in by scammers often sign agreements without reading them through. These documents often include a section that keeps the scammed people from taking legal action against the scammers. Signing up for classes can be negative, too. Why? Because people often end up spending thousands of dollars for little to no new information, when that money (and their time) could’ve gone toward their future investments. So how do you find genuinely helpful seminars? (Yes, they do exist.) Do your research! Look up the organization, the presenter, the properties, and the courses. You can also start by looking up certified experts and see if they offer any educational opportunities. There are also a lot of free and low cost coaching programs that teach you what you need to know to get started! Lending scams are another common scam in real estate. It’s a fairly easy type of scam for real estate investors to fall into because often they’re looking for alternative financing (i.e., private lenders) that doesn’t have the same qualifications required by traditional mortgages. I personally know someone who was scammed. Take it from me, these scammers DO exist! This kind of financing often has a requirement to pay back the money more quickly and tends to have higher interest rates than mortgages. Those things alone don’t mean they’re a scam, though. The problem is that lenders don’t have to be licensed to hand out money, so it can be a bit tricky to make sure the lender’s legit. So, how do you make sure the lender you’re working for is on the up-and-up? First, you find the lender through one of the following ways: • Through a certified real estate investing website • Through referrals from people in your network who’ve 24
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