Getting Started in Real Estate from zero knowledge of the industry may be a daunting task, not because of the complexity of the industry, but because of the amount of information out there on the web, that may make your head spin without control.

So this is my list of things I will do if I had to start from zero

Join a local Real Estate Group – Getting Started in Real Estate

To me this must be the first step. This is where all the local investors go, network, pitch deals, and share information.

Also, you can start getting familiar with title companies and realtors that are investor friendly, which means they understand what a real estate investor do, and can help you or direct you to the right people.

Find out where they meet and visit at least 3-7 of them to see if you like the environment and the group

Use a search engine, like Google or Bing, to find those associations or groups. Another method is to use Meetups to find them as well.

If you want to find the larger groups already established and that are part of the National Real Estate Investors Association (NAREI) you can visit their site to find a local group.

Also, There are great groups that are not part of NAREI, so that is why I recommend to visit several groups before making a decision.

Just be aware that some of these groups, all they want is to sell their products or sell their seminars, so just be aware. Some offer a first visit for Free, so you can check it out, while others are free.

What I like about local groups is that sometimes they offer low cost classes, from local investors, so you can star leaning the basics.

Figure out which strategy you want to learn.

This is extremely important when getting started in real estate

You need to figure out what you want to do and focus 100%, until you master it, before moving into something else.

In real estate, you can start wholesaling, flipping, landlording, owner financing, land acquisition, new construction, commercial, etc.

You have many options, many different methods that can take time to master.

One the biggest problems with new investors is they start learning one strategy and then a few weeks later they read about someone else and they start learning a new strategy before mastering the first one. then a few months later to a a year all they did was reading and not completing a real deal, and ended up quitting.

When I started I focus in wholesaling only. I did this for over a year, before I did my first house flip. By that time I already knew how to find great deals in properties, had my contacts in place, and I was ready to step up my game.

So pick one strategy and focus for 9-12 months so you can see real progress and make money at the same time.

Find a Mentor

Finding a mentor does not mean that you will have to spend thousands of dollars when getting started in real estate.

One of the cheapest ways to learn, is to know who the local players and you can accomplish this by visiting the local real estate groups. Approach these investors invite them for a cup of coffee or talk to them after the event.

You can tell them that you are new and would like to learn the ropes and offer the services to help them locate properties, share some of the profit or for a fee, they can teach you what to look for and where to start. Some people may not be interested, but you just need one person to say yes, to get started. Then commit and take action.

If you are shy and don’t want to approach people, you may have to re-think your goals, because you cannot buy a home, unless if you talk to a seller or other investors in the area. But don’t worry there still another way to start.

Pick the best 3 books in the strategy you want to learn, and read blogs about that topic and study it. Then put in practice what they teach you and do it.

And the last one is to find some one that is active in the market and teaches real estate as a part time basis. Interview them to learn what they do, and what is their success rate of their students. If you can, talk to their students to find out what they think about them, and other people around the groups as well.

Getting started in real estate is not hard, but it will require dedication.

Best of luck and hope you enjoyed the article