REI Degree?!

General Real Estate Investing
1

First off, I want to say thank you to all the Vets on here that provide incomprehensible amounts of real world info/experience. Its been a while since I’ve posted last, but the info I’ve been given from this site has kept me very busy!! As advice to newbies: “Heed what they say!” The advice not only works but helps increase your own sense of self worth as you progress. Trust me, I’ve watched my entire life turn around because of the info on this site. And for free on top of it!!! lol

But to get to the point, I’ve stayed (loosley) in college while working a full time job (fixed income trading assistant now) and was progressing toward my undergrad when I came across a list of classess offered by my university (University at buffalo). These classes offer no real “degree value” but seem very relavant to what I’m doing. I would like to see what the Vets think in regards to the classes and if the topic would seem relavent to their OWN continuing education (ie: if you think the info is relavant from YOUR experience and I should take it let me know). (Note: I didn’t include descriptions for the sake of not having a ridiculously long post, but can if asked) The classes are:

1: Basic Real Estate Law
2. Real estate development business (Architecture/Urban Planning course)
3. Entrepreneurship and the Small Business
4. Financial Controls for Small Business

All seem extremely relavent to me but in terms of importance for our industry how do they rate to you? Obviously, I currently have an attorney and accountant but I figure that learning what I PAY them for is slightly important too. These will be in the upcomming semester (August) as REI usually slows down here in buffalo as the weather forces us to hold off on major renovations. Let me know what you think.

Anyone in school: I would be interested to hear what your local institutions offer in terms of Small business/Real Estate. I haven’t found many places that offer any info into these fields (not suprisingly) but the few that do don’t give degree credit(such as mine).

Thanks all and happy investing!!

2

You never know when the things that you know will help you. One morning in the early 1990s, Donald Trump passed a vagrant in the street. He realized that the homeless man was worth millions more than he was, and tens of millions more than his corporation. He turned this whole thing around because of two things: first, he made the deal of a lifetime buying Trump Tower (I think that was the building) for 1/100th of its actual value. Why would banks do this? Because he knew so much about how to manage high rise buildings, that he was the obvious choice. So it was his ability to make deals and his ability to sell his knowledge that pulled him out of that mess.
I believe that we can all learn something from this situation. The ability to make deals is life or death important in this business. Our relationship with banks and lenders will make or break you. A 0.5% annual percentage rate margin doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but through the course of a loan, it affects cash flow and the final repayment of the loan, often to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Finally, (this is a point that Kiyosaki makes over and over again) how do you know that you have a good property manager if you don’t know how to manage property? This question applies to accounting, law, mortgage brokering, even the sales brokering. I think that knowing about all of these things only puts you in a better position.
All of these courses sound relevant.