I thought becoming a real estate agent would allow me to broker transactions on my behalf and still get a cut in commissions to reduce my costs but there are so many ethics regulations and requirements, I finally decided that tack, with its inherent conflict of interest, just wasn’t worth the risk to my reputation. After all, there are a lot of crazy people out there. Without a real estate license as an agent, you will always be an "equal" with anyone you deal with. Not so as an agent.

Being a real estate agent doesn’t allow you to do anything you can’t do otherwise in buying and selling real estate. It’ll give you personal access to agent information but you can get that by hiring someone else as your agent. Plus, you can have more than one agent working for you at the same time based on the contract you sign with them (there are contracts other than "exclusive" contracts (I learned that in real estate class). And real estate agents don’t get paid unless the deal they find you goes through, so that could definitely be considered an advantage over trying to save money by doing everything yourself.

I admit what I learned in real estate class didn’t hurt me, but you can take all the required real estate classes if you want to without actually becoming an agent.

Just my opinion. Hope this helps. Odds are you’re not in Texas where I am but I don’t imagine the other real estate commissions in other states are all that different when it comes to agent ethics and conflicts of interest. After all, people spend a big chunk of their income when they buy a house.

As far as investor courses, I’d suggest the Carleton H. Sheets course that you see advertised on TV infomercials. If you Google his name, you’ll have no trouble finding his website. I bought it a long time ago and never completed it, but after becoming an agent I started reading it and found the info to be quite good in quality. I was impressed. I still didn’t finish it, but what I did read was high quality, in my educated opinion. Plus he’s been around for many many years and updates the course every few years, so he’s definitely NOT a fly-by-night scammer.

Good luck!
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Having said that, if you are still interested read on.

Yes, you can invest in real estate even if you are an agent. However, some agencies forbid it due to ethics and conflicts of interest.

The difference between a licensed agent and an individual is - know how (laws), connections (builders, contractors, interior designers), and experience. Savvy comes with the territory, so agents have the upper hand.

In the case of your friend, you asked, "there must be something I don’t understand." There is, he is lying!!!

The majority of agents are liars, friends or not. There are three reasons why they lie…

First, to impress others to make it seem as if they’re assets are worth more than they actually are.

The second reason an agent lies is to hide something. Weather it is mistakes or miscalculations.

The third and most common reason why agents lie is to dissuade others to go into the field.

When the market was booming, thousands of people started taking classes. Many took lessons and advice from underqualified staff. Anyway, that’s when agents bacame wary of the influx of new agents. More agents = more competition.

If I were you, do a little research on your friend. If he is giving you financial advice, check his bank statements first. See what he’s been up to. Then cross check the advice he gives you… see if it is sound. Then if you must, pull the trigger and invest!!!
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GOOD LUCK!

In most area of the U.S., housing price stopped going up as inventory continues to build up. It is normal to see a correction as a boom that lasted for several years.

If you are investing new money in to real estate, this may not be a good time as the potential return on investment is small compare to the high risk of lower home price.

If you are doing a side way move, meaning you are selling one to buy another one, then it is acceptable.

Nothing is absolute, but housing market is very likely undergoing a correction and this is only the beginning. Some say this would be a soft landing (0 to 10%). Some say a big crashing is coming (10 to 20%).

http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/24/news/economy/newhomes/index.htm
http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/23/news/economy/homesales/index.htm
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The other he is a realtor. He buys property, and then he sells it. everybody needs a house. Here is Stockton, the population has been swelling due to the jobs around, the Bay Area, and San Jose.
It’s the Silicon valley!! The work over there, but live in Stockton, Even they have to drive two hrs, every day one way, then 2 more hrs., coming back!
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With that being said as a real estate agent you can split the commision of some deals saving you a few percent which can add up.

As for your friend not closing the deal in his name, makes no difference except he will be in more trouble if something goes wrong as it indicates he knew he was doing something wrong. Unless it is for the reason listed in the previous post but in that case he would be the owner or officer of an LLC or Corporation which means it is in his name anyway and the protection could be pierced for fraud and similar illegal activites.

If you are not planning on doing something illegal don’t worry about it.
References :

I thought becoming a real estate agent would allow me to broker transactions on my behalf and still get a cut in commissions to reduce my costs but there are so many ethics regulations and requirements, I finally decided that tack, with its inherent conflict of interest, just wasn’t worth the risk to my reputation. After all, there are a lot of crazy people out there. Without a real estate license as an agent, you will always be an "equal" with anyone you deal with. Not so as an agent.

Being a real estate agent doesn’t allow you to do anything you can’t do otherwise in buying and selling real estate. It’ll give you personal access to agent information but you can get that by hiring someone else as your agent. Plus, you can have more than one agent working for you at the same time based on the contract you sign with them (there are contracts other than "exclusive" contracts (I learned that in real estate class). And real estate agents don’t get paid unless the deal they find you goes through, so that could definitely be considered an advantage over trying to save money by doing everything yourself.

I admit what I learned in real estate class didn’t hurt me, but you can take all the required real estate classes if you want to without actually becoming an agent.

Just my opinion. Hope this helps. Odds are you’re not in Texas where I am but I don’t imagine the other real estate commissions in other states are all that different when it comes to agent ethics and conflicts of interest. After all, people spend a big chunk of their income when they buy a house.

As far as investor courses, I’d suggest the Carleton H. Sheets course that you see advertised on TV infomercials. If you Google his name, you’ll have no trouble finding his website. I bought it a long time ago and never completed it, but after becoming an agent I started reading it and found the info to be quite good in quality. I was impressed. I still didn’t finish it, but what I did read was high quality, in my educated opinion. Plus he’s been around for many many years and updates the course every few years, so he’s definitely NOT a fly-by-night scammer.

Good luck!
References :

can you invest in real estate when you are a real estate agent, are there any downs?

what is the difference if you are a real estate agent and invest and if you are not a real estate agent and invest?

the reason i ask this is because one of my friends is a real estate agent and he makes investments but the houses he buys are never under his name he tells me that’s the smart thing to do, but why? there must be something, i don’t understand, he has very good credit never married no kids and enough money for down payments 20% every time he buys,i don’t get it, im i missing something.

i asked in different ways because some people just don’t get it and i’m trying to avoid useless answers, it would be very helpful if you answer all the questions, thank you.