But I think most questions can be answered with this: We need a mentor. I have a bachelor's degree in liberal studies with minors in psychology and sociology, and my fiancé Dana (26) has a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in neuroscience. We are both into learning as much as we can about things that are ignored by many, but important to all. We do this because we are OBSESSED with creating the best life possible for ourselves and our future children, and most things that are important to all but ignored by many (ie: saving money, eating the right foods, spending time with each other, finding balance in everyday lives between reading/staying fit, etc..) are things that often snowball into a better long run for people. Every move we make is calculated to somehow help our chances for a better future. We are getting married this October! And we plan to use most/if not all of the gifts we receive towards our savings and ultimately, to property investments. Hopefully we bring in a number that's round-enough to make a substantial move in the market, but we need help!!! Anyone who has any ideas or thoughts for this new family would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of THIS family and I look forward to sharing thoughts and opinions with everyone! Dominick and Dana