All Forum Posts by: Lisa Borowy

Hi @Lisa Borowy, Welcome to BiggerPockets! BP is a great place to find people, both virtually and in real life, who are doing the type of investing you are looking to do. You can find local meetups in your area by going to Network>Events up in the menu bar. I’ve found that people in the BP community are incredibly friendly and willing to help.

The answer to whether or not you should get your real estate license is “it depends”. It depends on how many transactions you will do per year. You’ll likely need to do at least 3 per year to make it worth it. Also, did you know that 85 percent of people who get their license are no longer in the business the following year?

Also, another question you need to ask yourself is do you have the time to get your license? It could take up to 100-150 HOURS of study before you’re allowed to take the test! And if you’re only going to have it so you can save a couple bucks here and there it’s probably not worth it.

Pros to having your license. MLS access and being able to roll your commissions into purchases. Experience in transactional real estate.

Cons to having your license. Fees, fees, fees and more fees! Realtor Association fees, MLS dues, brokerage fees. The learning curve is pretty steep and can be stressful. Continuing education requirements, etc.

Best of luck!

Hello! I highly recommend your local REIA https://www.greaterclevelandre...  I have been to a couple meetings there and they are great.  I would hold off on getting your license for now-honestly it's expensive and it is easier in the long run to network with local REALTORs and have them send you good deals-several eyes are better than one after all :)

Hi Lisa! I'm kind of a newbie myself, we have dabbled in real estate for the last decade but want to get serious. I would say joining your local Real Estate Investors Association is a good first step, the more people you talk to the more you will get a feel for how things are in your area and what the best ways to get connected are.

As for your real estate license, there are pros and cons but unless it is something you find yourself drawn to, I would just find a good realtor!

1. Bigger Pockets is a good place to start. Other than that, look for facebook groups and google your areas

2. As someone who holds a real estate license, I would just find a realtor. Leverage their time and experience rather than doing it all yourself.