10 lessons I learned at a home-flipping seminar: Plain Dealing

warrenbuffetap.jpgWarren Buffett makes a thumbs up with the hand that at some point shook Than Marrill's. I bet you've never shaken hands with Warren Buffett.

When I heard FortuneBuilders was blowing through Northeast Ohio offering free two-hour seminars on how to "get rich" flipping real estate, I thought it was just a ploy to get people to pay $197 for more training.

I realize now that was negative thinking! Others may have taken away a different message, but here are 10 life-changing lessons I learned at Wednesday's home-flipping seminar:

1) If you put a smooth-talking former telemarketer in a room with 130 people, as many as 50 will pay $197 to sign up for a three-day seminar without ever asking a single question. Some whip out their credit cards as soon they learn this isn't "get rich quick . . . it's get rich for sure!"

2) You've probably heard all of your life that you should save -- and that's just wrong. You should use your money to buy and flip real estate!

3) You also might have learned that you should save for retirement, but that's crazy talk. You should suck the money out of your retirement fund right now and use it to buy and flip real estate!

4) Why throw money into a 529 tuition savings plan to pay for your kid's college education when you can . . . invest in real estate! Here's a picture of a smiling little girl. Her dad used her education money to flip real estate. Look how happy she looks. You never know when your 529 Plan might dive, but real estate -- well, how can you go wrong there?

5) If you don't want to plunder your own savings and retirement accounts, you don't have to. You can talk your friends and family into giving you their savings to buy real estate! You are literally surrounded by investors! Dad. Grandma. They're like banks, only not as picky.

6) It's lots easier to hit your friends and family up for investment money if you have a company name, because it will sound like you have "a team" behind you. Don't tell them the company is really just you! Boy, will they be surprised.

7) If you think your spouse will be really mad if you put $197 on your credit or debit card, you should do it anyway because he or she will get over it. Do it now!

8) If anyone tries to tell you this house-flipping thing won't work, they're just being negative. Negative people are never going to get rich. Not like you! You're positive!

9) FortuneBuilders co-founder Than Merrill has actually touched billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Look, here's the photo of them shaking hands. Warren Buffett would never get mad at you for putting $197 on your credit or debit card. He's a positive guy. He thinks you should buy real estate!

10) If think you can't make it to the $197, three-day flipping seminar because you have to work one of those days, you're a loser! If you're not willing to blow off your day job to learn how to flip homes, you probably don't have what it takes to "get rich for sure!" Don't let your work ethic hold you back!

I'm going to go get my camera right now so I can photograph my kids' faces when I tell them I'm going to use their college funds to buy and flip real estate. Do you think they'll smile big like that little girl? I bet they will!

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