You have probably observed that your best first investment is in yourself. Even if you have closed a few deals in the past, you must have a mentor who can help take you to the next level in your real estate investing business.

For many years I have been a successful real estate investor and I still marvel at the masses of less experienced RE Investors who flounder in this REI business. They attend seminars, read books, listen to CDs and watch videos on getting rich in real estate. Unfortunately, almost all of these folks never make any money investing in real estate. They just spend what they have on more "education." Don't do that!

The sad truth is that there are so many real estate investing scams out there that you need to be very cautious about who you trust. So, what are some things to look for if you are to secure an honest apprenticeship from a true qualified mentor? The following is a checklist that you can use when choosing the right real estate investing mentor for your REI business.

1. The mentor must have actually had success investing in real estate. That means that they would be a millionaire.
2. They should currently be investing on their own. What are they doing right now?
3. Your mentor should be of good character with high moral values. If you are not comfortable that they are, run!
4. He/She should have a vested interest in your success. If not, they have zero motivation to see you through to your own success.
5. Your mentor should be a skilled communicator with exceptional teaching skills.
6. They should be patient and be willing to work with you on a 1-on-1 basis.
7. They must be reachable/available for you when you really need them.

The foregoing is a short list that I have created from my real estate investing experience over 3 decades and and my direct experience as an active real estate mentor of 5 years. Over the next few weeks I will blog about these points in a series of blog posts. I believe that it is truly imperative that you seriously consider each of these points carefully. If you do, your chances of real estate investing success are greatly multiplied.

My recommendation of getting a mentor is purely because I hate seeing sincere, regular people spend their last dollar on a huckster who is only after their money. This is criminal in my book. Remember, you are always responsible for the decisions that you make. Do your homework. You are starting a business!