If you have enough properties (or a large enough single property) to make good use of employees, I feel it is the smartest way to operate...as long as you A) LIMIT the types of work (to minimize injury risk...a worker's comp experience mod increase can put you out of business); B) pay what is necessary to attract a WELL qualified employee (NOT your typical "handyman"); C) are an efficient project manager, or are willing to delegate that task to the employee...and generally support his decisions/timelines.If you try to micromanage...you will have turnover, which will be more costly than hiring a contractor.

hello all, i must say i have to agree with the rest of the crowd here, but i also must say i agree with your concerns jeff88the lawyer i'm thinking about using charges $320 per hour, so you can just imagine how that fee can add up when drafting and reviewing contracts, especially with me because i'm focused on commercial real estate investing (were everything is in more detail and etc)so i guess you have to find a lawyer that you can trust and that will agree to do certain task like contract review and etc for a set price, so that way you'll know what your getting into (well what the final price will be). because the worst thing is get some huge bill for something that you know probably only took the lawyer an hour to do, but they jack the bill up to get paid more.

Getting the spending in control is the tougher task.

Here's an idea:Start writing down everything you do and experience in your new adventure (all the trials and tribulations and achievements and so forth), as well as how you started, including how you came up with your initial six grand.Then, after you acquire some properties and become financially independent -- WRITE A BOOK.

I'm fresh out of high school, some roadblocks are social life, (too distracting for me to stay on task), no real life experience, (getting a job, getting an apartment), not having a car(will have a cheap honda civic soon though, courtesy of my parents), all the negative feedback around you for not going to college and going for real estate, and having people not take you seriously.

I bought my first tax lien property and am chronicling the adventure with the property.

I just hope God has a big enough task list to keep up with him. :-) Tim Wieneke

(it's a tough task - so many posts to go through, ive been up reading since yesterday morning LOL!)

Internet is a great tool to use for your business because it allows you to automate many tasks.

Best of luck in your international adventures in real estate, it is sure to be educational and rewarding!