At What Point Are You A "Serious" Investor?

[Anthony Gayden]

This is something I have been thinking about for a while. At this point I own three properties and I have been an investor/landlord for 2.5 years. I still don't feel like a serious investor. 

I feel like I should be out constantly making deals. It took me over 2 years to buy my third property. I admit that I did get very focused on my job and wasn't focused enough on real estate for a while.

So my question is do you believe there is a number of properties, number of deals completed, net worth, income, or other factor that makes you truly a "serious" investor?

[Meghan McCallum]

A serious investor is someone who makes deals happen, analyzes risk, and takes some leaps towards success. People who buy property to rent for passive income I see as landlords. 

However, a landlord who knows all the legal advantages and tax laws to build wealth, protects his assets, builds a company, creates systems, knows the difference between cash flow and rental income, and has a plan to buy their next property...is also an investor.