All Forum Posts by: Joseph Greene

Quote from @Elena Kolacy:

Be aware the sleezy salesman tactics for this program. from the get go of the interview, they refuse to tell you what the program is about, what value can it bring to the student, what benefits and positive outcomes it can produce. Instead, they jump into asking about your financial situation and goals "to see if you are a good fit". Pretty much, if you want to learn anything about the program, you have to tell your life story first - very one way street. Feels scammy and sleezy. Such a dinosaur tactics. Won't recommend to anyone

Hi Elena. With all due respect, I don't want to dispute or debate your stance on this subject, so I hope this message reaches you in good graces :-)

I don't personally know Brandon Turner from the next 'celebrity' podcaster/author/content creator/real estate investor.  

I have watched many of his podcasts, primarily when he was a part of Bigger Pockets and then when he afterwards parted ways with them and ventured out on his own projects. I read a couple of his books and even saw his ads for this First Deal mentorship program.

The man, from what I can tell, has largely operated with the utmost integrity. I have never gotten a sleazy, salesman-type,  con-artist vibe from him and I'm a fairly decent judge of character. On the contrary, he seems like your regular, friendly 'wealthier than me' neighbor.

I am definitely not trying to dispute your suggestion that the original author of this post throw caution to the wind without approaching his decision with careful optimism. I whole-heartedly agree with you that he should be mindful moving forward. 

However, I did also want to point out that in all of the years that I have listened to, watched or read Brandon's various content on real etate, I have always been pleasantly surprised by his authenticity and the sincerity that comes thru with the information that he has provided. 

 In my eyes, the man has been a beacon of light within this industry and within the information space as well. Even the marketing advertisements that I have seen for this course have felt like nothing but professional and genuine. 

I feel  like the pre-approval process they are utilizing might be more about sifting thru candidates and ensuring a mutually beneficial relationship while minimizing unnecessary downtime for their team as well as incoming new members. I could be wrong, I have been before and will be again. Soon, I'm sure. 

But, all that being said, I get good vibes from Brandon and this opportunity, even with the investment. They're guaranteeing a deal and to work with new members for 12 months. I, too, have considered joining the program. 

Do you have any experiences, good or bad, with either the program or any of Brandon's prior content yourself?

@Jon Reed I appreciate your feedback and your time, Jon. Thanks for the words of encouragement and sharing your perspective on the enjoyable aspects of management, specifically in the way of tenant relationships. I suppose that was one component that I have been overlooking, to some degree, whilst focusing mostly on how I am going to organize all of the technical necessities like expenses and such. 

Looking forward to this new challenge with mixed emotions and, as you mentioned your reason for getting into management, the main goal of simply learning. I wish I would have taken this step years ago when a landlord in my area told me one of the best ways of getting started was simply to buy a duplex and learn by doing. But I was a 20-something who thought I knew a better way of getting started in real estate. Anywho…

Have a good one! :-)

@Mike McCarthy Thanks for the feedback Mike. Very greatly appreciated! Brandon has a very 'digestable' writing style. I heard him mention the Landlording on Autopilot book, so I thought I would try to get the input from others. I also see there is at least one article here on Bigger Pockets related to my inquiry: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...

Thanks again! :-)

Thanks John, 

I sincerely appreciate the reply, advice and the suggestions on the books. Your 4-points on Tenant Relations was great, practical advice. The first three points seem like common sense, but I can only imagine how many landlords do not implement these very basic practices. 

Ten years of experience managing rental properties is a long time. I've heard management can be a bit challenging at times, but it sounds like you have a system that works well for you :-)  Do you prefer management over the investing aspect of real estate.

As far as spending time with a real estate attorney for lease agreement creation, are there any websites that may have a generic template with which to present as a starting point? You mentioned each city has different rules on what is and is not allowed so I'm guessing it may be better to leave it up to the attorney entirely?

Thanks for your time John :-)

Good day community. So I've just received a pre-approval for a home and am looking for a duplex as I am a bit nervous about considering a larger multi-unit. 

I do not know anything about landlording or managing real estate or tenants so I thought it would be a good idea to learn :-) That being said, does anybody have any experience or preference on reading either Brandon Turner's The Book on Managing Rental Properties and/or Mike Butler's Landlording On Autopilot? 

Amazon has both books ranked with 5-star reviews from 87% and 85% of purchasers respectively, so it's not a question of 'which book is better', I don't believe. I plan to purchase both books, but as a completely 'wet behind the ears' beginner, I'm wondering if the community can help me answer this 'burning' question: Which book might be a better use of my time first? 

I have read Brandon's No and Low Money Down book, listened to his podcasts and he obviously has a gift for breaking down complex concepts into simple to understand layman's (sp?) terms. 

Any constructive feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Thanks Brett. Thanks Meghan. I sincerely apologize for the delay, or as Alec Baldwin impersonating Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live would say, I "apple-o-jize (being that he does not apologize). I am still navigating my way thru the website and, occasionally get overwhelmed with the breadth of information on the website- I must have misplaced my manners in the process since I did not take the time to thank you both for taking the time to reply to my original post. I thank you for your input- It was practical and straight-forward. I realize that this is an industry where many learn by doing, and also that the majority of information I will need can, in one way or another, be found on this website. Thanks again for your input and best of luck to you both in your respective ventures.

Hello everyone. 

As someone who is completely new to the expansiveness of this particular industry, I want to say how lucky I am to have stumbled on to this forum.

Three years ago, as my oldest daughter was nearing her high school graduation, I decided to re-enroll in college and pursue the degree that I put on hold some 20 years ago when she was born. I very well could have worked and gone to school, but I was always the type of student who did just enough to pass, so I decided to double up as a worker bee instead and school got out on the backburner for about, oh, 20 years ☺

I am proud to say that I have since finished my first stretch of 'higher education' and I am ready for round two. This has led me to a crossroads as this concept has really begun fascinating me. 

I was initially going to go back and pursue my bachelors in business management but, as I started reading articles about buying and fixing up properties, I began to reconsider the possibility of getting more experience in residential construction. 

Regardless of which direction I choose first, I see merits to both. My question to you all is, mindset aside (tenacity, persistence, creativity, networking, optimism, etc.) what type of educational background seems best suited to successful real estate investors? Are they good at number crunching? Are they hands-on and mechanical? Are they degreed or are they graduates from the School of Hard Knocks? 

Obviously, I know there is no singular answer better than the next, but I'd really like to know so that I can lay the groundwork for what steps to take next in pursuit of my goals while minimizing time 'wasted' during this learning curve.

Thanks in advance! 

 Thanks for the reply David and I appreciate the link, Michael. 

I'm definitely looking forward to getting involved! You guys take care! 

Hello, I am Joseph. I have dipped my toes in the water as far as starting the learning process with real estate but have not made the commitment to learn as well as act until I joined this website. Hoping to network with like-minded and positive individuals, learn as much as I can about this industry, and maybe make a few friends in the process. I was hoping to purchase my first multi-family before winter but I feel like I need to reconsider that goal as that is less than 3 months away- I'm not ready! :-)