When do you know if advice and help has strings attached.

Question

I'm new to Real Estate investing and am new to the site as well. I've received some responses here from people who begin to guide in direction of their business. When do you know that people are reaching out to offer advice and support and when do you begin to suspect that they are serving their own self interest? Have many of you run into 'blogger trolls'?

Thanks

Jeff Wallenius · Answer

@Antonio Aguilar I would ask someone outright what their business is, and how they are compensated. There are many people trolling on BP for business, and their are many that truly want to assist and help investors and still may profit from it in the backend. Most people are on this site to learn and network, it's a great resource for doing just that.

Brent Coombs · Answer

Good question. I recommend: let them know that you will (thereafter) only reply to their PUBLIC posts to you on BP. If they're already breaking the rules by soliciting outside the forum - that should tell you something. Thanks for speaking up. All the best...

Antonio Aguilar · Answer

Thank you gentlemen.

Luke H. · Answer

Look, everyone wants something... Some people want money, others might just want the satisfying feeling of helping. If you feel it, then trust your gut. Plus, just plain straight out and ask if they want/expect something in return. If a mentee came to me and wanted my help, I'd help by having them help me. Teach through doing is how i roll.

David Hall · Answer

They're everywhere, on BP and locally.  Watch out for agents who are quick to offer advice that they themselves don't even follow.  This is coming from me, a licensed agent!

I don't know what strings could be attached to someone online, but there are tons of free resources that don't require anyone's time but your own.  Keep reading and studying, especially other peoples responses to questions similar to yours.

Lastly I would recommend not asking for advice too often.  There are far too many people who do a lot of asking but never take action.  And/Or people who ask advice and never take it.  If your intentions are good, I'm sure you'll run across people who eventually will be helpful, with the sole intention of being helpful.