I just watched a video telling me about the “10 things I MUST be doing to be a successful real estate investor.”
Ten things? Really?
Look, I’ve been in this game long enough to know one truth: more steps don’t mean more success. If anything, it means more overwhelm.
Personally, I doubt I could consistently remember to do ten different things, and I’m willing to bet I’m not alone.
Want to be successful in real estate investing?
Here’s the good news: you really only need to do TWO things. Consistently.
Master these two things, and you’ll not only make more money than you know what to do with, you’ll also help a lot of people in the process.
Let’s break them down.
1. Get in Front of People Who NEED to Sell
Not “want to” sell.
Not “thinking about” selling.
I’m talking about motivated sellers. People with problems. People who need solutions, not sales pitches.
These are homeowners going through foreclosure, divorce, probate, code violations, major repairs they can’t afford.
These are the deals.
Now, here’s where most investors mess up: they rely too heavily on list companies.
Yes, those pre-made, overused lists that every other investor in town is buying from.
You want to stand out?
Get your own leads.
It’s not hard. It just takes a bit of old-school hustle.
Go down to the courthouse (or visit the courthouse website). Learn how to pull pre-foreclosure records, probate cases, code enforcement violations.
Build your own list. One that’s fresh, accurate, and—most importantly—not the same one being blasted by 500 other wholesalers.
Most investors today are obsessed with “push button, automated everything.”
They’re addicted to convenience. You? Be different. Be elite.
Learn the skills that your competition doesn’t have the patience or discipline to develop.
Do this consistently, and people will wonder how you keep pulling deals out, month after month.
2. Actually Listen to the Seller and Offer a Real Solution
Once you’ve found someone who needs to sell, do yourself (and them) a favor:
Shut up and listen.
This isn’t about throwing out lowball offers and seeing what sticks. That’s lazy investing. And honestly, it’s a disservice to the people you claim to want to help.
Real estate investing isn’t about properties—it’s about people with problems and how well you solve them.
Take this recent deal we just locked up:
- The house is nearly perfect.
- Market value? Around $300,000.
- The seller owes $214,000.
- He’s overwhelmed with life and just wants to get out from under it.
PropStream says I should offer $210K.
Sure, that might have worked. But we took a different route.
We didn’t make an offer—we made a proposal. A solution.
We asked, “What if we could take over your payments and hold the property until we find a buyer who can get a new loan? Would that work for you?”
His response?
“Absolutely.”
No haggling. No chasing comps. No need to come up with $214,000 in cash.
Just one simple agreement, one simple solution—and a better outcome for both sides.
No banks. No loans. No out-of-pocket. And we’re inheriting long-term financing at a much better rate than what the market is offering right now.
All because we listened.
That’s It. Just Two Things.
Want to make it in real estate? Forget the overcomplicated “guru” checklists.
You don’t need ten steps.
You need two habits:
- Find people who truly need to sell.
- Offer a real solution that helps them and works for you.
And like my buddy Dino always says—it’s a heck of a lot better for you than fast food.
Final Thoughts
If you’re serious about learning how to buy houses like Jodi and I do—without relying on the cookie-cutter, guru-approved tactics—get my book.
It’s an Amazon bestseller now.
Get it at www.12houseblueprintbook.com
We’re kind of a big deal. 😉
But seriously, talk to sellers. Solve problems. Buy houses.
