Most new investors have a "guru", a teacher to whom they look not only for advice, but for a world view that helps to direct and focus the newbie on a particular strategy. These gurus can take the form of a professional teacher/instructor, a mentor, or, as was the case in my early career, a...

It`s inevitable: someday your buddy (or brother) Joe is going to need a place to live at exactly the same time that you have a vacancy. It`s going to go through your mind that this might be the perfect solution for both of you. Joe`s a nice guy, and with his carpentry skills (he was the one who...

About 4 weeks into my real estate career, I made my first deal on a house. In one of the most obvious examples of karmic retribution I`ve ever experienced, the seller of this house was one of the little old ladies that I`d once accused my parents of taking horrible advantage of. However, this...