Real estate investing is not a “get rich quick” scheme. Just as any solid home needs a strong foundation, the same is true when it comes to your real estate education -- a solid foundation is key to a long-lasting business.
There are many different ways to get educated in real estate investing and
you don't need to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to learn the
business. Below you'll find a list of a few sources of real estate investing
education; be sure to consider each before making a final decision on how
you're going to move forward -- what works for one person may not work for
another.
Sources of Real Estate Investing Education
Books - As the old saying goes, “Those who lead, read.” Books are
fundamental in gaining an education in real estate and perhaps the most
widespread learning method for investors. Real estate books are produced
each year by the thousands and every major bookstore in the world contains
a whole section on real estate investing. Chances are – if there is a way to
make money from real estate – there has been a book written about it. If
reading books, however, is not within your arsenal of skills, you are in luck.
Today we live in a world where nearly every new book is also made into an
audiobook. (Try Audible.com for the web's largest selection.)
Blogs - Blogs, short for an older term called a “Web log” is a collection of
short essays written about a topic. Blogs can be an amazing source of
information, and there are fantastic ones for every topic you can imagine.
There are many great ones written by people living in the trenches of real
estate worth checking out and learning from. Be sure to check out the
BiggerPockets Blog, which features dozens of expert contributors sharing
their best tips and advice, as well as the BiggerPockets member blogs.
Mentors - Perhaps the most powerful way to gain a good education in any
field of study is through a mentor -- the same holds true in real estate.
While there are dozens of professional real estate mentors who charge for
their service – there are also millions of mentors all over the world that will
cost you as little as a cup of coffee - they are your local investors. People
enjoy sharing what they know and seasoned real estate investors are no
different. By introducing yourself to a successful local real estate investor
that you would like to become more like, you'll have the opportunity to learn
from someone in the field, who knows your market, and who can ultimately
become a partner as you come to become successful yourself.
Podcasts - One of the newest innovations in the world of real estate
investor education is the Podcast. A podcast is simply a recorded audio
program, similar to a radio show, that can be produced by anyone with a
computer and a microphone. There have been a number of great podcasts
that have emerged in the last few years. If you have a smart phone or MP3
player - you can listen to hundreds of hour long shows covering a wide
variety of real estate topics whenever you want – whether in the car,
jogging, or lying in bed - for free.