What was your "AHA!" Moment with BiggerPockets?

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What was your "AHA!" Moment with BiggerPockets?

Scott TrenchPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 6k+ votes

Here's a self-serving question - for those of you out there who have been regularly using BiggerPockets for months or years - when did things "click"?  

When did you realize the power of BiggerPockets and it's ability to help you grow your business?  What keeps you around and posting hundreds or thousands of times?

I'm fascinated by this and want to help others get that same feeling. 

For me - it was the first time I posted about wanting to invest here in Denver, CO, and some folks reached out to me with the clearly serious intention of helping me see it through.  I eventually ended up working with one of them (@Micki M.  )to buy my first property! 

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Landon Dolezal
Maple Valley, WA · Member since 2013 · 83 posts · 25 votes
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When you realize you dont have to scour the internet anymore for random tidbits of RE information haha.

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  • Ryan Billingsley
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
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    @Scott Trench 

    My coworker/partner turned me onto this site.  I think my first "AHA" moment came from listening to a podcast and hearing a success story.  The podcast are great!

    2Reply
  • Landon Dolezal
    Maple Valley, WA · Member since 2013 · 83 posts · 25 votes
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    When you realize you dont have to scour the internet anymore for random tidbits of RE information haha.

    10Reply
  • Arlen Chou
    Investor · Los Altos, CA · Member since 2014 · 942 posts · 1k+ votes
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    @Scott Trench  the "aha" moment came to me the day when I got into contract on a 1% deal with seller financing in the SF Bay Area. 

    Because of what I learned on this site and pod casts, and the people who I have met through the "unofficial" BP meet ups: I successfully negotiated $100k off of asking, got substantial seller financing, got the seller to agree to demo "non-code" compliant work and do expensive sewer lateral work. 

    Big props to , @Michael Quarles, @Johnson H. and @J. Martin for their direct and indirect help in my learning process!

    -Arlen

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  • Micki M.
    Flipper/Rehabber · York, UK · Member since 2013 · 895 posts · 453 votes
    11y

    Glad to be part of your aha moment @Scott Trench !  And great question.  I started out just listening to the podcasts but the aha came when I started building relationships with the other people both online and off.  I started to see how being consistent on the forums was building my credibility with others as a serious investor.  When I decided to go on the road and hang out with BPers in the Midwest last summer they were more willing to show me around and it's changed my whole business for the better.

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  • J. MartinPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Oakland, CA · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
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    Thanks for the shout-out @Arlen Chou , and glad I helped to contribute a bit..

    @Scott Trench ,

    My first big "aha" moment from Bigger Pockets was when I got a call from a local investor that @Joshua D. and @Brandon Turner were going to be in town in SF, and I was getting a call because my 4-month-old meetup would have the opportunity to host them while they were here.

    If not for their inspiration, I never would have announced a big RE Networking Summit in SF the day after the meetup, and had the opportunity to organize amazing investors from around the country to share last November, including @Aaron Mazzrillo , @Arlen Chou, when did you all realize that BP had really made an impact on your investing or your life? I wouldn't have known any of you if not for BP, so something to be thankful for!

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  • Brie SchmidtBusiness Member
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    Real Estate Broker · Chicago, IL · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
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    So I found BP when searching a zoning question on Google about 18 months ago.  I owned a few properties, but had never read a book on investing, never talked with other investors.....

    My "aha" moment was the first 5 minutes on the site when I realized there was a whole world of people like me out there,  I was instantly hooked (and pretty sure I got my addict badge in those first 30 days when I couldn't get enough)

    My whole life changed when I found BP because I found people who did what I now realize was my life calling. My knowledge of this industry increased 10 fold and I have learned so much from BP. In those 18 months, I quit my day job, I help run our local REIA, I will now have 52 units (in less than 30 days), opened my own brokerage firm in 2 states, and am about to launch a new website. None of that would have happened if it wasn't for what I learned on BP and the support I received from "strangers" who I now call dear friends.

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  • David C.
    Investor · Bay Area, CA · Member since 2014 · 207 posts · 190 votes
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    My experience was similar to Brie. I was playing the solo REI game, flipping properties in the bay area, then I was researching about rental in Richmond and saw @J. Martin 's postings on BP.  We connected & he invited me to meetups.  I learned quit a bit and also shared my investment strategies with others.  The biggest impact is probably I now have a bigger vision for the future.  I have a bigger network of experts I can rely on, and potential partners to fulfill that vision.  Hopefully I can help my partners to achieve their goals as well.

