BiggerPockets

Though I'm a newbie, my mother got me interested in real estate. My father does some buying and holding in Florida, but my mom taught me about wholesaling and that is what I am currently doing. It is great because we are doing it together.

With that being said, I will also mention that reading Larry Goins book got some fire under me and got me excited and motivated to actually start making deals.

My father inspired me. I worked with him as a young teen building a small barn and a chicken coop. Later, I learned accounting and met other in construction and real estate that further sparked my interest.

I can't really say that what Donald Trump, Bill Gates or others like them ever did made any meaningful impact in my life.

So far, of the 1st 4 replies in, the consensus is that family has been the main inspiration/motivation for getting involved in real estate. Who else wants to join in? Was nobody out there brought into the field by aspirations of bein the next Donald or desires to live the Sheets lifestyle? ;)

When I was growing up I didnt know what I wanted to be. My parents are professionals and make a good living, but I wanted to be rich. I looked at my parent's friends and the riches friends either were big dogs at a public company or were in real estate. I picked real estate because I always saw those guys taking two hour lunches or playing golf in the middle of the day on a Tuesday.

Little did I know, these real estate investors were mostly second generation and that this business is a ton of hard work. I am about four years into my career now and I am still working 7 days a week and often 10 or more hours a day. This is a business, and like any other start-up it is a ton of work. If this business does not kill me, It will make me rich. I look forward to sitting on my dock at my future Florida retirement house fishing for Snook and Tarpon. Until then its back to work.

Charles-- Yes, that is what I was thinking, as well.

I had a freind (deceased now) that was a self made millionaire in realestate. I wished I knew then what I do now. He would have loved JVing with me. I guess my most recent inspiration has come from approaching retirement age. I don't want to be doing what I am doing now in 10 years. I am going to make REI replace my current income and benefits so I can get out of the rat race while the getting out is good. I can't hack the boss or the pace much longer.
Don

They bought in the 70s, 80s, and a bit in the 90s. They aren't fat cats by any stretch…just bought 3-4 properties along the way and did really well. With Austin growing so fast right now I think it is pretty hard to screw real estate up here.

They were just SFRs. They still have a few, but sold some of them to deleverage for retirement. They will leave a few to me later on. One is near downtown and was bought for $10kish in legacy dollars and is now worth $350k or so. Nice!

I was inspired by the thought of doing something that I was motivated to do, that I absolutely loved to.

I am an accountant by profession, but I am definitely not born to be an accountant, I am just paid to be an accountant.

Real estate is what gets me going.

I read Rich Dad Poor Dad, and it completely flipped upside down the way I thought about money...been investing in real estate ever since I read that one book...

So far, it looks like Todd is the 1st non-family/non-friend inspired real estate investor to respond to this thread. Anyone else?