Extract from Real Estate Adventures

Feeding the Mindset

When you want to get into property, if your experience is non existent and you have never done it and do not know anything about it, the most important thing to do is to START LOOKING:

  • Look in the newspapers
  • Go to many open house inspections
  • Talk to the agents
  • Talk to people who are investors already

You might not necessarily be thinking of buying yet, but start looking. If you look at three or four properties, or ten a week, you will suddenly see a change in the way you look at them. Get the “feel” of real estate.

  • You will begin to know what to look for
  • You will start becoming familiar with various suburbs and who lives there
  • You will learn what type of investments they are
  • Start everyday or at weekends
  • Get familiar with the whole scene

Then when it does come to actually making an offer on a property, you’ll be much more familiar, much more comfortable – you’ll fi nd you actually KNOW something about it. Remember: it’s all a gradient.

When I had four children to support and I was selling insurance, I used to sometimes visit solo mothers on welfare. Some of these people had several children and were sitting at home drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes – and complaining. And I was out working and not only making money to support my family but paying taxes to support these people to stay at home. That used to annoy me; it was one of my “hot buttons”. But years later I now realise that everyone is in a different place and everyone can rise up and learn to make something of their lives no matter where they are. Now I just hope that people like them read my book and become motivated!

I was born motivated. Not everyone is. But in this regard I need to say that no one needs to play victim. There is a choice. Who would choose to play that role? When I look back at my life, I could have been a victim. I could have become a victim of an alcoholic father and a violent husband. I chose not to be. It’s not a happy place to be. And something Wendy Keane says is “There are no victims – only volunteers.” Now that’s an awesome prospect.