If an individual never bought a stock, yet read the Wall St. journal every day, would that make that individual a stock investor?

The Wall Street Journal: Complete Real-Estate Investing Guidebook" is a good place to start also.

However the big question I cannot seem to wrap my head around is how it looks in a journal entry? 

I'm not sure I belong on any "dream teams", but yes I do evaluate a lot of multifamily.We currently have over 500 units under contract and my partner was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal yesterday and a deal we recently purchased in Florida will apparently be featured as their "deal of the week" next Wed.  

I just ran across it in the Journal of Property Management:www.GetRealGetReady.orgThey did a little bit of overkill on the Intro, but whatever.

Sorry, not trying to be rude here but I think you have about five or six Wall Street Journal articles mixed together as your conclusion on what's going on.

I always suggest that you look at 50 properties in the area you intend to invest in; make no offers but keep a detailed journal of the price per SF, keep a copy of the MLS listing, make exacting notes of everything seller or agents make, condition of the property and the neighborhood.Subscribe to all local legal and business papers (read all the legal notices), have your agents send you listings daily, drive neighborhoods to look for FSBO's, walk and talk, ask everyone you meet if they know of anyone who wants to sell property.You will discover that you'll become the expert of values and will be able to make that quick decision when the deal is right.Good luck

Don't make an offer on any property until you look at 50 houses in any given area, keep a journal with detailed notes, with the listings, pictures write down all details, dates, comments of sellers and agents ---- and move on to continuing looking at listed - expired and FSBO's.

.” - Wall Street Journal"The City of Indianapolis has evolved into a growth dynamo, setting standards of excellence for urban renewal and economic development" - Nation's Cities Weekly "You can share the delight...in this crossroads city for the almost breathtaking, tangible success of a revitalization program the likes of which most other older cities are lucky to get to the blueprint stage." - Los Angeles Times"Construction and development downtown seemed to wake the city up, and today, a thriving cultural scene mixes with Hoosier hospitality and charm

@Tyler WolgamuthFind a few investors in your area, and reach outDo whatever you can to add value to their real estate investing goalsDon't give anyone your money, leverage a different asset (like time)Be persistentSay yes to every opportunity, and build your tool belt (acquire things that help make you more valuable, real estate license, contractor license or something like this)Treat your experiences like a school.. because it is, document what you see/ learn, take notes, journal, revisit what you document, think about the process, analyze houses.. try to organize in a g-sheet or excel the investors criteria they use, identify how they invest, what metrics they track if any, what is their average purchase price, average profit, average rehab budget, average difference between estimated rehab budget and actual rehab budget, average difference between estimated ARV and actual ARVContinue tracking this information, combining books and podcast with this.Sleep wellEat wellExercise consistently, especially exercise before or after reading or learning, and listen to a podcast while doing cardio so you retain the infoStart refining your tool belt, and sharpening only a couple tools that contribute toward your goalStart saying No to distractions or things that take away from your goalWork consistently over a long periodWork your a$$ off...Good luck, keep working hard!