A Beginner’s Guide to Real Estate Investing: The 3 Questions I Get Asked The Most

If you’re new to real estate investing, things could easily get daunting especially when you don’t know where to start, how to start, and what investment to start with.

Here are the top three questions when it comes to getting started with real estate investing:

1. How do I get started as a real estate investor?

Save money.

Save as much money as you can. Don't quit your job with no money. Don't try to invest with no money down. 

Build relationships.

Join masterminds and free meetups. Meet other investors and develop trusted relationships. Build relationships for the future and stop thinking short-term. Look to connect with people over the long term and add value. 

See as many homes as possible. 

Present yourself as an investor or find an investor-friendly real estate agent to help you see as many properties as possible. You have to see them to know what they look, smell, and feel like so you would understand what they’re worth outside of a spreadsheet or a calculator.

2. Where do I get started as a real estate investor? 

Podcasts

The BiggerPockets podcast is a great resource that provides opportunities for people to search and learn. Listen to Episode 584 and you'll find out just exactly how to use bigger pockets to become a better investor. 

Find one that you like, and if you've listened to one good episode, don't just listen to them all in order. Scroll through and look for people who match what you want to do. 

Books

Read books on real estate investing. Look at the framework for how everybody is setting it up and then take that and build on it yourself. Focus on the process, how people do this and how to get into it.

3. What should my first investment be? 

It depends on a lot of factors – location, capital, mortgage, goals, cash flow, appreciation, estate planning, etc. There's no smarter, first-time investment as long as you understand what you're getting into and you're not overpaying.

Hover between a condo and a house hack over short-term rental. The latter is too much for a first one since most people aren't prepared for the intake, review process, the cleaning crew, and understanding what else goes on.

If you want to learn more about getting started with real estate investing, check out https://www.trustgreene.com/podcast/zen/003