Real Estate and Property Blog

I am a criminal justice major at my college but I plan on getting involved in real estate investing as well. I have taken courses from the Trump institute and the Robert Allen institute. I was wondering if a minor in finance would help me in this field? The courses are intro and intermediate microeconomic analysis and intro and intermediate macroeconomic analysis. Then intro to investing, and then real estate investing. Is that all really worth my while or is it just going to be a waste of time? Could I find enough information on investing elsewhere?

You can never be over educated. I started of with degrees in th efood industries, then got a degree in communications. I never used the forr degree (I had 1 job for 6 weeks and found out I hated it) I am now a mortgage consultant for a bank.

What if you get hurt in the line of duty or you find out you hate what do you have to fall back on. In this buyers market, buying real eatate is a great way to invest.

So I can go on about my life, but I want this answer.. i'll just get right to it. I am a newly licensed real estate salesperson. But my goal isn't really in this state, or being an agent for more than three years… and it's not about the market, Im just a little anxious. So listen, I got the license because i want to get into investing, I want to flip houses and then be able to sell them myself, access to the market, etc. I already have partners in mind, whom after a few words are very interested in joining me. I know a ton of people in the construction business, landscaping, you name it. What I am having difficulty in, is finding a company where I can be an investor or even an assistant to learn the ropes. Is it true a license is not going to cut it, and I need to go to school for some crazy business degree or something.
Can anyone help me with this, I'm mostly looking for advice, no links to investing on my own, I have zero dollars and I want to invest WITH money.

I'm a little confused also by your description of your situation and what you're trying to accomplish but I'll give it shot. First, you do not need a degree of any kind to be a real estate investor. You do not even need a real estate license. You do however need to be very knowledgeable about a whole range of things from market conditions to financing–both conventional and creative. And, if you are doing this with other people's money, you are going to need to get some solid experience under your belt in order to be credible.

You might try to specifically cultivate an investor clientele as a real estate agent. But, alot of investors don't use agents. Many of them feel that they don't need a realtor and they don't like paying those pesky commissions.

I do not know of a real estate company–major or otherwise, that is going to specifically mentor you or nurture your aspirations of becoming an investor. Becoming an agent or eventually a broker yes–but not an investor. That's your own business. Alot of agents do invest in real estate on the side. But, there's no position that would be the equivalent of an apprentice investor in a real estate agency. You will need to look outside your agency to get mentoring in this area.

I would suggest you see if there are any real estate investment clubs in your area. You'll make some good contacts, probably hear some good speakers, learn a few things you didn't know and perhaps even find a mentor. Here's a link to a directory where you can find out if there are any groups like this in your area. http://www.creonline.com/real-estate-clubs/index.html

Good Luck.

*Edit - I just realised after I answered this that maybe you were talking about managing the real estate investments of a major company like say McDonald's or Wal-mart. If that's the case, you probably would need a finance/business degree of some type.

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Shows depicting real estate investing strategies are extremely popular and make turning a profit look simple and guaranteed. What they do not show you, though, is that the world of real estate investing is fraught with danger and that losing money is very much a reality. Yes, there are investors who make a great deal of money because of their investments, but profit does not come easily to even the most experienced investors. They work hard and make sacrifices daily to make their dreams a reality. To find out if you have what it takes to be a serious investor, you should consider several things.

The first thing that you should consider involves time and how much of it you can devote to your real estate investing project. Many investors are still able to hold down full time jobs while dabbling in investments, but they still have to devote a good bit of time to make their investment successful. If you do not have the time to invest, maybe an investment that requires little or no involvement from you would suit you better.

Real estate deals are also very stressful. From the moment you start looking for a property until the moment that you sell it, you will be faced with numerous decisions regarding your property. You will have to deal with contractors, real estate agents, lawyers, and potential buyers. And not everything you do will go as planned. If you cannot handle stressful situations, real estate investing might not be for you.

Real estate investing also takes a great deal of initial investment capital. While you can finance part of your venture, you will need to supply at least part of the money needed to purchase the property and do any necessary repairs. If you are limited in this area, you will need to look for ways to raise the needed capital or look for investments that require less of a start up commitment.

In addition to making these considerations, you should also be prepared to research and study the real estate market in your area, the tax laws of your state, and numerous laws regarding real estate transactions. You will even need to research individual properties before you purchase them. Again, this takes a lot of effort and commitment on your part.

If you are willing to make the commitment to see each and every real estate investing venture through to its successful conclusion, there is a large reward for you at the end. But the reward does not come easily. You will have to invest your time, energy, and resources to make it happen. Are you up for the challenge?

When people think about their 401k, they consider a lump sum of money that has been put away for retirement. In fact, most people completely forget about their 401k until income tax time. Creative real estate investors, however, have figured out that their 401k’s and real estate investing have a mutually beneficial relationship.

So with that being said, you are probably wondering how a savvy investor can use one for the other.

The easiest way that 401k and real estate investing can work together is through the ability to take out a loan against a 401k. The primary objective with real estate investing is to use little or none of your own personal money to fund the investment. Since you are allowed to borrow against your 401k, you can use this to finance part of your investment. When the deal closes, you will receive the amount you borrowed and then some. You can then easily pay back the loan without affecting your 401k. So, basically, it’s like a short term loan you make against yourself. You have access to the funds needed for investing, it doesn’t technically come directly out of your pocket, and when you finally cash in your profits, you simply pay yourself back.

There are some things to note about this method of investing, however. First, you should know that there is a cap on the amount you can borrow against your 401k. This amount is usually $50,000. However, it can be less, depending on the amount of money you actually have in your 401k. Another thing to note is that the real estate you purchase through this method is not eligible for the mortgage-interest tax deduction. There are no tax benefits when you use 401k to finance a portion of any real estate related transaction.

Another option for is to put the money into an IRA, or individual retirement account. Sometimes this is not allowed, but it if is, you will have more flexibility on what you can do with the money. You might receive a penalty for moving your money from your 401K. However, the penalty is usually worth considering given the benefits you would receive through real estate investing. Just keep in mind, the main objective is to only borrower the money for a certain period of time. As you wrap up each deal, its imperative that you repay yourself, and only hold onto the remainder of the profit.

If you are weary of the risks involved, there is a safer way to invest in real estate by using your 401k. Some plans offer the option to invest in real estate investment trusts. These trusts consist of companies that buy and sell real estate, which is a much less risky way of investing in real estate. It also requires less work on the part of the investor since the trust companies are the ones actually doing the real estate investing.

Most people are unaware of the many possibilities that exist by using their 401k’s to invest in real estate. It is a creative way for investors to make a profit in real estate without actually using their own money. The best part about it is that there are both safe and risky ways of investing with this money to yield a profit. The decision you make is one entirely of personal preference.