BP is for beginners, BRO

BP is for beginners, BRO

Guy with Great Hair · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes

Yesterday there was a new post made by an experienced real estate investor whose sole purpose was to take a dump on new investors for no reason other than to feed a delicate ego.

So I felt it appropriate to say my thanks to Biggerpockets for teaching me so much about Real estate when I knew absolutely nothing, and with the massive influx of new members lately, I want to express my opinion that BP is mainly for beginners.

I started out like every investor here does: stupid and driven by ego, but AMBITIOUS to learn and get started. Now I own a bunch of rentals, an apartment building, I've made a ton of great real life friends here, I was on the podcast, and my business is growing faster every day. So if you're new, know that spending time here has nearly a guaranteed return on investment. 

It's also OK TO BE NEW. There are a lot of experienced people who contribute heavily here but the overwhelming majority are new people, and that's who the site is geared towards helping. New investors should feel the most empowered to participate and and post, this is the place to get guidance and there ZERO experience or knowledge requirement to post. I think it's counterproductive to the community to create a situation where the experienced people are laughing at new people, it's also sleazy and embarrassing. 

If you're new, it's ok to post things that might sound stupid. I say embarrassing and stupid things all the time, and I would CRINGE to go through my early post history, but that's ok because we get better as we go, and that's the whole point. Some people will might try to make you feel bad about it, that's just part of human nature, and it's not representative of what BP is trying to do. 

Overall, this is a magical place. So thank you BP, if this place hadn't make me feel ok to be a stupid beginner I would have never been able to grow to where I am now. 

@Mindy Jensen  @Russell Brazil  @Spencer Cornelia  @Jay Hinrichs  

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Russell BrazilBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
6y

Yup. All of us are in different points in our journey. Every investor started with their first purchase. I actually use to feel the pressure to do what some other "big" investors were doing.  Then I became more comfortable with what I was doing, and was like I think Ill just do what I like, and not let these other dudes pressure me into doing what they are doing.  The majority of landlords in the country are small mom and pop investors with 1-3 rentals. Nothing wrong with that. Those people are likely going to end up being millionaires when they retire.

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  • Rental Property Investor · Member since 2019 · 93 posts · 110 votes
    6y

    We all started somewhere. Some were blessed to be born into real estate. Some had great mentors that gave decades of advice and helped steer away from bad choices and helped encourage good choices. Some came from zero and clawed their way to success. Other have worked hard and failed and got an education on what not to do. This community is fantastic because it is a source for more knowledge. This is a place to measure up balance sheets and peacock, it’s a place to genuinely help or ask for help. That’s what’s so great about this place. Those that can give advice and experience can and those with questions can ask. 
    personally I’ve Self made millions and am glad to help with free assistance. There was a great statement made at the Bigger pockets conference in Nashville and it’s super true. “Once you get to the top of the mountain Look around but then take a moment and throw down some rope to help the next guy.”  I’m no better than anyone else but I’m here willing to both throw down my rope and help pull others up to make their journey easier. We all had assistance one way or another. 

  • Investor · FL · Member since 2017 · 266 posts · 220 votes
    6y

    @Alexander Felice

    Lol. So the bro investor is giving a misinformed seller whos in hardship more money for their house? What a shame....

    With that said, I think the gentleman from new jersey is doing more for the newb investor than most. In my eyes, truth is new investors are getting too much flowery pc gassing sometimes . I appreciate when constructive criticism is given. Whether its condascending or ego driven or not. I read a post the other day where a new guy bought a house in memphis with 30k down to cashflow like 30 bucks a month. Are you kidding me? Everyone saying congrats etc . It was obviously a marketing campaign as the owner of the turnkey came on responding. I dont care if you promote but sell a good product or my 0 vote post will call you out if I see it.

    I have no business to promote here nor do I raise capital online. Ill gas myself up when I post sometimes to show my experience and frankly Im ok with it. Im here to learn and give the little experience I have away as it was so freely given to me.

    On a side note I think the jersey guy has nicer hair. No offense. Just saying.

  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y

    @Javier D. thanks. My hair game is pretty solid for 48. What you said was the actual point of the original Bro post. Everyone who just wants to get "Good jobbed" is going to go broke when a downturn hits. Too many people think it's easy to make money and they listen to a lot of BS about you are winning at $100/profit per door. I wouldn't crap in a bucket for $100/door because what happens when a furnace breaks.

