Mooresville, NC 路 Member since 2017 路 5 posts 路 23 votes
Hello, BiggerPockets Community! (Man is it good to be here)
I got into real estate a little over 2 years ago. I flip-flopped from being a wholesaler to flipper throughout these last two years and have had successes and failures. Needless to say... I have experience in the industry.
I wanted to get the communities take on a company/platform that I utilize on a day-to-day basis, Connected Investors.
Many people have mixed feelings on this company but I wanted to share my experience on the platform and how it has helped me and something's you may want to try.
When I first got started, it was because of a webinar that I saw with their CEO. I couldn't afford the program (though I wanted to) so instead I made a free account and poked around.
I realized that investors were putting deals up there, collaborating, and using the platform as a type of LinkedIn. I quickly started building my buyers and sellers list by messaging other members who were investors in my area. Then when I found a deal, I found a partner to JV with me. That is how I got my start...
I don't use all their products, but they have a few that are CRUCIAL to my business. One has all the contracts I need and another emails me deals daily. Pretty cool!
What is the communities take on this company, their products, and their programs?
Real Estate Investor 路 Encinitas, CA 路 Member since 2016 路 3k+ posts 路 3k+ votes
9y
The real fun part is when a new user, purported to be genuine, pops up and their only 3 posts are basically promoting a site. And, on top of that, at least a couple of their positive posts are done on the first day. No other comments, no other questions, no other value to add, just shilling for company _______. It's almost as if they joined just to market for a company. I know, that couldn't possibly be the case (please read sarcasm into it, it's intended). This isn't the first time it's happened, it isn't the last time it will happen, and I'm guessing that the BP moderators see right through it.
The real fun is when the forum poster doesn't disclose they're a vendor or partner of the organization the are publicly lauding. Regardless, kudos @Allan Smith for putting the link up so that anyone new to BiggerPockets can see a scam coming and not buy into an illegitimate company because of the illegitimate reviews.
But, maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's all a big coincidence. Maybe people join and post reviews of products their first day on the forums all of the time. I mean I guess it's *possible*...
Real Estate Investor 路 Encinitas, CA 路 Member since 2016 路 3k+ posts 路 3k+ votes
9y
The real fun part is when a new user, purported to be genuine, pops up and their only 3 posts are basically promoting a site. And, on top of that, at least a couple of their positive posts are done on the first day. No other comments, no other questions, no other value to add, just shilling for company _______. It's almost as if they joined just to market for a company. I know, that couldn't possibly be the case (please read sarcasm into it, it's intended). This isn't the first time it's happened, it isn't the last time it will happen, and I'm guessing that the BP moderators see right through it.
The real fun is when the forum poster doesn't disclose they're a vendor or partner of the organization the are publicly lauding. Regardless, kudos @Allan Smith for putting the link up so that anyone new to BiggerPockets can see a scam coming and not buy into an illegitimate company because of the illegitimate reviews.
But, maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's all a big coincidence. Maybe people join and post reviews of products their first day on the forums all of the time. I mean I guess it's *possible*...
Mooresville, NC 路 Member since 2017 路 5 posts 路 23 votes
9y
Woah @Andrew Johnson ... First off, I would like to point out how disappointed I am that I cannot simply put out my experience using Connected Investors without being touted as a "fake". Secondly, I am new to the BiggerPockets community as I have been using the CI platform for some time now. The first instance I saw negative reviews about the company I have built my company on the back of, of course, I will jump to defend them. I think that many people on this site either did not utilize their platform correctly (or efficiently).
I believe that Connected Investors has a lot of value to bring to investors when it comes to certain products and networking in the REI community. I have wholesaled countless properties through their messaging featuring and discussion board. I believe people like you (Andrew) do a dis-service to other investors who could potentially find value in the site and are deterred because of comments like yours.
Real Estate Investor 路 Encinitas, CA 路 Member since 2016 路 3k+ posts 路 3k+ votes
9y
@Jake Scott Fair point, I'll take myself out of the equation and just have newbies read @Allan Smith's link to tons of other opinions and experiences. Or maybe the complaints on BBB or maybe the complaints on RipOffReport. Forgive those of us that don't blindly take a positive experience with a paid-service at face value. But I will tell you this, blaming other paid-users for "not using the site correctly" doesn't further your argument for new people joining.
