Any tips for us new investors and where to start?

[Michael Fish]

As a fairly new investor, I and many others want to know wheres a good place to start? 

How does someone with a small amount of capital start? 

Who or where do we go to? 

[Thomas S.]

There will be plenty of advice, obviously education is primary and from my experience will take 6 month to a year of extensive reading to accomplish.

 One must have a very clear plan as to what vehicle to invest in, this will develop through the education process and be a natural decision when you are ready. 

The money is a far bigger hurdle. Many believe investing is a way to get out of debt, nothing could be farther from the truth. Any person with personal bad debt is mentally not prepared to invest. They lack discipline.

 The best path to real estate investing is to begin by clearing all bad debt, work hard, take a second job, live frugally and save every penny. It takes money to make money regardless of what the gurus may suggest. It is also a long slow process requiring long hours and hard work. You are building a business from nothing the same as any business start-up.  The failure rate is high and only those fully prepared have the slightest chance of great success.

If you save and start with your own money others will come to you with their money. OPM, banks or people are the key to building on any success you have with your own money.

There are of course exceptions, those that start with nothing and have huge success but they are like professional athletes, very, very far from the norm.