If not, then you traded stocks like 99% of retail traders and that is quite another thing, and hardly worth mentioning.

My interest in Real Estate came to be last February when my father in law (a successful Wall Street Broker/Trader and Hard Money Lender himself) invited me to a real estate investors club meeting in Boca Raton that he's been a long time member of. 

If you're a flipper/trader then all that matters in a rising market is can you sell for more than you buy for.If you're an INVESTOR then buying equity is more important but it's largely irrelevant to a trader.....

However in between of my friends busting my b$$$s about the big bad "day trader" with negative assets, a few spoke about the successes they have been having with real estate.Two of my friends then gave me the starter guide for real estate which included, "Rich Dad Poor Dad", "The Ultimate Guide

Don't day trade real estate. 

I was just wondering if people are willing to share their level or education or what kind of full time job (if not real estate) that they have and their level of success with real estate. of course if you make a lot more money, its easily to play with properties, but I want to hear about the 30 year old plumbers who own and manage 30 properties on the side, etc.Personally I just graduated Washington University in St.Louis with a dual major in finance and accounting and now I'm working at wells fargo as a trader.

I am an active trader and I know what fees and transaction costs do to your profits.

I am an investor, not a trader.

I used to be a stock options trader and a semi-professional Blackjack gambler, so I know the importance of money management and determining your exit points before you even enter the investment.Build a system, back test it, use it and refine it. 

It is almost like day traders vs swing traders vs value investors.