When it comes to investing in real estate, education is an asset that should not be taken for granted. Any successful real estate investor will tell you that. It is normal for you to make tons of mistakes as a beginner real estate investor. That is why it is important to learn the basics of real estate investing at an early stage in your career.
While it is true that real estate education is naturally acquired from real-life investing experience, some argue that real estate courses are essential to succeed with investment properties. Does this mean that you have to spend thousands of dollars on real estate courses? Is it even worth it to sign up for these courses? Or is there another way to learn real estate investing?
With all of the different ways you can gain real estate knowledge, the truth is real estate courses are not really necessary. They are simply one way to learn all about real estate investments.
So, let us explore the different ways to get a real estate education. When you know all the options, you can decide if real estate courses are worth it.
Sources of Real Estate Education
There are different sources to obtain real estate education. Though different in scope, these sources have the common purpose of educating beginner property investors, helping them to acquire basic real estate skills.
In our age of technology, the world is in your hands. The internet is abundant with videos, online real estate courses, e-books and real estate blogs that are dedicated to helping you find the most profitable investments and become a successful real estate investor.
1- Real estate courses
When it comes to taking real estate courses, you have several options to choose from. First, you have the option to take online real estate courses. Just google “online real estate courses” and you will find hundreds of websites that offer different real estate educational courses about various topics, such as legal courses, financial courses and of course, marketing courses.
Some real estate investors opt to earn a master’s degree. This level of education means that you have to spend years intensely studying and spend a lot of money while watching many profitable investment opportunities slip by. Pursuing a university degree for the sake of investing in real estate is not feasible from a cost/benefit point of view. Any form of education is good, but do you really want to spend the next 2 to 6 years paying thousands of dollars for a real estate degree?
Another option you have is to attend real estate courses offered by local institutes. This may be the cheapest road to learn about the basics of real estate for first-time real estate investors. These courses are normally designed for passing a state’s licensing exam, so you will not learn much about marketing yourself or how to find the most profitable investments.
Additionally, you can choose to follow a real estate course that is put together by a real estate investor who has already succeeded in the industry. Be ready to spend anything from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand dollars for such real estate courses. If you opt to follow a real estate course offered by a mentor, make sure that is it someone who is actively making money in real estate and not just from selling books and courses.
2- Real estate books
If you search online or head to a nearby library, you will find many books for real estate investing. Just make sure to avoid books with titles like “get rich quickly” or “never work for a single day in your life.” These books are often no good and have no value in terms of applicable real estate investment advice and strategies. On the contrary, there are real estate investment books that can help you get started and teach you certain strategies on how to finance, manage, and rehabilitate investment properties.
Related: 10 Best Real Estate Investment Books to Read in 2018
3- Real estate blogs
If you are reading this blog right now, it means that you have already crossed at least one of these real estate education sources. Real estate blogs are a great way to learn about real estate investing without paying a single dollar.
Mashvisor does not offer real estate courses. However, in addition to the real estate tools that Mashvisor provides, such as an Airbnb calculator and heat map analysis, our free blog section offers thousands of blogs that cover all sorts of topics related to real estate investing. Whether you want to learn how to start investing in real estate or how to find below market value property, Mashvisor is the right place to start looking in.
Do you have questions about Mashvisor? Read our FAQs and learn about our tools.
Or Read: How to Be a Successful Real Estate Investor with Mashvisor
Other online sources that every real estate investor should consider are Investopedia and BiggerPockets. Investopedia is a great source of information when it comes to definitions and terms that might sound difficult to grasp for beginner real estate investors. BiggerPockets has a blog section and a forum where you can ask and find answers to any real estate investing question you have.
Related: Owning the Most Profitable Investments in 2018 Real Estate: Education vs. Experience
The Bottom Line- Do You Need Real Estate Courses?
So, let’s get back to the main question. Do you really need real estate courses to succeed with investments? The answer is a big NO. While real estate courses can help you get started in real estate, they are certainly not a key factor when it comes to investing successfully in real estate. Real estate education is what you need as a beginner real estate investor, and real estate courses are just one of many sources for this education.
To learn more about how Mashvisor can help you find profitable investment properties, schedule a demo.