Who in real estate should we interview? Any suggestions?

I'd like to see if we could compile a wish-list of people who we feel would make for a good interview. I'm talking about the top real estate investors, sales professionals, motivators, you name it! There is no one who is out of reach (until we learn that they are and we'll be sure to let you know why they happen to be too busy for a group of 40,000+ real estate aficionados!)

Just reply with your list, including why you think we should interview them and if there is anything specifically that you'd like to know from them.

Once we begin to get responses, we'll see what we can do about getting in touch with these people for you!

So . . . . what do you say?

Who should we interview?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Joshua Dorkin, BiggerPockets, Inc.
E-Mail: webmaster@biggerpockets.com
Telephone: 877-831-4704
Website: http://www.biggerpockets.com
Be sure to check out the BiggerPockets Blog at http://www.BiggerPockets.com/renewsblog/

Nick J.

SFR Investor · Scottsdale, Arizona

2806 posts
27916 Influence
21 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 05:52 AM

That's a good question! Using the fact that you have 40k members as leverage is smart on your part!

They wouldn't be as smart as we assumed they were if they turned that down.

How about Dave Ramsey? I just finished reading one of his books and I also got some of his material for teenagers that I've already implemented for my 12 and 11yr old.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Anthony E Russell

Real Estate Investor · Los Angeles, California

141 posts
806 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 07:53 AM

Joshua,

Great idea. Here are my suggestions:

Valerie Fitzgerald, author, Beverly Hills real estate broker

Sam Zell, some real estate guy from Chicago

William J. Poorvu -- Harvard Professor of Real Estate, investor/developer

R. Donahue Peebles -- Wash, DC-based developer

Jim Randel -- author, 'Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur', real estate attorney, investor/developer

BP's own John Holdman, Mike Oh, Rich Weese, Nick Johnson, Will Barnard, Stephani and Frank Gallinelli

George H. Ross, real estate attorney, Senior Counsel, The Trump Organization

Donald Trump, some real estate guy from New York

Roger Staubach, Founder, The Staubach Company

Barbara Corcoran, Founder, The Corcoran Group

Bruce Norris, Founder, The Norris Group, investor, educator

That list should be a good start.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

James Hiddle

Real Estate Investor · Altus, Oklahoma

2515 posts
9267 Influence
7 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 10:42 AM

Vena Jones Cox
Wendy Patton
David Lindahl
Peter Conti

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Joshua Dorkin

BiggerPockets Founder · Denver, Colorado

10630 posts
46531 Influence
24 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 10:49 AM

Great suggestions so far . . . keep them coming!

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Robert Mack

Real Estate Investor · Bergen County, New Jersey

390 posts
2502 Influence
7 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 11:57 AM

Along with the top investors from BP,

Stephen Ross - Developer, CEO of The Related Companies
60 Columbus Circle 19th Floor
New York, NY 10023

Larry Silverstein - Silvesrtein Properties - Owner of the WTC Towers

Bob Knakal of Massey Knakal - started building sales firm with partner - grew into top sales firm in nyc
rknakal@masseyknakal.com
(212) 696-2500 x 7777

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Jake Duvall

Real Estate Consultant · Fresno, California

7 posts
68 Influence
2 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 12:27 PM

Great Topic!!!

Todd Toback
(He is my mentor please tell him Jake Duvall sent you!!)

or Wendy Patton

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Curt Davis

Wholesaler · Memphis, Tennessee

1108 posts
6055 Influence
7 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 12:57 PM

No one wants to listen or read an interview about some Guru who only makes money from power courses!!!

There are so many other people who would be worth of an interview but they are not nationally known.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Curt Davis, buyMemphisnow.com
E-Mail: crtdavis@gmail.com
Telephone: 901-881-0552
Website: http://www.buymemphisnow.com
Full Service Real Estate Investing in Memphis TN

Joshua Dorkin

BiggerPockets Founder · Denver, Colorado

10630 posts
46531 Influence
24 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 01:49 PM

Don't worry, Curt. I have no intentions of interviewing those guys. I'm interested in the real estate businessmen.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Michael Gier

Real Estate Investor · Los Angeles, California

23 posts
602 Influence
2 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 02:15 PM

Originally posted by Joshua Dorkin

Don't worry, Curt. I have no intentions of interviewing those guys. I'm interested in the real estate businessmen.

No doubt! We can always count on Josh to bring us the great content, avoid the BS artists.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Tim W.

Real Estate Investor · Indiana, Indiana

4333 posts
23859 Influence
13 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 05:44 PM

Would like to know what Bill Rancic is up to these days aside from his smoking hot new wife.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

NC Mark

Real Estate Investor · North Carolina

1086 posts
7096 Influence
8 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 11:13 PM

Here's my two cents, Josh:

Instead of interviewing the 'stars', how about interviewing Joe and Jane Average who made it big locally?

You could find them by going to any REI Club meeting and asking around. Weed out the 'inheritors' and 'Daddy's kids taking over the business' and find the people like you and me and most of the rest of the average BP population who are building their business brick by brick, so to speak.

These are the people I can relate to and actually learn from. Kind of like the average folks in "The Millionaire Next Door".

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Joshua Dorkin

BiggerPockets Founder · Denver, Colorado

10630 posts
46531 Influence
24 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 25 '09, 11:52 PM

Hey Mark -
We already do that on Meet the Investor, and have been doing so for years. While we're always looking for other "mom and pop" investors to interview for that series (PM me if you're interested), we're also looking for folks who are the "stars" as you put it, to expand our horizons.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Owen D.

Real Estate Investor · Carter Lake, Iowa

94 posts
454 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Oct 26 '09, 01:01 AM

Lonnie Scruggs might be another one to consider. Everybody seems to like hearing more about "Lonnie Deals"...

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Owen D.

Real Estate Investor · Carter Lake, Iowa

94 posts
454 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Oct 26 '09, 02:55 AM

I also wouldn't mind seeing a Gary Keller interview. He wrote "The Millionaire Real Estate Investor" and "Flip". Good info in his books and he has personally interviewed a bunch of millionaire real estate investors himself...

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:14AM

Brian Levredge

SFR Investor · Long Beach, California

672 posts
7737 Influence
11 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 26 '09, 03:58 AM

Eli Broad - founder of Kaufman and Broad (now KB Home) Homes.

Ed Roski - CEO/Owner of Majestic Realty. another big developer.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:15AM

Anthony E Russell

Real Estate Investor · Los Angeles, California

141 posts
806 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Oct 26 '09, 04:55 AM

Donald Bren, owner of the Irvine Company, Orange County, CA

George Marcus, Bill Milichap, Harvey Green, Principals, Marcus, Milichap and Green

Rick Caruso, Caruso Affiliated Holdings, LLC, owner/developer, The Grove shopping center, Los Angeles

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:15AM

Chris Guthrie

Real Estate Investor · Oxnard, California

134 posts
796 Influence
3 Awards

Icon_minipost Oct 26 '09, 06:16 AM

Mike Cantu.

I saw him speak at a REIA once. He was amazing. He is so down to earth. If you are interested in buy and holds to rent, he is the person to listen to (especially in California). He wholesales any deal that doesn't meet his personal hold criteria or isn't in his target neighborhoods.

He also has so many creative financing techniques, it made my head spin.

He was also very willing to answer beginner's questions with a step by step approach. He doesn't take your experience level for granted when he explains a concept.

I hope one day I can hear him speak again.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:15AM by Chris Guthrie