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  • JR Hinds
    Investor · Portland, OR · Member since 2014 · 146 posts · 101 votes
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    I've been listening to the podcasts and having AHA moments almost every time. I just finished Brandon Turner's book and got a few more. I created a profile here and I'm looking forward to more AHA moments to come! These forums are awesome!

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  • Orion Walker
    Investor · Ukiah, CA · Member since 2014 · 196 posts · 83 votes
    11y

    I love this thread!! I stumbled onto BP about 6 months ago while researching whether I should get my RE license or not (I think I should, but have been too busy investing ;) I was in the middle of a remodel at the time and I started listening to the podcast episodes back to back and went through them all in about a month. There have been a lot of Aha moments. A big one for me was taking the step to reach out and meet up with a few BP folks in person, @Kathleen L. , @Nick Fitzpatrick . That helped make it real for me. Much like @Brie Schmidt , I’ve been having this homecoming type feeling where suddenly something that I was dabbling in feels like an actual calling.

    Another big aha has been in seeing and hearing about the amazing successes that have happened for people. @Brie, @Brian Burke , @J. Martin , @Arlen Chou  and so many others. I think it is still just sinking in for me how much potential there is here.

    The notion that super experienced successful investors would take the time to answer my questions, that has been a big aha. The realization that there are so many good people in an industry that gets a bad rap, that has been a big aha.

    When I signed up for the November meet up in SF I was still a bit skeptical. I told a few friends and family what I was up to and they all rolled their eyes and expected I was headed off to some sales pitch brain washing session. I won’t say everyone at that meet up was a saint, there were a few folks doing and saying some things that I wouldn’t, but the vast majority were real genuine people with straightforward intentions and a ton of generosity. That was a big aha. And it was cool to meet @Brandon Turner and experience that weird thing where you feel like you know someone, but of course they don’t know you (you handle that gracefully Brandon).

    I'll wrap up by saying that I think my current aha that I'm still wrestling with is the challenge of integrating the opportunity and inspiration of the BP community with the rest of my life/job/obligations. I feel like there's a ton more that I could be doing on BP, and by meeting and talking in person with BP connections, and in REI in general, but I'm trying to carefully balance that against everything else (he says as he types away at 3 in the morning ;)

    Cheers.

    5Reply
  • Toyin Dawodu
    Residential Real Estate Broker · Riverside, CA · Member since 2014 · 82 posts · 121 votes
    11y

    @Scott Trench My first "Aha" moment with BP was when I started a discussion and a few people responded faster than I expected. I realized that this is such a great place to interact with people who are into real estate. I also found out that this is the place to share and learn from others.

    1Reply
  • Michael Seeker
    Investor · Louisville, KY · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y

    My first major "AHA" moment was when I realized this site is a sea of other like-minded individuals with a wide range of experiences to draw from.

    My second major "AHA" moment was connecting with some of these folks in my own neck of the woods (Louisville) which probably would have never happened if it weren't for identifying mutual interests through this site.

    Cheers to BP for bringing us all together!

    4Reply
  • Jeff G.
    Investor · West Bend, WI · Member since 2014 · 214 posts · 149 votes
    11y

    I was trying to find another investor in my target market which is an hour from where I live.  I found Peter Gray (I dont know how to link someones name, can anyone tell me how) and we speak weekly via messenger.  He has been extremely helpful in giving me insight to the market and other related information. Thanks Peter!

    Peter Gray

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  • Jeff G.
    Investor · West Bend, WI · Member since 2014 · 214 posts · 149 votes
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    I guess I figured it out!

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  • Andrew Davis
    Investor · Asheville, NC · Member since 2011 · 833 posts · 499 votes
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    @Scott Trench great thread, thanks for starting it!

    I've had so many it's hard to pin down my first one.  It probably came when I realized that went from being really intrigued by every guru I heard to having absolutely no interest in what they were selling at all.  I realized that I had learned SO much in such a short period of time, and that everything I needed to know I could learn on Bigger Pockets.

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  • Darren SagerPro Member
    Investor · Tampa, FL · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
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    Without a doubt my "Aha!"moment was @Brian Burke putting together an apartment deal in Texas and he wrote about how he did it completely (I believe and Brian can chime in on it) with people on BP funding it.  That was enlightening.  

