Field Guide for Real Estate Investors

As an investor you face an asymmetry of information. That asymmetry puts you at a disadvantage. So, how can you get fast and reliable answers to your complex investing questions?

The biggest obstacle faced by most investors is you are small. So, when you need quick and reliable answers you are on your own. Of course, you can hire a mentor but finding the right one is difficult and fraught with risk. Alternatively, you could use Google to try to find the answers. But then you run into an even bigger problem - too much information. Even worse the source of that information can't always be trusted.

You're never sure what is being revealed and what is being 'conveniently forgotten' to encourage you to buy home study courses or boot camp registrations.

It's a lot like being deep in a thick forest at night. It's dark and cold. You are hungry and feel like the predators are all around and ready to make you their next meal. You peer through the trees and notice the warm glow of a bonfire. As you struggle through the underbrush you hear voices of people sharing food and drink. In fact, when you get closer it looks like a party! Unfortunately, most real estate investing training leaves you feeling like you're in that forest - alone. Sure, you've got the tools, at least you think you do, but you are on your own.

When you're on your own, you struggle because there's no one to turn to. If you get stuck, you've got to work things out yourself. You get frustrated. And as that frustration grows you learn why so few make serious money investing. You might even give up.

Or you could join others already using The Field Guide for Investors. And when you do, you'll find the warmth of that bonfire and the camaraderie of other explorers who were searching for trusted information, just like you. You'll find resources and ideas that will help you move ahead, and progress rapidly. Instead of standing out in the cold, you'll experience the satisfaction of sitting around a warm fire and getting the answers you seek in a safe and nurturing environment.

Do you really need to join another site?
Not really. The Internet provides more than enough investing information already. But it's unverified and unformated information. To find information that's useful to you requires a lot of work. What's more, despite your efforts, you may NOT find the answer to your specific question. Your membership here gets you answers to your specific questions and often a fully researched article addressing a question.

When you join, you get access to an exclusive club of investors, and those who support them, who like you, started with the basic understanding of the investing process, and then sharpened their investing skills to increase their profits. The advice is sound and based on real experiences, instead of mere third-party opinions and rumors.

What makes The Field Guide for Investors so special?

1) No hype and jargon free. If you look at the information available to the average investor you will see hype and jargon everywhere. In most cases, you will get what seems to be the whole story but critical parts are missing or hidden behind confusing jargon. It's almost like they want you to be confused! Here, you will learn what works and what doesn't; but most importantly you will learn why.

Some of the discussion areas in the field guide are:

• Time Value of Money: Understanding the basis of all investments
• Time Management: Having a life beyond your investments
• Acquisition: Letting the right properties find you
• Foreclosures: Avoid the scavengers fighting over scraps. Learn how to find them first.
• Tax Liens: Minimize risk and avoid speculation.
• Buying Right: Fundamentals matter - in fact, they are about the only things that do
• Rehabbing Right: Avoid the money pit
• Funding the Deals: Why most of what the gurus tell you is wrong
• Asset Protection: Keeping what you earn
• Technology Challenge: Using technology to maximize profits
• Landlording: Yeah, we know its frustrating

2) You've got questions? We've got answers. No matter what questions you have, there's solid advice in the forum. You can ask just about any question there, and within hours, there'll be several ACTIONABLE answers.

On many forums the owners are nowhere to be seen but we are there all the time answering questions. The forum format isn't for everyone, so, you can use the 'Ask The Guide' feature. It's like having your own GPS system for when you need help.

And you get to network with other investors. These are friendly folk who know that they can never pay back the support and help they received along the way therefore they pay it forward. In a lot of communities, you get baseless opinion, not facts. This community is different, you get specific facts with supporting links and documentation.

What's more, questions discussed on the forum often lead to a fully researched article addressing the topic.

3) Covers Multiple Investing Strategies. Real estate investing shouldn't a stand-alone endeavor, no matter what the gurus tell you. It should be part of a larger strategy to gain financial security for your retirement whether you retire early in life or later, the choice should be yours.

This means we can pull the right experts, with the right advice and guidance to help you make the most of your investing opportunities.

4) Investment Evaluations. These have been called dissections and for good reason. It can be a painful process but in the end it is very liberating. We take apart every aspect of a failed or successful deal to examine every aspect of what made it succeed or fail.

This process results in actionable advice to use on future deals. Often, this advice allows an under performing investment to be adjusted to improve the results. Some have been able to go back and complete deals that fell through before.

If your ego bruises easily, this process probably isn't for you. But, if you can take it, this process is invaluable.

What if you don't use it much?
Even if you are a minimal user of this site, you'll get more than your money's worth, either through the information available, a possible dissection of a deal, checklists and much more. Plus there are product discounts. Just one product discount will be able to more than pay for several months of being here. You simply cannot lose.

Where's the guarantee?
Our guarantee is simple. We will give a complete refund within the first 60 days of your initial membership. However, this is a one time offer. If you join, and then request a refund and then decide to rejoin at some future time, you will not get another guarantee. In fact, your second membership application will probably be rejected!

