Need Real Estate Guidance (22 yrs old)

[Dean Halpin]

Hi guys! I wanted to share what just happened with me these last couple of months, and could desperately use some guidance to get back on track. First and foremost, hello to you all! My name is Dean and i'm a 22 year old with massive Real Estate dreams. I don't want to make this too long, so i'll get straight to the point. I was just scammed/mislead by two sketchy Real Estate Wholesaling companies here in El Paso, Texas. In my first company, i was a Real Estate Acquisitions Specialist. I used to cold call sellers from across the countries, and offered to buy their homes for cash. Most of the time i got cursed out and hung up on, but it didn't bother me one bit, and i actually enjoyed the grind. Until about a couple months later, i opened my eyes a little bit more and the entire operation was sketchy. I ended up getting around 9 deals under-contract, while constantly being pressured by my manager to get more deals under-contract or he would publicly mock us in front of everybody. It turns out that we were never going to get paid out in the first place, and eventually found out some of my properties closed, but was still never paid out for them, but most of my properties simply just ended up dropping and i was never informed of it. Obviously, i left that dumpster fire and decided to work at the same type of job, except work in a remote atmosphere... The same issue happened, we would get pressured to make over 150 dials a day, yet us AQ specialists got nothing in return, and it's been nearly a year and i haven't gotten paid by either company. I'm not the greatest storyteller, but it seemed like i was taken advantage of, and i'm at a point in my life right now where i'm clueless and i'm not even sure if Real Estate is the right path for me anymore... My desire is there, and my heart is in the right place. I'm just a little bit lost right now and would love to hear some guidance. Should i go the agent route? Try going a different path? Would love to hear your guy's advice! Please feel free to direct message me if you live in the El Paso area and/or would simply like to connect, thanks!

[Melissa Justice]

@Dean Halpin

I’m not an attorney and can’t offer legal advice, but this situation seems to have the potential for a lawsuit for unpaid wages. I strongly recommend consulting with an employment attorney—search for one in the area where the business is operating. That would be my first suggestion.

As for real estate, much like what others have shared, it’s a long-term journey. Success in this field doesn’t happen overnight—it requires years of strategic investing, continuous education, and persistence.

The key is to focus on growing markets, quality neighborhoods, and building a strong support team. While it can be a lot of work if you're going solo, partnering with a reputable team can make the process much smoother. At Rent to Retirement, we’ve been helping investors navigate these challenges for over a decade. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about analyzing markets or getting started.

Most importantly, choose a market that aligns with your long-term goals.

Wishing you much success!

Melissa, Investment Strategist at Rent to Retirement