BiggerPockets

I ask myself these questions last year when I wholesaled my first property. And I didn't answer yes to all of them, now I ask myself and they are all yes.

This is a true investor:

1. Are you protecting your assets
2. Do you know the market before everyone else
3. Do your family and love ones admire you
4. Do you take care of your health
5. Does your money work for you

This is a big one:
6. If you had a celebration and had one week to plan, would alot of BUSINESS friends come?

Yes. I am really an investor. Some of your items are nice, and have absolutely NOTHING to do with being an investor. Rich.

Anthony,

I am an investor and I will answer your questions.

1) I protect my assets only to a point. (I make money by taking educated chances.)
2) I must admit, I know the market that I am in. But, I could never profess to know the entire real estate market in my area. I also do not invest in all areas.
3) My family and love ones admire me sometimes!
4) I do not always take care of my health. But I feel that is my personal right. (Self-abuse is fun!)
5) My money works for me, only to a point. I will state, that I work hard for my money. (But I love the work I have chosen to do!)
6) This one is hard to answer. I do not consider most of the people I do business with, friends. But if I had a party, yeah lots of people that I invite would show up. I love to party- remember #4.

I hope that my answers make sense. I tried to answer to the best I can.

Anthony,

I was not casting aspersions upon you in any manner. I was just answering the questions you posed. Sorry if I offended you!

For me, the few things that make me an investor are:
1) Willingness to try
2) Acquired knowledge
3) Aptitude for evaluation of real estate projects. - As they pertain to our business plan

Jeff- that is the same thing i said- you just said it more eloquently. Rich

Crosswind,
I was not offended. Sorry if it seemed that way.

Jeff and Rich,
I know that investing is a numbers game thats why I am good at it. What I am saying is "Why are you investing if it is all about the dollars then you won't last long". A investor gives. Gives to family, friends, communtiny, etc...

So to me investing is much more than numbers but more importantly how am I remembered.

I dont want to be remembered as

1. a person that had money but it got taken
2. a follower of the market
3. a investor that has money but no time for his family
4. a investor that didn't have mind, body and soul because he worked to much
5. I don't want my family to struggle once I'm gone
6. a investor that burned his relationship with other people because he was ex...cheap, mean, greedy, etc....

Every investor invest in something but my investments are about a balanced life!

Jeff, just read an article on the most common trait of billionaires, (I skimmed) - being a math wizard, good with numbers was at the top.
I assume mathematicians don't get too emotional. Another one was techno geeks who dropped out of college to form an Tech IPO- i.e. Gates.
If you look at your values, that is what you will invest in the most. How you invest, or your plan, should be analytical and also passionate. If you take an inventory of your time, that might tell you where your values are if your not sure. (ouch)

P.S. - The proper wording is "Are you really AN investor?". Even better would be "Are you TRULY an investor?".

"Ok I've bought a home for myself in the past, renovated, and sold for a profit yet that doesn't make me an investor. "

Elisha,
That puts you one profitable deal ahead of most of the yahoos that call themselves real estate investors.

Tim