KCRag Forum

Can anybody give me any info on how I can get a start in devolopment/real estate investing?  My college doesn't offer any real estate courses, so I would appreciate it if anybody knew of any summer classes at the schools in KC.  I've been looking around for a summer internship as well and haven't found any luck.  Anybody know of any firms that hire summer interns?

Well Copaken, White and Blitt always has a few summer internships. Are you looking to start your own company eventually or are you going to stay with an established company?

Start your own internship.  Call Jon Copaken and tell him you're willing to work for free/little$$ if they'll let you spend at least a portion of your time on projects.

KansasCityCraka wrote: Well Copaken, White and Blitt always has a few summer internships. Are you looking to start your own company eventually or are you going to stay with an established company?

Ideally, I would like to start my own company right out of college.  I still have 2 years left in school.

take some CCIM classes (this teaches you how to evaluate projects through IRR)

Ummmm PCFriar, need to have the ability to print money, or at least separate those that do from their money, to be a developer. 

There'll be widows, orphans, minorities and poor people to put out on the street.  There'll be perfectly good property to blight.  There'll be investors to take to the strip clubs and smoke cigars with.  There'll be architects and codes people to fast-talk and swindle.  All these things take money.

Really, I like Developers.  My wife is one.  I'm just saying it takes big $$$ to get started. 

Today, up in the Northland, I saw several yellow signs about a real estate developer wanting an apprentice. You might take a look and give them a call.

Were they right next to the "work from home and earn $1000 a day" sign and the "loose 75lbs in 3 days" sign and the "yard sale today!" sign?

Yep. Is there a problem with that that I'm not aware of other than I hate the signs littering the corners.

If you want to get your feet wet and have some funds to spend try buying houses that are bank or HUD foreclosers.  On many you can purchase way below market price and do some minor repairs yourself or have a contractor do them (more expensive).  Buy one, fix up, sell, buy another.

A buddy and me just missed out on one.  Could purchase in mid 40's, $10,000 to fix up, market price in the neighborhood $70's and $80's.

^^ There was a house down the street from me here in Olathe that got forclosed upon. The house sold for about $130,000 and all the houses in the rest of the neighborhood are $190-210,000.

As they say, Real Estate is a "capital intensive" business.  Even if you had the money, it wouldn't be advisable to jump in on anything until you have a little experience.  Some graduate business programs exist for Real Estate Development and taking a few classes there can help put you in touch with the right people.  My advice is to work for the kind of firm that will let you touch all pieces of commercial development, from assemblage through preliminary design through construction and operations.  Then start talking to that rich uncle...

You might check this book out.

Steve, your smoking baby always reminds me of Colin Farrell.