Like I said, this post is not to convince people or to encourage people who have “lives” that they should be doing what I’m doing.
Real estate investing is a big hassle. No argument there. One of my tenants had her paycheck money stolen and so is late with the rent. I try to be as kind as I can, but come on, I need my money! I mean, hasn’t this person ever heard of direct deposit?
And I have no real interest in going to Huntsville (or any other place) either. I’m just doing my due diligence. The numbers look good and so we need to see the property and make sure no red flags go off.
I am however just sacrificing some time and effort in order to be financially well off. It’s just like your 401k – you get started early, do a little research, and put your time into maintaining it. In a few years, it will pay off. Now there are some people to whom a 401k/Roth/IRA is a big hassle. It’s fine, it’s up to them.
But I will say this: waiting for the bottom of the real estate cycle here in California will not help advance your real estate knowledge. It is better to just use the time you are spending waiting and use it to your advantage somewhere else. There are people here who have figured this out and are now asking questions. I am at least here to help them.
But bottom line: if you have better things to do or would rather spend your time on something else, go ahead and do so. Trying to get rich is a hassle. It takes a certain amount of sacrifice. If you’re not willing to put the effort into it, don’t.