If anything it says: "The product is hard to use for a lot of new users, you may not use it correctly, and you may lose a lot of money attempting to learn to use it correctly. No refunds."
If any BP user wants to join under those terms, hey man, have at it! 馃憤馃徎
Side note, reread my post. I'm not saying that anyone who backs CI is fake. What I'm saying is if you're a user whose *sole* contribution to BP forums is shilling for a company, it's suspect. When you start your own thread instead of commenting on legacy threads (thus taking negative comments out of the stream for new users) it's suspect. When you start it on the first day you join and it's your sole focus of diatribes, it's suspect.
People can make their own decisions. They can look at your post history and decide. They can look at previous reviews from other users about CI and decide. And, guess what, they get to make an educated and intuitive guess as to the valdidity of positive and negative reviews.
And, like I said, maybe it's all a giant coincidence 馃檮
Winston Salem, NC 路 Member since 2017 路 201 posts 路 56 votes
8y
i wouldn't go by complaints on BBB anybody can post a complaint. What I have seen many put very little effort into realestate and wonder why they get no where. I have many friends and business associates dibble and dabble. Dnt work like that lol. Wonder why they get no where then post on these platform. I see people always say I can get for free instead of paying these gurus then done 2 or no deals. Why not alot more?
Winston Salem, NC 路 Member since 2017 路 201 posts 路 56 votes
8y
contract genie makes sense they already have contracts all they are doing is putting together a program. Why they can charge 54 bucks or 150. Lawyers already looked at contracts etc. Very smart. They are just passing along what they already have. Anything they charge is pure profit.
Here's the skinny. I will give to you in two parts. Part 1 - I have invested in Real Estate Riches 2018, Really Flip and Pen Point Profit and Deal Dog. Near $3,000. I've been working with the apps for a few month now. It is true the apps are very suspect. For example, their Real Estate Riches says in their webinar, " Digital Mentor = *A Guidance Every Step of the way on your terms. *Comes with 3 live classes a week. *An app connected directly with your teacher. *Email and phone support. *Live calls directly with lenders.
There is no such thing as "Live Phone Support" as you and I know it to be, i.e. you call and you get a live person on the phone who will solve your problems. I have been with them for months and never even got a customer service person. If you email technical support, they will respond to your questions regarding glitches in the app or the system and they are very prompt in their assistance for that.
But when you ask any probing question regarding apps that are not what they were sold to be. You won't get a response from anyone.
If you care to know exactly what my experiences were in dealing with their so call "Live Support" Read Part 2 in this email conversation going back and forth and determine for yourself if the answers were adequate and draw your on conclusions. But before you do, I will say this. Ross Hamilton's effort to take real estate investing into the technological age is at it's pioneering stage at best. I can understand why there would be a lot of unanswered glitches moving forward. Connected Investors truly is one of the most important movements of this new "Share Economy age we are moving into. So I would not throw the baby out with the bath water. The baby, being Connected Investor's vision is pure and innocent. The baby I give 2 stars for it's innovation and playing a part of disruption of the current real estate paradigm. There are enough people in CI who are having great success.The bathwater is the non-forthcoming, non-forthright way in which the handle their customers - they just won't respond. And once your money is in their coffers, past the legal refund period, they don't have to. And the fact that their webinars paint a picture of their apps to be a state of the arts diesel engine train, but turns out to be a one horse stage coach - unfortunately those Government agencies who regulate business practices will allow a modicum of deception in advertisements. Much like the FDA will allow additives and chemicals void of nutrition in your food. Everybody is feasting off the masses. Welcome to capitalism. CI is not a scam, because there is opportunity in the maze. People are making good money as we speak with the networking and private investors, which is their flagship product Now, you can read my questions and how they respond you will learn what could possibly, no doubt a scam, that no government regulator will abide by.
(a) "Guidance every step of the way on your terms" - aka Digital Mentor - this is the Pro Support forum inside CI which is only for Pro Members
(b) "Comes with 3 live classes a week" - The fast start trainings that are available and live each week. you can sign up for them here-PPP, Really Flip
(c) "An app connected directly with your teacher" - This is also the Pro Support forum. Doug is in that forum and responds to questions regarding your questions
(e) "Connected Investors Institute" - Education and training tools found under Data Table inside PPP
(f) "Live training or coaching sessions" - same as (b)
(g) "Live calls directly with lenders." - Fast Funding application built inside PinPoint Profits app
Thank you Kayleigh for your clear and concise response. I do have the Pro Support app in my app module.
