Real estate investing seminars

Real Estate Investing Seminars: Choosing and evaluating
Evaluations | Speakers | Topics

The first thing...

you should find out about the seminars you're thinking about attending:

Are the speakers and presenters leading the real estate investing seminars actually making money as real estate investors?

If the guys (gals) who are presenting (and real estate investing is not gender specific) are making tons of money buying and selling real estate, you should probably listen to what they have to say.

If they aren't making money in the business - day to day - why should you waste your time and money?

Qualifying questions you should ask anybody soliciting your hard earned bucks to attend a seminar.

In the last 90 days, how many deals have you done - personally?

What is your average profit per deal?

How long have you been investing?

How many properties do you currently have under contract?

How does your program teach me how to generate a cash flow in real estate?

You need to find out what experience and credibility the seminar presenter has. Usually they have a particular field of expertise for which they have developed a reputation.

Real Estate Investing Seminars We Have Attended...

Over a period of about 2 1/2 years, we (my other half and I - the 'home' team) have personally invested about $30K in real estate investing seminars, courses, mentoring programs, tele-courses and books - not including air fare and hotel accomodations.

We'll probably spend at least that much over the next 2-3 years on more real estate investing seminars (and mentoring) because what we learned has provided numerous opportunities.

In addition, what we didn't apply - but knew - cost at least $5,000 in profit on one transaction. In spite of those losses that the deal still netted a $40,352.92 profit. One signature on one piece of paper could have stopped that $5,000 loss in its tracks.

And we knew better.

Evaluating Real Estate Investing Seminars

Click here to read my real estate investing seminars evaluations.

You will benefit from them as much as we have if you go, learn and put the information to work. In all cases we have done one or more of the following:

attended the seminars

interacted with the owners and presenters via email or telephone

met the owners and presenters

bought and used their materials

Speakers

Louis Brown
Ron LeGrand
John Ulmer
Jeff Kaller
Wendy Patton

Greg Pinneo
Chuck Smith
Donna Bauer
Nick Sedotti
Walt Taggert
Wright Thurston

Seminar Topics

Preforeclosure - Buying distressed properties prior to foreclosure Preforeclosure Seminars
Short Sales - Negotiating discounts with banks
Jeff Kaller Preforeclosure

Junkers, Fixers and Renovation

Lease Options

Lease Options
Lou Brown's Whole Enchilada
Pretty Houses - Move in Ready

Flipping Properties

Buy and Hold

Owner Financing

The National REIA (national real estate investors association) sponsors a number of events throughout the year.

The Ohio REA and the Atlanta groups are also very active investors clubs with strong track records and experienced membership.

So what's wrong with this picture?

Everybody and his brother is suddenly a real estate investing expert. You know they're experts - they all have seminars.

The recent stock market slide and the investment scandals have led to a fairly substantial migration from heavily invested stock portfolios to the real estate market.

This is good for real estate investors because it provides active investors with real estate investment capital and a market for houses they want to sell. It's also good for people who want a stable retirement portfolio, with a good return on investment - secured by real estate.

Choice is healthy. Competition keeps people honest and forces competitiors to provide better quality for their customers and to be innovative and creative.

The potential negative here is that new people - without experience in this industry - are coming here in large numbers for two primary reasons:

One - to make tons of money as investors because they heard on late night TV that they could be real estate millionaires without any of their own money

Two - to salvage what's left of their investment portfolio and get a good rate of return so they can rebuild their retirement funds (which have taken such a beating in the last year or two)

The problem is not opportunities for the good guys. It lies in the fact that opportunity also attracts those types of people who will take advantage of people - given the chance.

So being cautious is a really good idea here.

Dealing with ethical people - who are concerned about your success - should be one of the prerequisites you adhere to.

Not All Seminars Are Created Equal

Some real estate investing seminars are going to better than others.

You're going to like some seminars and others not. It's not unlike a broadway show or a concert by your favorite singer. Some days flow better than others and some audiences are more fun. Lively, active, attentive attendees - who come prepared - make a big difference because the group creates a snyergy that is contagious. This has a great deal of impact on the presenter and his(her) performance and energy. They have more fun and generally do a better job under those circumstances.

What makes for good real estate investing seminars:

Expertise and access to support after the class

Information that enables you to implement the speaker's concepts into your daily life

A good sense of humor. Did you know that you remember more detail when you are laughing? It's true. Find out from former attendees if the speaker has a good sense of humor.

Go to the seminar well prepared. Real estate investing seminars are no different than any other type of learning environment. The better you prepare to learn - the more you will get out of it. Get related course materials in advance and study them before you get to the event.

Real estate investing seminars are generally pretty expensive. But even the gurus who teach their own boot camps attend other presenters' real estate investing seminars and boot camps. They do this because smart people are always trying to improve themselves. If they get one good idea, it can make them a lot of money.

Do Your Homework

if you don't ask and take responsibilty, it's your own fault. Don't be timid about protecting your investment and getting your money's worth. Real estate investing seminars are not cheap.

ask around at your local real estate investing club or local association which real estate investing seminars members have attended, which ones they liked and why - and more to the point - which ones to avoid and why.

ask for references from the customer service staff at the seminar company. Get phone numbers and call former attendees and see what they think.

use your head and take your time before you decide

get a written copy of the guarantee policy before buying anything and make sure you understand it. Reputable people always offer some type of guarantee.

join your local real estate investing club or local association - this is an invaluable resource, particularly when you are starting out.

Where you can find your local real estate investing club or association.