Some people go from rags to riches … all by getting involved in real estate.
That may not be the case for everyone, but real estate IS one of the most reliable vehicles for building lasting financial freedom.
We’re talking with an investor whose story is a gripping tale of winning … losing … and making a comeback. See what lessons YOU can learn from his experience.
In this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ show, hear from:
- Your free-wheeling host, Robert Helms
- His free-loving co-host, Russell Gray
- Investor and author of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Michael Blank
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Real estate’s many paths to financial freedom
We have so many listeners who are brand new to real estate.
They’re trying to figure out if it really makes sense to build wealth with real estate. Is it really a vehicle for growth?
Real estate isn’t as simple as some other investments … but there are a lot of reasons to like real estate. It’s arguably the best financial vehicle on earth.
At this particular time in the economic cycle, some people are a little nervous about real estate … but you don’t have to be.
Walking into real estate is like walking into a big mall … there are so many different ways to approach it.
Real estate is just a vehicle … and it’s a vehicle to produce a financial result in your life.
When you figure that out, the first thing you need to do is develop yourself as an investor.
Think about who you are, what you want, what you have to work within terms of experience, financial resources, relationships … all the elements that help build your personal investment philosophy.
Then … you look at what the market is giving you to work with, and YOU work to put it all together.
You’re going to have to fill in some gaps in your education … and maybe your credit score or your income. You’re also going to need to position yourself to understand markets and teams.
The easiest way to do this is to surround yourself with other people who have been there, done that.
There are so many ways to approach the problem of making money in real estate … and that’s what we are talking about today.
Meet Michael Blank
One of the paradigms we have to break is this idea of scarcity versus abundance. So many people believe that there is only so much to go around.
By sharing, we all open ourselves up to better deals and more education. It’s called an abundance mindset.
In that spirit, our guest today is a fellow podcaster. He’s an author. He’s a teacher. He’s Michael Blank.
Michael’s latest book is Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing. But the story of how he got into real estate … like every investor’s … is unique.
Michael has a master’s degree in computer science. He started off programming and joined a software startup in the late 1990s.
When the software company went public, Michael found himself with some cash in the bank. But he learned quickly that it doesn’t matter what’s in your bank account … it’s about what passive income you have.
“I quit my job and learned how to trade stocks and options, how to flip houses. My big idea was actually restaurants, and I got involved with a pizza franchise,” Michael says.
That worked for Michael until the recession.
“I lost my IPO, millions in the restaurant debacle. I almost lost my house. It was a low point for me, and I learned a lot during that time,” Michael says.
Michael clawed his way out with real estate.
Like so many people, Michael thought of real estate as single-family house investing. He started by flipping homes.
But he didn’t have any money … so he learned how to raise money and syndicate. He started buying two houses a month and flipped three dozen houses in a few years.
He ended up investing in an apartment building … and he learned a crucial real estate lesson.
“While house flipping was profitable, it was a lot of work. I couldn’t just take time off if I wanted. Meanwhile, this apartment building was just sending me money in my mailbox,” Michael says.
Today, Michael is one of the leading authorities on multifamily syndication.
Don’t wait to get started
Multifamily is just one of the many real estate options at “the mall.” But it’s an awesome niche to play in.
Deals might be a little scarcer … and cap rates might be a little compressed … but financial freedom means having other people get up every day and work hard and send a chunk of their money to you.
That’s what apartments are great at.
The biggest hold-ups to investors jumping into multifamily … money and experience.
They think that the smart thing to do is landlord for 5 to 10 years in single-family and then take that experience and “graduate” to multifamily investing.
“That plan is unnecessary,” Michael says. “The ability to raise money and be taken seriously by brokers and investors can be achieved in a very short period of time.”
Michael teaches people how to do just that.
You can learn all the details … how to read contracts and understand titles and escrow and market analysis … but you have to start with your mindset and your heart.
If you believe that you CAN learn what you need to know to be successful … then you are already on your way.
Learn more about how YOU can find financial freedom through real estate investing … and the different investment options available to you … by listening in to our full episode!
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