Questions:
Does that qualify me as a member? Or is there another cost for me to join?
Also Items (a) aka pro support forum does not constitute having your own digital mentor as discussed in the seminar. If it does it is very misleading. (d) Email and Live phone support. It is very clear who to email for technical support. But it has never been made clear who to email for guiding support; and there is definitely no such thing as Live phone support in CI. The greatest selling point of the webinar (for people new to real estate) is that you are paying to individual guidance, i.e a 1 on 1 mentor via digital, email or live phone support...not a forum. Two separate things. Lastly, you say there is no such thing as the Attorney app, however, I am not the only one in CI community who viewed a webinar celebrating the Attorney app and the Insurance app and wondering where these illusive apps are. This is the one benefit I did get from the forum. It is far easier for someone to admit that these apps are not ready and may have been revealed too early than to deny they exist.
Please do not misunderstand my query. I do not blame you nor am I accusing CI of deliberate deceit. I believe these to be oversights that should be cleaned up before the ship hits rough waters. But these are legitimate questions that deserve some very legitimate answers, not a throw away line that don't exist. We know what we saw and we are not crazy people with this fertile imaginations.
I don't care how much money I make working with CI, I won't rest until I get satisfactory answers to these questions.
If you have the Pro Support app that means you are a member.
The Pro Support along with the live training videos we offer constitute the digital mentor.
You can email us here at =======for guiding support, but truly the Pro forum is the best place to go for that because you can get knowledge from a variety of people with experience specifically in what you are going through. That way you can get a multitude of opinions and feedback.
Can you please send me the webinar in which you saw the reference to the insurance and/or attorney app? I have a list of all of the apps we have ever created and are in the process of being made and that description does not match any of them as far as I can tell.
Investor 路 Westchester County, NY 路 Member since 2014 路 77 posts 路 19 votes
8y
@Account Closed
I actually went through just about the same exact thing with Kayleigh a couple of months ago regarding their non-phone support phone support. To be fair to Kayleigh, I know she doesn't call the shots there and is just doing her job -- this is on Ross Hamilton, himself. But one thing that hooked me in when deciding to purchase their "Really Flip" product was the idea that there were real estate experts there I could call at any time and ask real estate questions. That is a blatant lie. Yes, you can e-mail someone (basically Kayleigh) with customer service or tech support questions, but that's hardly the same thing as actual real estate questions. Actually just about EVERYONE offers some kind of customer service or tech support by e-mail -- that's hardly a special feature of Connected Investors. Furthermore, once I signed up, I was told, in his introductory materials, that I would be receiving a call for a one-on-one strategy session. Yet, it never happened, and when I asked about it, sure enough, Kayleigh said it was no longer available.
And that's not even all. Their "Value App" is just the opportunity to PAY for a value report, something which I'm pretty sure Ross never mentioned in his webinar. Maybe it's reasonable that people should have to pay for such a report, but it's still something that should be made clear BEFORE people buy. I also find their Repair Estimates app very unclear. I did e-mail Kayleigh about it, but, sure enough, the answers were very evasive.
Is Connected Investors a scam? I don't know. There might be ways to benefit from what it has to offer, but what I feel comfortable saying is that they engage in a LOT of false advertising (notice I don't say "misleading" or "deceptive" -- saying you offer phone support when you don't is just plain-old "false").
I filled out the intake at CI and was immediately hit for an application fee to apply for funding.
I'm now getting emails saying there are investors willing to put up the down payment for properties, that i have never seen, and it really does not make sense to me.
Are there hard money firms out there who legitimately put up down payments?
Traverse City, MI 路 Member since 2018 路 3 posts 路 5 votes
8y
I wanted to add my review for Connected Investors. We purchased this about three months ago and I find it to be pretty frustrating. I find there is not much information collected here that is current. When I try to look up only Foreclosures or High Equity, etc., I find that the information is very dated so I am wasting time on researching a home that was Foreclosed in on the past but is not CURRENTLY a Foreclosure. I emailed tech support and they stated they can add a request to the team so in the future this may be changed. As of now, I have stopped using the platform because it is a time waster. I looked up Bank Owned and found properties that were, At one time, Bank owned but not currently. I have used other products before and found them to be more intuitive so I will move on from Connected Investors.
