Training & Education Center
Call a Spade a Spade and Other Secrets to Effective Real Estate Investing
One of the biggest stumbling blocks that new investors encounter is that first initial “take
action” step. They read, study, investigate, and even take some tentative steps toward
generating leads. Eventually, a good deal shows up. Unfortunately, 99 percent of the time,
that good deal is a new investor’s downfall. Let me explain:
Over the years, we’ve watched investors on a national scale, and there are certain things
that nearly all new investors – or investors who feel that they are “new” on the scene, be it
geographic or strategic – have in common. One of those things is an odd lack of confidence.
As a general rule, real estate investors are among the most educated entrepreneurs out
there. Not only do many have formal educational backgrounds and even advanced degrees;
they also invest aggressively in personal, informal education in the form of mentors, home
study, and coaching. So why does the advent of a truly great deal send so many tumbling
back to square one?
Simple: Most investors feel, deep down, that the seller is the one doing them a favor. They
may not admit it, but it’s the truth. The only way to get past this is to literally call a spade a
spade and get it into your head that you are the one who should be calling the shots here
because your buyers and your sellers are just lucky to be working with you.
Now, some of you reading this may find this harsh. After all, real estate investors often
work with some of the most distressed people – literally and in multiple senses of the word
– in the world. They are facing foreclosures, short sales, the loss of loved ones, the loss of
financial security, the loss of a home that they loved, the loss of a retirement dream, the list