Investor · Maui, HI · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 3k+ votes
Name something you've learned from someone on BiggerPockets (podcast, forums, blog, whatever) and tag the person from whom you learned it. Name as many people as you want, but please limit your posts to one-person-per-post.
Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
12y
@Account Closed - thank so much for the shout out and I look forward to doing big things with you too.
@Douglas Dowell has given me a ton of really good info as well. I reached out to him to discuss deal syndication and was blown away by the knowledge and genuine willingness to help me out. His attitude is a microcosm of the type of community that BP has become.
And while I can't necessarily remember the different people I got this info from I have picked up quite a few tips that I directly implemented in my biz. Things like:
- Including a 3% increase in rent contracts then, when leases come up, telling them you are only increasing it 2.5% - that way you come out like a good guy and still get the rent increase
- How to structure new management letters to tenants
- Reminder that California doesn't have good cap rates :)
Investor · Santa Rosa, CA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 7k+ votes
12y
Thanks for the shout-outs, guys. I don't post a lot of questions, but I read a lot of posts...so those that have helped me probably don't even know it.
@J Scott for teaching me why it is so cool to write a book, and that the process of actually writing a book is soooo un-appealing to me. To summarize, I need a ghost writer!
Investor · Santa Rosa, CA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 7k+ votes
12y
Ben Leybovich for teaching me how to incessantly tease Brandon Turner , although I refrain from doing so because Ben is so relentless that I feel sorry for the guy.
Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
12y
WOW This is going to be tough.
First @Joshua D. and @Brandon Turner , this site has been like finding a fresh icy mountain stream in the desert. I have been doing real estate for over 20 years and was never able to find anyone I could express my real estate interest to, let alone a handful or hundreds or even thousands. I am normally very private about my life and have shared things on BP that I have not discussed with friends.
I never even considered setting real estate goals. Real estate was something that happened on occasion when a deal jumped in front of me. Now real estate is a car I am trying to put a turbo charged motor in and take out on the highway.
@Thomas St John undefined, @Ryan Pyle, @Peter Fennig . This group has given me such insight into the investment world where they are. It has opened me to possibilities I would have never tried on my own. I have never met one of them face to face but their time and advice has been invaluable. Each of them has helped me in their own way enter into out of state investing. I sincerely hope to meet them in person someday.
Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
12y
There are also a few folks who have a huge pool of knowledge they share freely. First @Bill Gulley is simply amazing. He not only has a huge amount of knowledge, it is combined with vast experience, a very rare combination. Learning from him is kind of like drinking from a firehose. @Jon Holdman who has the ability to strip a deal or sales pitch quickly down to numbers revealing huge flaws I never seemed to see myself.
There are numerous posters on here and I could not hope to name them all, who have enlightened me one post at a time. I cannot list some of my most popular as I have not done colleague requests to them.
Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
12y
@Adam Gerig sold me my first out of state property which I am very pleased with. I hope to buy more in the future with him. @Dawn Anastasi who is a great inspiration. She has a business model nearly identical to mine, her return rate is nearly 3 times mine though. I hope to get to do a deal with her someday.
@Jean Bolger is amazing. Her story is like having a bunch of baseball players standing around talking about how to properly swing a bat, and she meekly walks by and turns and hits the ball completely out of the park, leaving everyone else staring and wishing they could do that. The combination of building a solid foundation, then dreaming of the stars, then combining intelligence, guts and grit to achieve an amazing goal. To use the words of Josh and Brandon, AWESOME.
I could go on all night on these posts, but it is after midnight, and sleep is calling me. I want to thank the folks who will be in my mastermind group. I have not set it up yet, and have not even asked anyone to be on it, but I am hopeful to gather a group to explore, evaluate, and encourage each other on a semi regular basis. Thank you all.
Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
12y
Gah must mention @Steven Hamilton II , an amazing accounting resource. Would love to have him in a mastermind group or even close enough to chat with once in awhile, there is so much information I love to get out of him for free hehe.
Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
12y
Where do I start? The moment I start listing names, I know for sure I would miss at least a couple dozen names. All I can say is that I appreciate most of you for your contribution to this community more than I can express. That's what make BP an amazing real estate site. This is where people share and give unlimited knowledge and experience without expecting anything in return.
I sincerely thank all BP members including Josh and Brandon for your continued contribution and for keeping this community a free real estate goldmine for everyone who has the desire to achieve financial FREEDOM through real estate.
@Jean Bolger , thank you very much for the shout out. I agree with @Jerry W. that you're amazing. You skipped the frying pan and jumped straight into the fire.
Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
12y
J Scott. Many have mentioned him and I agree with the reasons. For me, it's his example. He and his wife had great tech careers going with a bright future. They decided to cut off the golden handcuffs, move across the country, and dive into REI.
J Scott decided to document his experience like no one else ever has. This was also a risk. What if he failed? He was willing to show us. The transparency has been huge. I started my REI and BP just after he did, so I've been able to follow all along. Thank you J.