Property Manager 路 Baton Rouge, LA 路 Member since 2014 路 2k+ posts 路 195 votes
8y
No one would need CI or any site if they would go back to old fashion methods. The local Court house, news paper and simple driving through neighborhoods to find deals..
I find that a lot of the "deals" on there are other wholesalers looking to build a buyers list after they get a house under contract. I am a member, drank the kool-aid. I will say this much. There are really valuable resources on there. I love contract genie and dealinsite website. Dealdog is getting better as they work on it. Yes, there are a lot of scammers and they don't help much with funding as a company unless you use the cix interface.
I find the place useful because the people who did bother to buy the software or even just the ones who have a bunch of friends on the site, often turn out to be people that I have learned a lot from and since ci doesn't seem to bother with moderating the forums much, it has become sort-of a craigslist/facebook for wholesalers and buyers. We, as users, have had to take a lot of that work into our own hands. The really flip training does help people new to the business learn the basics of finding, funding, and flipping. There are good calculators on there as well.
In all, there are good points and bad points to the place. If you need funding for a large project, learn how to avoid and spot scam lenders and try looking for companies who specialize in lending to what you need. I am trying to fund a 206 unit duplex complex, so I look for places that specialize in funding apartment complexes, etc., but look for that on duckduckgo or google. I have mixed feelings about ci so far.
I didn't have to pay for connected investors I'm completely lost. All i do is add people so I can network. That's all i use it for. Doesn't seem like a scam. Although I haven't tried to connect with anyone it seems legit
I had a bad experience with connected investors well I decided to go for cix(private lenders) not good at all I started getting to good to be true info about the loans so I messaged Ross about my concerns after he request me to be a friend so I felt like I could have turn to him about my problems about they website but I was wrong again I felt like I was being scammed so when I messaged Ross about how can I find out if these lenders are real because I am getting crazy loan offers and I call the numbers back after the so call lenders emailed me and man it made me raise my eyebrow they can't prove they are real lenders but Ross instantly suspend my account like I did something wrong
I see the cost is $47, but I'm wondering if there is an upsale of services or products that are critical to being successful with CI. Will the $47 initial investment be enough to make any money on this program for someone like me, a person who doesn't have a penny to waste on hype with only pitches to spend more money on what's REALLY needed to be successful. Someone PLEASE advise. I have to make some money now and I believe real estate is the best way to go. Thanks! Tony
Irvine, CA 路 Member since 2018 路 31 posts 路 10 votes
7y
Pin 3.0 reminds me of Kent Clothier's SMART system. Both allow you to view vacant properties that are not listed, have incorporated direct mail system that send mails to the vacant properties' owners. Problem is both have the same issue of having dated contact information.
I just drank the kool-aid last night and bought access to their "training" and apps. I like the idea of using technology to help us do things more efficiently but now after reading this forum, I'm a little concerned that I might have made a mistake. I'm still within the 3-day period to cancel. I'm fairly new to real estate, in the education phase. I signed up with a mentor whom I met personally and who was recommended by someone else I know who went through his program, so I feel I have the one-on-one mentoring covered. I was fascinated by Deal Dog as a supplement to other methods of finding houses but now I'm concerned about the accuracy and how current the information may or may not be (after reading through the thread). I also thought it might be a good place to network with others in areas that aren't local to me but that I want to invest in down the road (but in retrospect, I think Bigger Pockets can serve that purpose). I haven't had much time to explore the apps and need to poke around to see what I think, but I appreciate the input from everyone on this thread. Gives me a little more insight and will help me pause before jumping into the next shiny opportunity to help get my business going.
It was $297 to access all of their "training" materials and then after the first month, there will be a monthly charge of $37 for use of the apps that were included (I believe there were 4 included in the package). I asked myself last night before signing up if I could stomach losing $300 if it ended up being useless. At the time I decided that I could. I've been poking around on their site this morning, and finally contacted Kayleigh at their support email to ask for help because nothing on the site is very intuitive.
Investor 路 Austin TX 路 Member since 2016 路 1k+ posts 路 2k+ votes
7y
@Alicia Andry Cancel and get your money back. Remember the companies make their money by selling these programs to as many people as possible. They dont really have a vested interest in these programs being useful, as long as there is a constant influx of people buying into their program they dont care if it actually benefits the people using it.