    The funniest part about all the arguing about who is Bro and who is not is that there is plenty of knowledge inside the satire and responses. It's just too serious on here all that time and as you said, way too many people gassing each other up for coaching or some side hustle. True REI investors just close deals, day after day, they don't need a dap and a beer after. Ok, maybe the beer.

  • Member since 2018 · 563 posts · 562 votes
    6y

    @Alexander Felice @Jonathan Greene

    You two have produced the most EPIC Bro-down ever! This bro has not smiled more than reading the original post by Bro-Greene and this post by Bro-Alex, too. So thank you both and most of the other posters...you are all the bros/broettes that make BP awesome!

    First things first! It takes a bro to recognize a bro!

    Secondly, no good bro goes un-broed!

    My vote goes to the bro with the best hair, Bro-Alex! Sorry bro-Greene....Bro- Alex is not whining and complaining about how bros are messing up things and polluting the BP Bro-sphere and is hair looks just like my best wing-bro, so clearly bro code #148.A432 states that he wins! Also, he just seems less condescending.

    Basically it sounds like you are trying to blame bros for causing the inflated prices and making your business more difficult, when the real cause is much more complex. That's not to say there is no truth in the thread, but, at the end of the day you need bro-up and put your big bro pants on and quit your crying about what the incompetent bros are doing. Those bros are in every field...ever bought a car, ever bought a TV...probably a bro was selling it to you!

    Let's not forget....once a bro, always a bro...in one way or another.

    Oh yeah....no bros were harmed in the making of this post!

  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y

    @Isaac S. Bro rule 197.5 - Bros create echo chambers so that inside of them they can eventually make an ask of their new Bros.

    Bro rule 212.3 - When responding to a post and when you want to get more Bro daps, @ people in your OP to bring more attention, but never, ever respond to the original OP when he drops back by. That could go badly, bro.

    Those Bros are in every field, that is the whole point. It's not a complaint, it's a reality. 

    The entire point of the thread has been proven over and over by all the Bros weighing in. No one was called out. No one was crying. No one needed business from the post. It. Is. Satire. and Sarcasm. Based on Facts in the Forum. This is why this is all so meta-Bro. Only Bro could keep going and going. The only reason I keep showing back up is because Bro keeps pressing the same button.

  • Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 413 posts · 348 votes
    6y

    A lot of thin skin around here.

    I will say BP is an awesome place, both beginners and vets.  The one thing that bothers me is the blog.  There is so much click bait, the actual good posts are harder and harder to find.  I think when they bring that nonsense for clicks in the blog, it leads to more nonsense here, which hopefully gets better

  • Member since 2018 · 563 posts · 562 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Jonathan Greene:

    @Isaac S. Bro rule 197.5 - Bros create echo chambers so that inside of them they can eventually make an ask of their new Bros.

    Bro rule 212.3 - When responding to a post and when you want to get more Bro daps, @ people in your OP to bring more attention, but never, ever respond to the original OP when he drops back by. That could go badly, bro.

    Those Bros are in every field, that is the whole point. It's not a complaint, it's a reality. 

    The entire point of the thread has been proven over and over by all the Bros weighing in. No one was called out. No one was crying. No one needed business from the post. It. Is. Satire. and Sarcasm. Based on Facts in the Forum. This is why this is all so meta-Bro. Only Bro could keep going and going. The only reason I keep showing back up is because Bro keeps pressing the same button.

     ahhh, oh wise-bro, thank you for restoring order to the Bro-sphere and helping this bro understand...I apologize for saying your were crying, it just seemed like what a good bro should say. I really enjoyed the banter and best of luck in the future!

  • Rental Property Investor · Manchester, NH · Member since 2019 · 186 posts · 156 votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Greene

    But why are you upset about it? If all these Bro’s have the markets in your area so wrong you should be salivating! Don’t make bad deals just horde your cash and keep encouraging the Bro’s. When the market dips and the $100 per door Bro’s takes a dive you’ll be able to have the pick of the littler and dish the I told

    You so’s all day long.

    Personally I say run it up you morons I can hold out and wait! I love seeing this market climb as it’s just gonna make that cliff a bigger drop not only in prices but rents as well. The time to stress test and prepare your portfolio is now but I don’t see any reason to shelter others who can’t see it for themselves.

