What do you really think of when you hear the term “real estate”? Do these words conjure images of luxurious dream houses and expensive cars, the fruits of wealth through successful investing? Do infomercials promising the life of your dreams come to mind? Or does real estate remind you of today’s headlines, with words like “crisis” dominating the discussion?

The truth is that no matter what the market, real estate investors with confidence and skill will still make money. For anyone considering entry into the real estate business, however, or for those who want to step up their game, the question isn’t how well one can possibly do in a down market. The real question is: do you believe that you can be a successful real estate investor? Do you know that you could become a millionaire within 3 years working less than 15 hours a week?

When it comes down to it, every human being has fears that hold us back-fears so innate within us that we’re barely aware of how much they control our decisions. I know, because for 12 long years, I did nothing about my dream of becoming a real estate investor. I chose not to pursue something that I was passionate about because following in my dad’s footsteps seemed like the more “logical” choice. Why take risks in real estate when you can get a job earning a steady paycheck?

Instead, I had followed my father’s path step by step through corporate America, earning several promotions in a steel manufacturing company. Within three years of starting, I grew the company’s profits eight times over. I was earning a great salary and had what seemed like a bright future ahead of me.

That is, until life gave me a clue that there really is no such thing as certainty. My father, after giving 33 years of his life to the same company he had always worked for, was FIRED. That hit me hard-I had mirrored his career almost exactly. If something like that could happen to him, it sure as heck could happen to me too. What I learned at that moment is that anything you do in life can be risky, especially if it entails putting your financial future in someone else’s hands.

If your chances are just the same, why not take actions toward the things that would really get you stoked in life, the things that you know would bring you happiness, wealth, and freedom?

When I was 18 and dreamed of a career in real estate-yet did nothing about it-I told myself all kinds of things; the same kinds of things people tell themselves today: “This won’t work for me. It may work for them, but it will never work for me. The market’s too tough. Prices are going down. How would I sell? I’m not good enough. I won’t succeed, I’ll look foolish and be embarrassed if I try this and fail.”

It took me 12 years to find the courage to go for it. And for the next 13 years after that, I studied under successful millionaire mentors, used every kind of buying and selling strategies, and have bought and sold over 300 houses during up and down markets. For those who know anything about real estate, a so called “crisis” can often signal a time of opportunity. It just takes getting over the fear factor and learning the most effective strategies to buy and sell (as well as when to apply them).

There are still plenty of reasons why real estate investing is a viable way to make tons of money and live a better quality of life. You still get more financial leverage than you would from other types of investments. You can be your own boss and make your own schedule. In fact, I became a millionaire in less than three years through real estate investing, putting in less than 15 hours of work per week while working a full-time job. Imagine what anyone can do if they put more time into it. I’ve narrowed down the process of developing a turnkey real estate business into Five Key Steps of Real Estate Investing, including: 

1. Effective Marketing that attracts motivated sellers to call you.
2. Pre-screening Sellers so you’re only spending your time working on qualified leads.
3. Buying & Selling Strategies-construct and present offers to buy homes, all six of which do not require any of our own money or credit.
4. Automated Follow-up System for leads that may have potential at a future time.
5. Sell Your Homes Quickly.

Many people have turned to this industry as a full time career, making millions of dollars in the process, including myself. Real estate investing is potentially the most rewarding option that provides excellent returns on your investments of time and energy, and the freedom and satisfaction of turning  your dreams into reality.