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  • Iverem Rose
    Real Estate Agent · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2014 · 250 posts · 60 votes
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    My Aha moment has been listening to the podcasts. It is refreshing to hear successful investors who are willing to talk about their mistakes because it can be beneficial to both the new and experienced investor. I've learned so much from the podcasts, forums and articles and I have no doubt that I will not only continue to learn new things but I will also become a better wholesaler and ultimately a better real estate investor. THANKS BP!

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  • Roman Pak
    Investor · Arlington Heights, IL · Member since 2014 · 135 posts · 34 votes
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    My AHA moment was the first day I found BP. I had just finished reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and went to one of their seminars. I was eager to learn and get more insight on investing in real estate. I attended a REIA meeting near my work, and one of the members mentioned BP in conversation. I had no clue what BP was so I googled. After reading just a few posts and discussions, the "AHA" hit me like a freight train. Jackpot!

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  • Chris Baker
    Investor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2015 · 8 posts · 4 votes
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    Month old  BPer here. Full time invester who has "gone it alone" for 10 years. Came to a point where I ran out of my own cash. read a forum where someone posted "the best thing to happen to them is being turned down by a bank." That is the situation I was in when I joined. After reading more into private money I found that this was an ok, if not THE preferred way to continue.  I was inspired to find someone and I asked my buddy and now he's my bank. He wins and I win. Thanks

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  • Kyle Petteway
    Real Estate Agent · Orlando, FL · Member since 2014 · 5 posts · 2 votes
    11y

    @Scott Trench

    Great questions Scott, the podcasts for me are a continuous stream of "Aha" moments. BP has done an awesome job in that regard, everyone I have listened to has expanded my thought process on real estate investing in someway or another. :)

    0Reply
  • Dusty Ackerman
    Specialist · MN · Member since 2014 · 42 posts · 13 votes
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    oops!

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  • Dusty Ackerman
    Specialist · MN · Member since 2014 · 42 posts · 13 votes
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    I am with @Landon Dolezal on this one. BP is a "one stop shop" to find information on REI. This site is so unique compared to many others because if you are unable to find a particular piece of information or just have a question, there are so many people that are willing to help on the forms.

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  • Brian BurkePro Member
    Investor · Santa Rosa, CA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 7k+ votes
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    Originally posted by @Darren Sager:

    Without a doubt my "Aha!"moment was @Brian Burke putting together an apartment deal in Texas and he wrote about how he did it completely (I believe and Brian can chime in on it) with people on BP funding it.  That was enlightening.  

    You're close, Darren!  I did get funding from people I met on BP.  Probably around 20% of the total raise on that particular deal.

    My "AHA" moment came when I received a call out of the blue from someone interested in investing capital in one of my funds.  During the conversation it came to light that he was in charge of a several-hundred million dollar portfolio comprised mostly of stocks but little real estate (and wanted to diversify).  I would never have imagined that someone in his position would be trolling the forums of BP, but since that call we've developed a personal friendship and a business relationship that has become one of my largest investors.

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  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
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    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
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    I think realizing that there were a lot of people that actually thought I had something of value to share!  Being a woman that is licensed in construction, still most times when people talk to us on business, they assume that my husband or son are  the ones they need to speak too. (and on some stuff they may be)  BP didn't have that bias, and I was immediately accepted for the advice I give and opinions I have, which by the way are 100% me. 

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  • Kyle Doney
    Flipper/Rehabber · Golden, CO · Member since 2013 · 590 posts · 319 votes
    11y

    When I realized pretty much any question I have could be answered by professionals and highly knowledgable people. It's great to have outside opinions/help. 

    1Reply
  • Jennifer Talcott
    Brandon, FL · Member since 2014 · 55 posts · 13 votes
    11y

    I'm grateful to say that I found BP right at the beginning.  I knew I had enough knowledge to be dangerous, and that I had a lot to learn, so I actually googled 'real estate investing'. BP was on the first page, and I was so excited when I started exploring this forum because I knew right away that this is the real deal.

    I've only been in this for a few months, and my head has been swirling the whole time. I feel like a sponge that is finally starting to get a little damp. I've been reading books and posts, listening to podcasts, going to REIA meetings, networking, looking at properties and trying really hard to get one of my offers accepted (I KNOW it's going to happen sooner or later) :-)

    Anyway, I love BP.  I learn really good stuff every time I come here.

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