  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y

    @Isaac S. no, you actually caught me. I've been crying a lot because of this. :)

    @Joshua Tessier of course I am not really mad and yeah they can create some good results long-term. In my market what happens is that the push the block value up and then others bank on that as a comp for appraisal and the top keeps going up and up and owners think they are lit now so they refi or do a HELOC. Then as you said a market dip comes and it all goes to crap. But you are also correct, when the dip comes, I'm fine and savvy investors always are because we are holding our extra cash for that big dip. Anyone highly leveraged and following that philosophy gets nailed in the dip.

  • Sunnyvale , CA · Member since 2017 · 373 posts · 362 votes
    6y

    Bro vs Pro or whatever. Guys let’s all be humble and encourage our BP community, newbie and everyone. Sure many of us former bros today feel like pros because we rode the largest expansion in US history. But that’s what it is. The largest expansion in US history on the back of low interest rates and cheap money and we got lucky.

    And not to mention the RE games we play are quintessential middle class, not the ones played by large investors, hedge funds or mega millionaires. No one here is playing into the mega millions except maybe the guys selling books and videos like Kiyosaki and Cardone. They are the ones laughing all the way to the bank.

    Everyone is scrambling to find bits in small towns and back waters because that’s pretty much what is affordable and when we find one or two of these deals that few thousands month (not counting depreciation and wear and tear) or a flip that nets a few more, we think we are pros and starting ranting towards newbie investors and call them bros. When called out, the rant is rebranded a “satire”! Where did humility and the spirit of helping the community go?

  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y

    @Sam Josh do you really think the only way to help new investors is to yes them along, coddle them, and tell them all of their dreams will come true? The post is obviously sarcasm and satire based on actual facts. The stuff is real, but instead of leaking out another HALP post, I just cut the BS. The people, including you, who can't see that are just looking for something to talk about. The Bro Investor, following the model, will be destroyed when the market spins down and then they will be asking why no one had the nerve to tell them how dumb they were acting and call them out on bad strategies.

    The thing new investors need now, more than ever, is the truth. If it hurts their delicate feelings even though they were not directly called out, they need to buckle up. Real estate investing for the long-term isn't that easy and they are going to find that out the hard way because they wanted high fives instead of criticism.

  • Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 30k+ posts · 20k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Alexander Felice:

    Yesterday there was a new post made by an experienced real estate investor whose sole purpose was to take a dump on new investors for no reason other than to feed a delicate ego.

    So I felt it appropriate to say my thanks to Biggerpockets for teaching me so much about Real estate when I knew absolutely nothing, and with the massive influx of new members lately, I want to express my opinion that BP is mainly for beginners.

    I started out like every investor here does: stupid and driven by ego, but AMBITIOUS to learn and get started. Now I own a bunch of rentals, an apartment building, I've made a ton of great real life friends here, I was on the podcast, and my business is growing faster every day. So if you're new, know that spending time here has nearly a guaranteed return on investment. 

    It's also OK TO BE NEW. There are a lot of experienced people who contribute heavily here but the overwhelming majority are new people, and that's who the site is geared towards helping. New investors should feel the most empowered to participate and and post, this is the place to get guidance and there ZERO experience or knowledge requirement to post. I think it's counterproductive to the community to create a situation where the experienced people are laughing at new people, it's also sleazy and embarrassing. 

    If you're new, it's ok to post things that might sound stupid. I say embarrassing and stupid things all the time, and I would CRINGE to go through my early post history, but that's ok because we get better as we go, and that's the whole point. Some people will might try to make you feel bad about it, that's just part of human nature, and it's not representative of what BP is trying to do. 

    Overall, this is a magical place. So thank you BP, if this place hadn't make me feel ok to be a stupid beginner I would have never been able to grow to where I am now. 

    @Mindy Jensen  @Russell Brazil  @Spencer Cornelia  @Jay Hinrichs  

     Lol anything with the word BRO in the title just draws me to click on the thread. Here for the title just like the above referenced thread. Continue on gentlemen.

