Two quick questions…Here’s the first: When you wake up and then go about your day… are you filled with joy as your mind runs through all the exciting possibilities concerning things like property maintenance (including cleaning gutters and clogged toilets), filling tenant vacancies, and checking up on how to comply with the latest state and federal laws concerning taxes and fair housing?If so, stop reading this article. You shouldn’t be thinking about real estate investment ‒ you should probably

I’ve said it before — success isn’t just one thing. It’s more than a single attribute or skill, more than making money or being content with where you’re at in life.So what can we say about success without writing a whole book?Well, success is basically all about working smarter. And there are a few primary ways to do this…The Abundance MentalityA fundamental trait for achieving success is developing an attitude of abundance. So, if that proverbial glass really is half-empty… because

There’s a saying: “Be an active participant in your own rescue.” Let’s look at what that means when it comes to developing a mindset for success.There are many ingredients that go into building a successful mental framework for lasting success, such as developing smart habits in general, viewing failure as an important part of your forward progress, accepting your personality and inherent strengths, and more. But one of the most important is this:You must believe that it’s possible to change

We talk a lot about using OPM ‒ “other people’s money” ‒ in the real estate investment world. So it’s worth taking a few minutes to talk about how that’s actually supposed to work…How Not to Do ThisFor example, here’s what it doesn’t mean: using a credit card to purchase some consumer item, like a new stereo system or whatever. Sure, you’re using OPM (the credit card’s bank in this case), but…You’re merely borrowing money you don’t have… which you’ll have to pay back with a very high interest

So, you’re ready to scale up your investment activities…And you wonder: Is there some way to get “insider” access to bigger and better deals? A way into the back room where the real action is?Yes, Fine Restaurants Are Nice…When you’re starting out and your net worth is lower (and your cash flow, too), it’s like you’ve acquired a taste for dining out in some pretty upscale restaurants…You’ve got a couple of favorites. They know your name, maybe give you some discounts because you drop a lot

Since you’re reading my blog, you probably already know that you can’t gain financial freedom only by having income from a paycheck.There are a few reasons for this ‒ but today we’ll focus on just one. And that’s where the question comes in: “When it comes to how you spend your time, are you the master… or the servant?” Here’s what I mean…Are You a Servant?Do you have a clear idea of where you want to live (assuming it’s not where you are now), but can’t pull it off because you just can’t afford

Here’s a question I get a lot: “Can I invest in real estate with no money of my own?” There are some variations, like “Can I invest when I have very little capital?” or “Is it really necessary to risk my own capital when I could use other people’s money instead?” But it’s pretty much the same question being asked.My answer?Well, in theory there are ways you can get started as a real estate investor with little or no capital of your own… but why in the world would you want to do that?We’ll take

You’ve probably heard of the “fight-or-flight” response, right?It’s when something threatens us, and our body switches to fight-or-flight mode: adrenaline kicks in, our attention focuses 100 percent on the threat at hand, everything in our body and mind prepares for action. We’re either going to run from the threat ‒ or fight and kill it.It’s a useful biological system to have, especially when it comes to physical danger. If you’re taking a walk through the neighborhood… and a massive,

I’ve got a guest blog post for you today…It’s by a friend of mine named Brian Ellwood. You’ll see pretty quickly why I’ve asked him to share his expertise with us. For now, let’s just say that considering what he teaches, it’s more like he’s… me!So, I’ll let Brian take it from here…How Virtual Real Estate Investing is Destroying Barriers for Would-Be Investors“It’s my belief that you should live where you want, and invest where you should.” – Brian EllwoodIf you’re reading this, then I probably

It’s time for the fourth and final part of this series (you can go here for Part 3)…Last time, we covered the kinds of properties you need to look for ‒ the properties that will serve you well as long-term investments. We finished with the numbers from an actual property that fits these criteria. Here’s what we saw:(This was for a newly constructed property worth $158,000 at time of purchase.) The owner made a 25% down payment of $39,500, and the property generates a monthly cash flow of