Get the Guru's Secrets for FREE

Let's re-visit the underlying reasons for this blog... FREE EDUCATION. I advocate getting as much free education as possible - and really that goes for any endeavor you choose to take on. But, of course, this blog is about delving into the world of real estate investing. So I wanted to pop up a quick blurb on one way I get "free education".

There are dozens (perhaps hundreds) of real estate investing gurus and self-proclaimed gurus out there that would love to sell you the information you need to be a "real estate millionaire". But guess what... in order to do that they "give away" a ton of information to "hook" you. There's nothing at all wrong with getting "hooked" - it's getting reeled in that I advise against. So I follow every real estate related link and email I get and sign up on EVERYONE's list to get their "junk mailings". Because it's NOT junk. They give away the foundation of the business. They get you excited, pump you up with belief in yourself, lay out the current conditions of the market, pitch the newest techniques for finding the right sellers, hint at the best ways to find buyers... basically they are your cheerleading team. They take the job of brainwashing you very seriously... and what's wrong with that? What's wrong with positive, cheerleading, information streaming in on a regular basis? It's actually the best way to get yourself out there and succeed. Constant affirmations that you can. And you get the basic building blocks all for free (while they're trying to get you to purchase the "whole" package). Now some of them will be right up your alley and inspire you and others will just rub you the wrong way. No big deal... follow them for a while and if you don't like them just click on the "remove me from your list" link. If that doesn't work (but it usually does... these guys are legit - expensive perhaps, but legit) then relegate them to your junk folder.

Now a word about the "whole" package. We've bought a few. Guess what... none of them are "the whole package". Real estate is a very complicated business with major financial and legal ramifications if you do it wrong. So get all the tips and the cheerleading from every guru you can find handing it out, and then WORK at learning the details. Yes, I used that 4 letter word... "W O R K". Real Estate agents actually have to take courses, pass tests, and apply and pay for a license to handle real estate transactions. And they rely on legally binding contracts drawn up by whom? Lawyers! Yes, there are typically generic contracts used by the each state's licensing board but someone, somewhere wrote it - and he/she was a lawyer. We won't even get into the education lawyers need. Then there are escrow agents, title companies, loan officers, etc. etc. etc. You need a TON of information to manage real estate transactions correctly and typically, if you look into any guru's background you'll find out he came from one of the afore mentioned professions before he jumped in to being a real estate tycoon. My advice on buying "the whole package" from anyone is go get an education first. Take some community college courses or, better yet, start with the library. We'll be recommending books we love on our blog here and most of them you can pick up at the library for free. Read at least a dozen FREE books before you pay money for any. Prove to yourself that you'll really read the material before you start paying for it. Consider it a savings plan... you have to pay to be allowed to BUY one book (preferably from a bookstore, not a seminar) by reading a dozen free ones. Did you know - you can even find THE "Real Estate Principles" course book used to pass the first required course for getting your real estate license from the library?

So go for it... sign up for newsletters, blogs, free introductory downloadable CDs, free downloadable ebooks, webinars, etc. and have a ball learning the basics. But make sure, before you go any deeper than that financially, you've secured as much basic and backup information as you can so that if you make a large investment in a guru's program you're actually ready to put what he teaches you into action.

Here's the lastest "free info" we got. It was awesome, inspiring, full of practical, doable plans, and listened to at a time of our choosing. (Keep in mind, most webinars are recorded and re-run whenever you like from the guru's website.) This is Terry Wygal, the "Quick House Buyer"... one of the "gurus" I happen to like. Listen when you have time but keep in mind they don't leave the replays up forever :)

http://www.fireyourbossin90daysorless.com/replay.htm