2 years and hitting my stride!

Real Estate Deal Analysis & Advice
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2 years and hitting my stride!

Ryan Billingsley
Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes

It has been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. I started real estate investing over 2 years ago. We started with $1000 in marketing and closed a $10,500 wholesale deal 6 six weeks later. Between then and now we lost money on our first flip and went months at a time without closing a deal. It was not all roses and rainbows. Fast forward till today. I have closed 8 deals in 2017, I have 9 more properties in the works from just under contract to rehabbed and listed on MLS, and I own 4 rentals. I plan to continue wholesaling/wholetailing/flipping and by the end of this year begin marketing for my first multi unit or storage unit. Persistence, Focus, and team building has led me to finding some success. Let the motivated sellers ring and may 2017 be our best year yet!!!!

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James MasottiPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Washington Township, NJ · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 976 votes
9y

@Ryan Billingsley - Congrats on the success. The fact that you stuck it out is such a huge thing. In the start-up world they talk about "fake it until you make it" @Brandon Turner calls this "hustle". Whatever it is that you want to call it...at the end of the day it's about just getting things done that you have no business getting done, and once you develop even a small amount of momentum...making that mindset shift from scarcity to abundance. 

We're starting to see some accelerated growth in our business recently as well (this has kept me off BP for longer than it should have)...so I'm looking forward to having a similar success story in the near future.

Cheers and continued success!

Podcast Guest on Show #312
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  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    9y

    Congratulations, Ryan. You have to know the level of risk you are willing to accept. Learn from your mistakes. Then keep pressing on towards the goal!

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  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    Thank you @Nathan Gesner 

    I have learned a ton in the two and a half years since I first began the journey.  Took action fast, made mistakes, and then adjusted accordingly to prevent making the same mistakes in the future. 

    IMO goals are a big part of it.  I write down my goals every morning.  It keeps me obsessed with accomplishing them.  It is so easy to get lost in the noise of the unimportant.  

    If it scares you, then its worth doing.  Then you will look back and wonder why you were scared in the first place.

    0Reply
  • Andrew Johnson
    Real Estate Investor · Encinitas, CA · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    9y
    Ryan Billingsley Finally! I love any success story that highlights it's not all roses and rainbows. I do think you'll get requests to know how you spent your $1K on marketing. A lot of wholesalers (new ones) pop up here saying they have spent $2K on marketing, ended up with 2 replies, and both conversations yielded a quick "no".
    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Andrew Johnson

    Direct Mail marketing.  I bought an absentee list off listsource and started a mail campaign.  I had years of sales experience before getting into real estate investing which really helped with converting our first deal.  Today I do deals that I would of not been able to do in the beginning because of the people that I partner with.  I partner with buyers in my market and we split profits.  This is definitely a relationship business.

    0Reply
  • Brian Garrett
    Real Estate Investor · Palm Beach County, FL · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    9y

    @Ryan Billingsley Congrats buddy keep up the good work!

    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Brian Garrett

    Thank you sir!  

    0Reply
  • David Ward
    Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 36 posts · 16 votes
    9y

    That's awesome and encouraging @Ryan Billingsley

    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    Thank you @David Ward

    Encouraging and motivating others was the sole purpose of my post!

    0Reply
  • Scott Weekley II
    Wholesaler · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2015 · 12 posts · 0 votes
    9y

    So good to hear a real success story! I'm preparing to purchase my first list from listsource using high equity, older owners, and the last deed date being 10 years ago. I feel like I'm on the right path, but I wanted to hear your opinions to see if I was missing anything. Thanks for any feedback! 

    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Scott Weekley II

    I use list source as well.  I mainly target absentee, equity, and specific areas i want to buy in.  many of my deals are on properties owned less than 10 years.   I would likely skip that part of the criteria or maybe try with and without to see which response rate is better.

    0Reply
  • Assi S.
    NY · Member since 2016 · 46 posts · 15 votes
    9y

    @Ryan Billingsley Great for you man, It is always great hearing about success after all the hard time you had, its defiantly motivating to keep going and believe the deal will come, we are in very hard mental game over here. 

