What is Real Estate

Writen by Wayne Walter

Industry experience shows 83% of people who buy real estate investing courses never use the information. This article discusses some very common reasons why. It also shows how other people make so much money with the very same courses.

Most courses really do make money for some part of the people who buy them. Of course, scams don't work for anybody. But why do some people make money and even get wealthy using the same courses that the majority never even start using?

Many reasons exist. However, it seems that one far outweighs the rest. We lead busy lives. But most real estate courses involve buying houses from distressed sellers. That requires work that most of us can never find time to do.

What exactly do these courses ask you to do? Many of them tell you to be available round the clock to answer the phone. They explain it's because distressed sellers feel the need to talk to a real person and never leave voice mail.

Here's how it happens. When a homeowner receives bad news like divorce or lay off from a job, they realize they can't afford the payments. If they decide to sell, they usually call a real estate agent first. They may find out there's not enough equity, too little time till foreclosure, or repairs they can't afford to do. In some cases, they actually list the house with an agent but without success.

Suddenly, the distressed seller becomes scared and desperate to sell as fast as possible. They have a deadline. They furiously call any and all ads until someone reassures them. They keep calling till a live person talks with them and offers a solution.

When people hit that emotional state of desperation, your ad has to be where they can find it and you must be available to answer the phone. In one seminar, someone asked the expert what to do if he had a job or activities that didn't allow him to answer the phone. The educator frankly explained success becomes almost impossible.

Someone else asked about paying somebody to answer the phone. Again, the educator said that's been tried. The person answering the phone must be knowledgeable and well trained. It's possible but extremely difficult and may cost money.

A further problem with finding distressed sellers comes from the work and cost to advertise. Some advertising like direct mail, telemarketing, newspaper ads, radio, and TV cost more money than most people want to risk. Other ways of advertising like bandit signs, cold calling, or posting notices require enormous work and time.

So how do some people do so well finding distressed sellers? Obviously, they have the time to do what it takes. They may have recently been laid off from a job themselves! If so, they become very motivated to find deals and committed to carry a cell phone everywhere they go. Some couples do real estate as a team and arrange their schedules so at least one of can answer the phone at any time.

What if you lack the time or circumstances to commit to answering the phone? Of course, you can find other real estate investing strategies. But there's trade-offs. Courses that take very little work probably require you to have good credit or some other requirement.

So before you spend money on any course that involves buying from distressed sellers, consider whether your circumstances allow it. Otherwise you may waste your hard earned money on a real estate investing course that becomes an expensive dust collector.

Please send comments to the author with ideas on how you solved this problem or other reasons why you couldn't use your real estate investing course.

Written by Wayne Walter, author and inventor of the OAR Loan. If you have good credit, discover the OAR Loan, a hassle-free way to make quick cash and long-term income in real estate without using your money. To learn more, visit http://www.waynewalter.com to register for your FREE 30 minute online course.