Questions on mentors
New to Real Estate · Marysville, WA · Member since 2023 · 20 posts · 9 votes
Questions on mentors
Most Popular Reply
Real Estate Agent · Puyallup, WA · Member since 2022 · 551 posts · 379 votes
2yEveryone is an expert, man. You have to be careful because there are so many "experts". Someone gets 10 deals under their belt and then they go out and try to sell courses.
You don't need a mentor. There are so many things you can learn from on THE Youtube university. Podcasts and books will simply reiterate whatever a "guru" will tell you. You're going to make mistakes with or without a mentor. It's inevitable.
The big question is, what is your goal? If you're just trying to do a traditional buy&hold or fix&flip, you absolutely do not need a mentor to do that. Everything you need is right here or easily accessible for free. Youtube literally holds your hand throughout the entire process.
I know NOTHING about car motors. Just this weekend I hopped on Youtube for a half an hour, fixed everything on my own and now because of Youtube, I feel like a mechanic. Hahaha Not really but you get the point!
21 Replies
- Real Estate Agent · Puyallup, WA · Member since 2022 · 551 posts · 379 votes2y
Everyone is an expert, man. You have to be careful because there are so many "experts". Someone gets 10 deals under their belt and then they go out and try to sell courses.
You don't need a mentor. There are so many things you can learn from on THE Youtube university. Podcasts and books will simply reiterate whatever a "guru" will tell you. You're going to make mistakes with or without a mentor. It's inevitable.
The big question is, what is your goal? If you're just trying to do a traditional buy&hold or fix&flip, you absolutely do not need a mentor to do that. Everything you need is right here or easily accessible for free. Youtube literally holds your hand throughout the entire process.
I know NOTHING about car motors. Just this weekend I hopped on Youtube for a half an hour, fixed everything on my own and now because of Youtube, I feel like a mechanic. Hahaha Not really but you get the point!
- New to Real Estate · Marysville, WA · Member since 2023 · 20 posts · 9 votes2y
Quote from @Nathan Harden:
Everyone is an expert, man. You have to be careful because there are so many "experts". Someone gets 10 deals under their belt and then they go out and try to sell courses.
You don't need a mentor. There are so many things you can learn from on THE Youtube university. Podcasts and books will simply reiterate whatever a "guru" will tell you. You're going to make mistakes with or without a mentor. It's inevitable.
The big question is, what is your goal? If you're just trying to do a traditional buy&hold or fix&flip, you absolutely do not need a mentor to do that. Everything you need is right here or easily accessible for free. Youtube literally holds your hand throughout the entire process.
I know NOTHING about car motors. Just this weekend I hopped on Youtube for a half an hour, fixed everything on my own and now because of Youtube, I feel like a mechanic. Hahaha Not really but you get the point!
Thanks Nathan. My family said the same thing. I have an awesome support system and for that I’m grateful. However, none of them are in real estate. I was hoping to find someone that would just push me and guide me. Quite a few meet ups here in Washington are far from me . I guess I will have to drive to meet some people . I did not know how hard it would be to take my first step. . Thanks again
- Member since 2025 · 18 posts · 7 votes1y
@Jason Anderson Which mentor did you end up with? How's it going now?
Quote from @Jason Anderson - New to Real Estate · Marysville, WA · Member since 2023 · 20 posts · 9 votes1yHello Victor, sorry for the late response. It has been a great and crazy week. I did go with WNN. It was an awesome experience. I learned so much. If you would like to talk we could definitely connect. Let me know. Pm me
Quote from @Account Closed:
@Jason Anderson Which mentor did you end up with? How's it going now?
Quote from @Jason Anderson
- 2yMatt McCurdyBusiness MemberReal Estate Broker · Cedar Rapids, IA · Member since 2019 · 143 posts · 56 votes
@Jason Anderson while I fully agree with @Nathan Harden's comment on youtube being a great resource. Many clients I've worked with need more than just the knowledge. They value a sounding board on deals, situations, or strategy. It certainly depends on your goals. If you have a deadline, a coach or mentor can help you skip several levels of time waste and ensure you achieve your goals. I guess I always go back to the ROI. What ROI can I get from anything I use cash to buy. If it isn't paid back in 2 years or less, I don't bother. I think the same could be said for coaching/mentoring. Warm wishes on finding the right path for you!