There is a logical reason for this. We only want clients who are serious about real estate as an investment vehicle and trust that this site will deliver all it says. Why so much trust? Because you are joining a community.

A community that trusts each other.

The Field Guide is both a knowledge repository and a community of active investors.

As a knowledge repository, the Field Guide for Investors provides materials on a wide range of subject areas for active investors and those who want to join them. While money can be made by flipping houses and holding individual houses for long term rental, it is difficult to really achieve the financial independence dreamed of by new investors. But, a systematic and holistic approach to investing affords exactly that type of opportunity. At the Field Guide for Investors, we focus on investing as a business, not a hobby. Every step of the way, we are there with you, from starting to look for the perfect opportunity to figuring out what to offer to properly holding and managing then ultimately selling for a profit; you do not have to go it alone.

If you want to build a cash generating business that will change your family tree forever, the Field Guide for Investors is the place to be. But, if you don't want the security that comes from investing as a business person please don't waste your or our time.

Many have compared the ever growing repository here to the materials the guru types charge thousands of dollars for in their courses and boot camps. Everything in the repository is original content and often includes creative and innovative approaches not found in the materials from the gurus. These materials are compiled by investors for investors. The pricing structure at the Field Guide is designed to break even, no one is going to get rich providing you access to the Field Guide for Investors.

Since the publisher is himself an active commercial investor, you get timely and well tested data, strategies and tactics. None of the experts here are on the traveling circus shows provided by the guru circuit. They don't have time, they are actually doing deals while the gurus are setting up their sales booth in the back of the room for the next presentation. The experts here aren't speaking in hotel ballrooms trying to suck you into expensive boot camps and seminars. Consequently, they aren't motivated to sell you anything. Their motivation is first and foremost to be successful investors while helping those who come behind them just like someone did for them.

Everything published by the Field Guide is reviewed for accuracy. The contributors are held to a very high standard and are often the best in their field, just not the best known on the guru circuit. But, that is an advantage to our membership because there is sizzle and then there is substance. If you want sizzle there are plenty of guru types selling you hype and dreams. But, if you want substance, you've come to the right place and once you join you will wonder why everyone isn't here. But, we don't want everyone. We want investors who are going to be successful.

As a community of active investors. the Field Guide for Investors provides The Bon Fire where members gather to ask questions and received quality, actionable advice and suggestions. Often discussions started at the Bon Fire will result in a full-blown research project leading to articles, learning materials and sometimes complete courses of study.

There is one over-riding requirement at the Field Guide. There is a complete expectation of confidentiality and any member found cross posting content from the Field Guide to other sites are permanently banned. This includes discussions from the Bon Fire. This is necessary to ensure members can discuss any topic and explore any concept without having to worry about it following them all over the internet. Of course, this cannot be guaranteed but since everything on the site is copyrighted we aggressively pursue those rights in all venues. So, far the members have respected the confidentiality of the site. If they violate it they are gone, it is as simple as that.

The Field Guide for Investors is also a virtual mentoring environment. Mentoring is central to the Field Guide concept. You are never 'alone' in your investing journey. There is always someone with the bit of knowledge, data or experience you need to help you take that next needed step.

Why Shouldn't You Join?

Our members will tell you the Field Guide for Investors is a great site. But, it isn't for everyone. If any of the following apply to you then you may not be ready to take advantage of what the Field Guide for Investors has to offer.

Some of the reasons you may not want to join include:

• If you have fallen for the guru bait of making millions with no cash, no credit and minimal time and effort
• You believe investing will quickly and easily let you quit your j.o.b.
• You believe there is some magical shortcut the rich hide from the rest of us
• You are willing to put ethics aside if they get in the way of making money on a deal
• You think you don't need to understand finance because you can just leave the "details" to your team
• You don't understand why lenders charge interest
• You believe big risks are required for big rewards
• Your long term investing time line is dependent upon when you next rent or mortgage payment is due
• You are determined to borrow your way out of debt
• You are unable to make a decision with confidence and not continually second guess yourself
• You are unable to unlearn bad habits in favor of better ones
• You are unable to take decisive action when needed

This is not an exhaustive list. However, if you share most of those traits and beliefs you are probably not ready to take advantage of what we have to offer.

But, if you are ready for a whole world of ethical investing to open up for you...

These are just some of the benefits our members enjoy:

There are only two ways to become a new member of the Field Guide.

Apply for Membership

While there has always been a process for approval it is much more formal now. Potential new members must submit an application to Join the Field Guide by clicking here. Each submitted application is reviewed by the review committee. This committee makes recommendations for approval or denial based on the information in the application and a telephone interview.

The following video will help you in filling out the application.

Be Recommended by a Current Member

A current member can recommend a new member. If recommended the new member is immediately approved since the member recommending them is vouching for them to the other members. Therefore, a member who recommends a new member can withdraw that recommendation at any time. A member list is not published and it is up to the individual members to decide whether to disclose their membership at the Field Guide or not.