San Antonio, TX · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
12y
I think there are so many different perspectives and experiences of folks on here that it's hard to pinpoint each individual. Despite anyone's experience and/or background, I've learned just by reading what has worked/not worked for others. It's always amazing at how much you can gauge just by listening to different perspectives.
Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
12y
Wow, I've been trying to avoid this thread, as I'm terrified I'm going to post my names and then realize how many I've forgotten (I guarantee there are hundreds that I'll miss). But, I guess I'll have to take that chance.
Here are a list of people who have helped me in different ways -- some I've learned from their words, some I've learned from their actions, some have inspired me to learn on my own and take bigger action, some have taught me tough lessons or what not to do, some have supported me when others haven't, some have directly contributed to my past successes and ALL will have directly or indirectly contributed to any future success I might have.
In no specific order:
@Joshua Dorkin
@Brandon Turner
@Brian Burke
@Jon Holdman
@Ned Carey
@Karen Margrave
@Steven Hamilton II
@William Bernard
@Dawn Anastasi
@Joel Owens
@James Vermillion
@Cal C.
@Don Konipol
@Jon Klaus
@Ben Leybovich
@Mike M
@K. Marie Poe
@Mark Ferguson
@Brian Gibbons
@Jerry Puckett
@Ann Bellamy
@Don
@Michael Q.
@Craig Rismiller
@Dion DePaoli
@Paul Timmins
@Wayne Brooks
@Minh L.
@Bill Gulley
@Bryan L.
@Aaron McGinnis
@Jean Bolger
@Bryan Hancock
@Wendell De Guzman
@Jay Hinrichs
@Dev Horn
@Ali Boone
@Frank Gallinelli
@Jerry W.
@Nathan Emmert
@Rick Harmon
@Kevin Kaczmarek
My sincere gratitude to everyone above and the hundreds of people I'm sure I've missed...
EDIT: And, of course, then the linking doesn't work in most of them... :(
Longview, TX · Member since 2012 · 368 posts · 131 votes
12y
There's a bunch, but one who was instrumental for me was @Jerry Puckett
Jerry got me going on my first yellow letter campaign, and if he hadn't, I'd probably still be reading and analyzing instead of making some things happen. I feel like I've done everything wrong on the letter campaign (timing, handling phone calls, etc.) and still been able to land two properties and have two more I think are promising. Jerry helped me wade through my fears about handling calls and managing the letter campaign; plus the letters he provided have led to a callback rate that blew me away. Thans Jerry!
Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
12y
There are just too many people to list, so I'm not going to attempt that. I'm sure I would miss someone.
This is what I know for sure; if you turn off the TV and spend your evenings learning how to be a successful real estate investor you will succeed. The resources are here, but you have to do the work.
BP is a great place to learn no matter what your level of experience. If you are brand new there is every resource for you here to help you get started. For those of us that have been investing for what seems like forever, I can tell you that I learn still learn something new or find a way to be better at what I do just about every day. There is more knowledge and experience here than any single place I can think of for real estate investors.
So be a lifelong learner; listen to what folks on this site have to say even if you might initially disagree with it. Be open minded so you can see that there might just be a different way or possibly a more profitable way of doing things than you have always done them.
Thanks to everyone that has helped me be a better real estate investor.
Specialist · Grand Rapids, MI · Member since 2012 · 582 posts · 353 votes
12y
It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway - @Brandon Turner has been an amazing resource in a lot of ways. Always responsive, always supportive, always has a positive attitude about everything. I'm not sure how he manages to juggle it all as well as he does - but he is clearly a natural born servant and leader.
@Dawn Anastasi who is a great inspiration. She has a business model nearly identical to mine, her return rate is nearly 3 times mine though. I hope to get to do a deal with her someday.
Investor · Westminster, CO · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
12y
Thank you @J Scott , you too have been very informational and I hope to get into the Atlanta market some time. @Ali Boone , you are a kindred spirit who agrees with me that you do not invest in Real Estate as a hobby or to 'buy a job', but you invest so you can take a cruise, sit on a Caribbean Beach or go fishing for Alaskan Salmon. I am, right now, sitting in a hotel room in Mesquite, NV, heading today for Bryce Canyon and Zion NP, on our way to Fort Collins and then Colorado Springs for a friends college graduation. Thousands of dollars have been directly deposited into my bank account while I sat by the resort pool. THAT is why I invested in Real Estate.
Thank you! I consider myself to be a good marketer, but I am always learning. Thanks to you and @Jerry Puckett for always showing up with excellence in mind.
Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
12y
I always hate these kinds of questions. Depending on what your niche is and what the issue of the day you are dealing with, will depend on which BP member is the most valuable, that day! There's a group of people that consistently post, that everyone knows, and their names easily come to mind. On the other hand, sometimes it's someone that happens on by and has something of value that you pick up and learn; and you didn't even know to ask the question.
So for me, EVERYONE that takes the time out of their day, to answer the questions of the posters, no matter who they are, what their question or experience is, is my favorite! I call on so many of you on a consistent basis to pick your brains, and it depends on what the question is and what your area of expertise is. That's what is so great about BP! It's filled with such a broad base of knowledge, skills and experience.