Still Confused
i am a newbie and i have been a member of this forum for about a week. i have been reading a lot of questions and the responses and i must say that i am so confused. i read some of the first time deals and the numbers that they come up with, the ways that they came up with the money and they ways that they used the money to purchase the properties, etc. its just overhelming. it make no sense what so ever to me. i am reading books after books, i am still so confused. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!!! :-?
What exactly are you interested in. Investing in foreclosures, tax lien, tax sales, options, and last but not least bird doging. Once you know what you are really interested in, start with that and it will all come to you. Once you are in the game you can learn how to be creative. Get some good books to read.
FireGal, take a breath, and relax. I am new too, and not dumb by any standard. But I find myself feeling the same way you do. The amount of info to go through is enough to make your head explode. Just take your time, and give yourself time to absorb the info. You are not going to learn this stuff overnight. It is better to take time learning, than it is to lose a ton of money getting into a bad deal.
Yes...most of what I read in the beginning left me scratching my head in confusion as well. Don't push yourself too fast. Slow down and just work on the basics. If you find yourself burning through book and book and neither comprehending nor retaining the information then you are simply wasting your time.
Go to your local library and check out a copy of "California Real Estate Principles" or some such similar title. Essentially, you want the textbook that all new agents have to study to get their license. Once you grasp the fundamentals, the rest will come easier. I probably would have saved myself several months had I done this. When you are reading advanced techniques as you'll find in this forum, you cannot help but be confused if your knowledge does not contain the proper foundation required to make sense of things. It's like trying to study Calculus without having first studied Algebra.
Also, consider that your primary method of learning is not visual. You might learn better with methods other than pure reading. Perhaps you are more aural or kinesthetic (tactile). Try reading out loud, or maybe even take the Real Estate Principles course at a local Junior College where you can hear someone lecture on the material.
No offense to the rest of the community here, but educators we are not. You might find that the packaging of material in a textbook will suit you better. Just learning the basic vocabulary of real estate would be of great benefit. Be patient and give yourself the time you really need to comprehend.
thanks for the info and support guys.