    Do you mine sharing whats has changed from not making deals to suddenly own it, what action did you take, what kind of marketing did you use and services, how many months did you mail to those lists 

    and if you go backward to your beginning phase what would you do today that you didn't do then.

    thanks again 

    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    Thanks!

    @Assi S.

    The key to my current streak of success is mindset shift, persistent marketing, and team building.  My lack of success in the past was due to scarcity mindset,  going months without marketing, and a finding the right team members.  

    Since then I have embraced the abundance mindset, focused on consistent marketing and have built a great team.

    I primarily use direct mail and bandit signs for lead generation.  I usually mail a list 1 time due to low cost of list.  I am partnering with local buyers that allow me to convert more leads while doing less work.

    I would not change the path I have taken because it has led me to where I am now.  The trial and errors have educated me to become the person and business I am today.

    1Reply
  • Assi S.
    NY · Member since 2016 · 46 posts · 15 votes
    9y

    @Ryan Billingsley thank you for that, 

    I am right now after couple of Months in that 

    Scarcity Mindset but I'm trying to push myself further, I've been doing marketing but not so much , I'm trying to find that missing link and to figure out the actions i need to take and go all in! 

    Would love to get any tips you can give in private. Thanks again for Sharing and keep killing it

    0Reply
  • Alex ShaughnessyPro Member
    Real Estate Investor · Spring Valley, CA · Member since 2016 · 288 posts · 98 votes
    9y

    Thank you. these are my favorite threads to read.

    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Alex Shaughnessy

    Thank you!  I hope it motivates.  Financial Freedom is the goal!  In a year or two I hope to be sharing more success stories of becoming financially free and being able to help others.

    0Reply
  • Dallas Trufyn
    Investor · Edmonton, Alberta · Member since 2017 · 94 posts · 72 votes
    9y

    Good job, keep it up!

    0Reply
  • Diane Dono
    Real Estate Agent · San Jose, CA · Member since 2017 · 57 posts · 35 votes
    9y

    Wow, congrats Ryan! You're on your way to your ultimate goal of financial freedom!  How awesome!

    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Dallas Trufyn Thank you sir!

    @Diane Dono Yes!  I plan to begin marketing for multi family and storage units by the fall to reach my ultimate goal of financial freedom.  I own 4 single family rentals but like Monopoly, I plan to purchase a big red building next after my 4 green houses haha.

    0Reply
  • Diane Dono
    Real Estate Agent · San Jose, CA · Member since 2017 · 57 posts · 35 votes
    9y

    Lol Ryan, great plan!!! Keep us posted!

    0Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Diane Dono Thanks!  Will do!!

    0Reply
  • Natalie KolodijBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Tax Strategist| National Tax Educator| Accepting New Clients · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    9y

    Congrats! Thanks for sharing the beginning of your journey

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  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Natalie Kolodij

    Thank you!  

    0Reply
  • Jacob Beard
    Fairview Heights, IL · Member since 2015 · 48 posts · 27 votes
    9y

    @Ryan Billingsley hey congrats! I live in Fairview heights which isn't to far.  I'm about to go on my 6th property. It's a quadplex. Good to see the Midwest representing well!

    0Reply
  • James MasottiPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Washington Township, NJ · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 976 votes
    9y

    @Ryan Billingsley - Congrats on the success. The fact that you stuck it out is such a huge thing. In the start-up world they talk about "fake it until you make it" @Brandon Turner calls this "hustle". Whatever it is that you want to call it...at the end of the day it's about just getting things done that you have no business getting done, and once you develop even a small amount of momentum...making that mindset shift from scarcity to abundance. 

    We're starting to see some accelerated growth in our business recently as well (this has kept me off BP for longer than it should have)...so I'm looking forward to having a similar success story in the near future.

    Cheers and continued success!

    Podcast Guest on Show #312
    1Reply
  • Ryan Billingsley
    OP
    Investor/Realtor · Wentzville, MO · Member since 2014 · 846 posts · 431 votes
    9y

    @Jacob Beard  

    Not far from me at all!  I assume your 6th is buy and hold??  Your well on your way to freedom!!!

    0Reply
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