- New to Real Estate · Marysville, WA · Member since 2023 · 20 posts · 9 votes2y
Yes well you both have valid points. I did choose to get a mentor and it is going well. I am on my way one step at a time. Also yes there is a lot of information out there on YouTube . I take the info relevant to me and leave the rest. There have been times when I do a diy and it comes out great and then there is times when it does not. Lol . For now having a mentor is an awesome choice for me. Thanks for the advice.
- Member since 2023 · 2 posts · 0 votes1y
Quote from @Jason Anderson:
Yes well you both have valid points. I did choose to get a mentor and it is going well. I am on my way one step at a time. Also yes there is a lot of information out there on YouTube . I take the info relevant to me and leave the rest. There have been times when I do a diy and it comes out great and then there is times when it does not. Lol . For now having a mentor is an awesome choice for me. Thanks for the advice.
Who did you go with?I’m looking for a mentor as well
- Member since 2025 · 18 posts · 7 votes1y
Quote from @Dorie Silverman:
Quote from @Jason Anderson:
Yes well you both have valid points. I did choose to get a mentor and it is going well. I am on my way one step at a time. Also yes there is a lot of information out there on YouTube . I take the info relevant to me and leave the rest. There have been times when I do a diy and it comes out great and then there is times when it does not. Lol . For now having a mentor is an awesome choice for me. Thanks for the advice.
Who did you go with?I’m looking for a mentor as well
I ended up with RentToRetirement. They have an Academy, and I'm also now under contract with them for my first property. It has been very smooth so far and they offer great incentives.
- Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes2y
Quote from @Jason Anderson:
"I'm late to the real estate game at my age."
I started investing at the age of 47. I have 33 rentals producing enough cash flow to support me the rest of my life, but I enjoy my work and continue working. It's never too late.
A mentor will accelerate your learning. A paid mentor? That depends. Some will suck your money right out of your wallet, while others will accelerate your learning and get you into deals faster. And they are usually referred to as coaches, not mentors.
The DIY Landlord Book4.7247 Reviews - New to Real Estate · Marysville, WA · Member since 2023 · 20 posts · 9 votes2yThank you, Nathan. Hearing your story definitely inspires me and gives me more confidence in my goals. I am working one day at a time. Thanks for the advice and clarification. I am definitely looking forward to my future.
Quote from @Nathan Gesner:
Quote from @Jason Anderson:
"I'm late to the real estate game at my age."
I started investing at the age of 47. I have 33 rentals producing enough cash flow to support me the rest of my life, but I enjoy my work and continue working. It's never too late.
A mentor will accelerate your learning. A paid mentor? That depends. Some will suck your money right out of your wallet, while others will accelerate your learning and get you into deals faster. And they are usually referred to as coaches, not mentors.
- New to Real Estate · Marysville, WA · Member since 2023 · 20 posts · 9 votes2y
Quote from @Account Closed:
Quote from @Jason Anderson:
Thank you, Nathan. Hearing your story definitely inspires me and gives me more confidence in my goals. I am working one day at a time. Thanks for the advice and clarification. I am definitely looking forward to my future.Quote from @Nathan Gesner:
Quote from @Jason Anderson:
"I'm late to the real estate game at my age."
I started investing at the age of 47. I have 33 rentals producing enough cash flow to support me the rest of my life, but I enjoy my work and continue working. It's never too late.
A mentor will accelerate your learning. A paid mentor? That depends. Some will suck your money right out of your wallet, while others will accelerate your learning and get you into deals faster. And they are usually referred to as coaches, not mentors.
@Jason Anderson: You list as being from Marysville. I'm from Seattle and left because of the anti-investing atmosphere.
Don't let your familiarity with Western Washington interfere with smart investing. I highly recommend finding a market that is landlord friendly, cash flowing, doesn't have regular catastrophic events, property taxes are low, insurance rates are under control and you like the area. Eventually the prices in Washington will correct and if they don't it's unlikely they will cash flow anytime soon.But, I'd for sure visit the area I invest in. A lot of Washingtonians are investing in places like Nevada, Arizona, Montana, Ohio, Indiana and the deep south.
Don’t borrow money to pay for a mentor or coach. If you don’t have the money to invest, what’s the point of the training?
