http://www.trulia.com/voices/General_Area/I_m_interested_in_becoming_a_full_time_real_estate-95840Would it be in my best interest to obtain my sales agent license first...or at all?? And furthermore, what's the best way to begin as an investor, namely in San Diego?en-ushttp://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-Escondido_CA-212688/http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-Escondido_CA-212688/An earlier post mentions trust deeds -- those are risky and you need cash. So before you invest, you need to learn about the product.Thu, 28 May 2009 21:24:05 -0700http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-Escondido_CA-212688/http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-Escondido_CA-212688/That's quite ambitious! Getting a license could work for or against you -- this is speaking from experience and it all depends on what you are trying to do. Best way to begin anywhere is really to connect with the people who know what you want and you can trust them to be there for you when you need them. It also depends on how much responsibility you want to take upon, what kind of capital you have, what cash flow are you expecting, are you good at evaluating the realistic market and resale value? Would you say you are a good people person or would you say that you would prefer to be behind the scenes and leave complex matters in the hands of experienced professionals who know how to navigate through the channels and avoid the pitfalls that you would inevitably come across. Also, there are varying zoning ordinances, building ordnances and other legal related issues that most buyers and sellers would not concern themselves with if they were just buying or selling once or twice in their lifetimes. I hope this answers your questions. I've been through plenty of investment related transactions to know how all this works and each one has its own twists. It's not as simple as 1. become an agent and start investing or 2. get a bunch of cash and buy everything. If it were that simple, there would not be real estate lawsuits and there would not be licensees to pitch their business or professionalism and experience or plenty of real estate laws and consumer affairs or federal laws governing how we conduct ourselves. When you have a license, you have a lot more at stake, not only your reputation, your money, but you are also held to a much higher standard and degree of scrutiny in all of your transactions, whether directly or indirectly related. This is true even when the other side does not behave. (Good) real estate agents are supposed to shield you, the consumer, from problems that could arise from transactions. Anyway, I hope this helps put things into perspective.Thu, 28 May 2009 21:21:13 -0700http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-San_Diego_County_CA-187517/http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-San_Diego_County_CA-187517/Hi Seth, You will get a lot of advice from people as to what you should do and pitching you on their "services". Knowing how to navigate the investor market will take years to fully understand. I recommend you study the most important elements: 1. CAP rates 2. Rental laws 3. Owner liability Once you have done that, find a mentor. In other words, someone who has done this successfully. That person can guide you to a lender that can facilitate your business, inspection services, property management services, etc. Best of luck to you, Mark and Kari Shea San Diego Real Estate Experts Foreclosure, Short Sale & Investment Specialists, Development Opportunities & Traditional Real EstateFri, 06 Mar 2009 09:26:21 -0800http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-San_Diego_County_CA-285516/http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-San_Diego_County_CA-285516/Hello Seth, Send me an email if you would like to visit. Cheers, Nick Rhea, MBA, Broker nick@bomborainvestments.comThu, 05 Mar 2009 16:21:12 -0800http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-San_Diego_CA-196432/http://www.trulia.com/voices/profile/Real_Estate_Pro-San_Diego_CA-196432/Hi Seth, I think the best way to start investing is in trustee sales. It's the new version of flipping: buy low, fix and flip. It doesn't require your real estate license either. Having your license increases your responsibility and liability. There's more money to be gained as the investor than as the realtor on the deal. Call me if you want to talk more. Good luck! Diane Conaway, RE/MAX United, (760) 749-2888Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:16:17 -0800