  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Jonathan Greene:

    @Roman Roy Barrett welcome to BP! Congratulations on starting your real estate investment journey. If you are in the market for blueberry pancakes, I know a guy who knows a guy where you can get them. There is also a coaching program on how to acquire blueberry pancakes and several webinars on the same. It seems like you are off to a great start

    Oregon is a great state for everything blue berries.  one of my X partners had a big chunk of farm land that he was waiting on getting annexed in the mean time he thought he would become a blueberry farmer.  he wanted to raise 5 million for the operation.. and he wanted to use another property we co owned .. but he ran the models at the all time high of blueberry prices.. 1.50 a pound or so.. got them planted and by the time the harvest came in the blueberries were only selling for 60 to 80 cents a pound..  Now that's the best deal I NEVER got into .. he got in a world of hurt..  I remember when I was looking to farm credit for a couple million dollar loan to launch this.. the Lender at Farm credit starts to Vette me.. He says how long you been a farmer..  Me Never.  OK  do you have an advanced degree in AG.. Me no I have no degree just real estate licenses Mortgage banker license Pilots license and fishing license in multiple states.. So then he says to me we only lend to second or third generation farmers if they have no formal education.. Your a Real Estate guy and a developer what do you know about farming.. ME Nothing.. thank you..  go to X partner Take me off the PPM right now..  LOL

  • Rental Property Investor · Yakima, WA · Member since 2019 · 15 posts · 4 votes
    6y

    @Jay Hinrichs thank you for this lol!

  • Rental Property Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2017 · 134 posts · 93 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Scott L.:

    My fellow gen X’ers can relate

     ..i would like to follow up with the following two: 

  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6y

    Nothing proves the point of the original post more than Bro memes as a response. Literally could not script it any better.

  • Rental Property Investor · South shore, MA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    Should re-name the site to biggerpocketbooks with all the posts that have been going on lately... 

  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Stephan Kraus:
    Originally posted by @Scott L.:

    My fellow gen X’ers can relate

     ..i would like to follow up with the following two: 

    Stephen looking to hook up at the track in Jan.  !!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Greene Just met you as a poster, but you're not causing my "cringeworthy self-promotion" warnings to go off. I feel no visceral urge to welcome you to a McRib International Seminars guest instructorship, for instance. And you're funny.

    @Alexander Felice It was a long time coming but you have convinced me your heart is in the right place and you are sincere in a way most people are not.

    I think you've both made quality points.

  • Rental Property Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2017 · 134 posts · 93 votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Greene

    Don't Bro me if you don't know me 😉

    I find it funny when someone who's throwing around phrases from the first page of the millenial dictionary book gets offended by (incredibly accurate if i may say so) meme's - and i can't help but wonder, who exactly peed in your coffee? In your other recent post You're mad at retail buyers who are 'impossible to work with', the Bro post lashes out against inexperienced investors who 'ruin your market' (hence the 'they took'er jobs' meme)

    ..maybe you should focus on improving your own game instead of trying to find a demographic you can blame under the cover of giving satiric advise? 🤔

    @Jay Hinrichs

    Yes! Just let me know when you're in town! Im not out on the track too often these days, but happy to make it happen when you're back in the desert!

  • Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    @Alexander Felice completely agree! Everyone is a beginner or "newbie" at one point in time. I try to stay humble at all times and remember that I have a lot to learn myself! Anyone who takes a shot at newbies is just unhappy with themselves and is the one who really needs help.

  • Rental Property Investor · Ankeny, IA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    @Alexander Felice

    Guess what I did when I first found BP? I read about 5,000 posts and articles. Guess what I didn’t do? Start asking 100 questions that have already been answered 1,000 times.

    You’re hurt. But you kind of missed the point of his original “Bro” post. It was humorous. And he had a great point. Do some research before you start firing off questions like; “I’m new, what should I do?”

    Being new is absolutely ok. But people need to stop asking everybody to do all their work for them.

  • Investor · Warwick, RI · Member since 2019 · 129 posts · 68 votes
    6y

    @Alexander Felice thank you for this

  • Rental Property Investor · La Quinta, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 779 votes
    6y

    I would like to enter the Bro Hair Challenge. That's all I got on the subject. Oh and I won't get out of bed for less then $3k/door/month NOI.

  • Troy TX · Member since 2019 · 1 post · 1 vote
    6y

    @Alexander Felice Thank you for posting this, this is my first time on the site and I've been listening to the podcast for a couple months now on my 1 hour commute to and from work. I'm glad to know that it's totally ok to just simply ask questions, after all we all have to start and starting means your new to the game. The last thing anyone needs is to be ridiculed simply for a lack of knowledge through a lack of experience, the two go hand in hand. It feels awesome that this is the first post I've read as well as my first time on the site. So thank you.

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