Networking Increases Your Net Worth

As real estate investors, we make our own hours. We work at home, coffee shops, on the beach…but: most of the time, we’re not at offices connecting with coworkers and sharing ideas. Sometimes, it can feel like we live in a bubble. That’s the bad news. The good news? We don’t have to do it all by ourselves! By connecting with fellow investors, we can learn about every thing from which property manager to use to how to find a great deal in a certain market….real estate investing can be social. Let’s take a look at a few ways to expand your investing horizons and learn from others.

Ask for Guidance

Asking for guidance or wisdom can be difficult for many people. We don’t like to look vulnerable – we prefer to come across as strong, as though we know it all…or at least as though we can figure it out on our own. The idea of bootstrapping looms large in popular culture and we’re encouraged to pull ourselves up with little to no help. Bootstrapping is, by and large, a myth. We all need help sometimes and it’s wise to know when to look for, ask for and receive help from others. Learn to be O.K with asking for help – think of it as a hand up, not a hand out.

Meet Other Investors

Real estate investors are everywhere, believe it or not. Join an investing organization and attend meetings. Connect with fellow investors online – Instagram, Google Plus and Facebook are all excellent places to find REI buddies. Investing blogs and forums such as Bigger Pockets are great places to ask questions (and sometimes…answer them for others). Check out Meetup.com and investing magazines to find local investing events where you can network and learn.

Be Open to New Ideas

If you’re mainly into local investing, you can still learn from an out-of-state (or out-of-country) investor. The basic principles of investing – from Blue Chip stocks to flipping in Boston – don’t change. Don’t limit your networking base to investors that do the same exact thing you do. Diversify. Get different perspectives. Think outside the box even more (as a real estate investor, you’re probably already great at that). 

Key Takeaway: Education is a group effort. You can learn from others (and help out too). Find ways to connect, educate, network and increase your net worth. Whether it’s online or at a local Starbucks, reach out. Ask questions. Learn new ways of doing things. Expand your investing horizons.