Some people use their 401(k), IRA, Pension, TSP, RRSP to invest. Talk to your CPA first to see if the rewards outweigh the costs.
Most importantly. Take action.
Join a REIA (NationalREIA.org) ours runs about $20 a month. Ones that are thousands to join aren't real REIAs, they are more "training programs" than REIAs.
There wasn't a REIA that I'm aware of, when I started in Seattle 30 years ago. I could have avoided a lot of very expensive mistakes. Just having a coach or group that could have said some pretty simple things to help me avoid those investor mistakes, would have saved me from a year and a half lawsuit. And there are many other things I would have done differently as a result and benefits I'd have enjoyed.
Yes, I am definitely doing out-of-state investing with team and coach. Seattle is not for me. I have been looking in Kansas City and Ohio as well. I will be setting my goals on Monday with my coach so I can come up with a plan and take another action step.
- Member since 2022 · 47 posts · 17 votes2y
I agree with most commenters. Be leary of mentors/classes. I know several people who have paid tons of money to mentors with nothing to show for it. Really hard to sift through all the bad "mentors" to find a true one.
That being said, I have been really lucky. I found a few local mentors who helped me get started (free of charge, just bought them coffee/lunch when I needed advice), and then found a mastermind. The investment into the mastermind was not cheap, but ended up being the best money I've ever spent. I am happy to connect you with the person who started my mastermind but know this: Any group like the one I joined is only as valuable as the time you're willing to invest in it. If you sign up and never attend any of the classes/discussions, then you won't gain value. You have to be prepared to really push yourself to extract the maximum potential value.
- New to Real Estate · Marysville, WA · Member since 2023 · 20 posts · 9 votes2yThank you Mike. I will eventually get into a mastermind but for now I will stick with what I got. I do see the value in the mastermind . Like you said they are not cheap. I would like to join a mastermind when I have a few properties under my belt. Thanks again
Quote from @Mike Finn:
I agree with most commenters. Be leary of mentors/classes. I know several people who have paid tons of money to mentors with nothing to show for it. Really hard to sift through all the bad "mentors" to find a true one.
That being said, I have been really lucky. I found a few local mentors who helped me get started (free of charge, just bought them coffee/lunch when I needed advice), and then found a mastermind. The investment into the mastermind was not cheap, but ended up being the best money I've ever spent. I am happy to connect you with the person who started my mastermind but know this: Any group like the one I joined is only as valuable as the time you're willing to invest in it. If you sign up and never attend any of the classes/discussions, then you won't gain value. You have to be prepared to really push yourself to extract the maximum potential value.
- Member since 2022 · 47 posts · 17 votes2y
Quote from @Jason Anderson:
Thank you Mike. I will eventually get into a mastermind but for now I will stick with what I got. I do see the value in the mastermind . Like you said they are not cheap. I would like to join a mastermind when I have a few properties under my belt. Thanks againQuote from @Mike Finn:
I agree with most commenters. Be leary of mentors/classes. I know several people who have paid tons of money to mentors with nothing to show for it. Really hard to sift through all the bad "mentors" to find a true one.
That being said, I have been really lucky. I found a few local mentors who helped me get started (free of charge, just bought them coffee/lunch when I needed advice), and then found a mastermind. The investment into the mastermind was not cheap, but ended up being the best money I've ever spent. I am happy to connect you with the person who started my mastermind but know this: Any group like the one I joined is only as valuable as the time you're willing to invest in it. If you sign up and never attend any of the classes/discussions, then you won't gain value. You have to be prepared to really push yourself to extract the maximum potential value.
Makes sense! This forum and those you meet here can be a great resource in the meantime. Dont hesitate to reach out to me for (free) advice! Certainly not as well informed as many on this forum, but happy to help if I can
- Member since 2023 · 2 posts · 0 votes1y
That's good to hear. I have talked to them in the past. Very nice people. Hope it's fruitful for you!
- Member since 2025 · 14 posts · 16 votes11mo
I know this post is a year old but I just got solicited by someone I guess who is affiliated with them. She wanted to know if I wanted to schedule a phone call with them even though my recent post lays out my situation not having much money and still wishing to learn. Hope all is going well for you now. :-)
- Member since 2021 · 9 posts · 9 votes10mo
Hey! I'm looking for a mentor as well. Now that it's been a while since you signed on with your mentor, how did it go? Do you recommend them?
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