Posted by Ben (NJ) on September 02, 2000 at 12:10:22:
whenever I need to lose ten pounds or so, I always go to one of the most expensive spas in the country. I am telling you this not to brag but to demonstrate a valuable point. I know that if I am spending a fortune
to be there you better believe I am working out like a demon, eating bagel chips from the spa menu, taking every class offered and busting my butt to lose weight. Getting your money’s worth is one hell of a motivator!
Ron LeGrand program - Newbie Scam? - Posted by Michael Ricca
Posted by Michael Ricca on September 01, 2000 at 10:36:11:
(Having no real estate expirience)I purchased the Ron Legrand program which I recently had seen in an infomercial on Tv one night. I studied the program and soon after I received a call from “a representative” asking us whether we wanted to join their “team” of successful REIs. Being new to all this, my wife and I asked for more information. They told us that that they would “train” us and take us under their wing, in other words help us out with anything that we were having trouble with. They told us that in 6 months we would be ready for one of their “success stories” and they were interested in recognizing us, and helping us out in “reaching our goals” as REIs. In turn they wanted (the small fee) $4711.95!!! which would cover a 6 month training period for my wife and I, where we are out in the field, if i understand correctly, 7-10 hours a week And they’ll help us out with any unanswered questions or advise us on our next best move. He informed us that alone we could face many costly mistakes. We told him we’d talk it over.
Is this the real thing? Or just another Newbie scam? Have any of you expirienced this program? We’ve studied REI non-stop since receiving the program and believe we are ready to take the first steps and plunge into the REI world, being that we are fed up with the 9 to 5. Would agreeing to the program be a wise move? We have money saved up, but after the 4 thousand dollar fee, we wouldn’t have much left to invest with but one thousand or so, would it work out?
Thanks for the help we’re really confused about this one
Michael
Re: Ron LeGrand program - Newbie Scam? - Posted by Craig
Posted by Craig on September 02, 2000 at 14:41:53:
I agree with Steve and Ed(like it matters) about your effort being attributed to your investment or committment. But I also think it’s a good idea to find a mentor with experience in or around your own area. Of course nobody is going to train their competition, but sometimes people get lucky and can find someone that’s been highly successful but has for the most part retired. These types want to pass the torch to someone else and may have passed it to one of their children, but children don’t always follow in father or mothers footsteps and sometimes they move away.
That’s the perfect mentor and their help may cost you very little as long as your willing to listen, learn, and do. There are many successful people who want nothing more than the feeling of having helped someone else succeed through what they’ve learned. Those kinds of mentors may be hard to find.
That’s not to say that someone who places a monetary value on their experience and time won’t help you just as much, but personally I would only make that investment for the experience and time of the actual person doing the mentoring. If I’m paying for Ron LeGrand mentoring then I want to be talking to Ron LeGrand. If he’s sending me John Doe then I would want to see how successful John Doe is first, and if it’s a mentoring business like this I would want to see how many successful people John Doe personally mentored. And I would be wary of those “mentoring” programs that are asking multi-thousands and then also want a 50/50 split of profits. You can find a good mentor that will ask to be reimbursed one way or the other, so why pay someone so much up front and then split everything with them also, unless they’re partnering with you and making some other contribution to your deals.
Good luck.
correction. - Posted by Laure
Posted by Laure on September 02, 2000 at 11:54:22:
I stated below that I had not paid for mentoring.
I have, however, attended Terry & Ed’s Lender’s workshop which includes mentoring, which was very benneficial to me and many others I know.
Just thought I should clarify.
Laure 
Re: Ron LeGrand program - Newbie Scam? - Posted by Laure
Posted by Laure on September 02, 2000 at 07:35:46:
Keep your jobs. Work RE on the side until you have built it into a regular income stream.
As far as the mentoring, I have never paid for mentoring. I have purchased a lot of material, however. My feeling is that this board has given me enough encouragement and inforamtion. I’d rather keep my cash, thank you ! 5k is a lot of “cracker” to dish out.
just my opinion.
Laure
Re: Ron LeGrand program - Newbie Scam? - Posted by arya
Posted by arya on September 01, 2000 at 23:27:23:
Michael,
Don,t trust mentoring program, as other said, It is a
SCAM! Mentoring program is a new concept in marketing
which used by those big boys who sell Books,tape and
video on Real Estate programs. A friend of mine,
purchased ,some Real Esate Books from a famous R.E.Co. then after few months they sold him , mentoring program, for five times more than the price of books and videos. After 1st weeks keep calling , and trying to reach “mentor” ,he realy become frustrated and disappointed. The reason was, he couldn,t talk to “main” mentor, and the office
secretary was keep saying, "sir, you are only one student, “Mr Mentor” , has over 1000 students, “Mr mentor” does not have time now!. Or office moved to another location, or telephone changed.
My advise to you is, NEVER, NEVER get in trape with
mentoring program. If you realy and realy need a good
mentor, " tell him, He gets his fee , when you make
money" , from you 1st deal, otherwise, never, never, give any fees in advance, NEVER!
good luck!
It is all what you make of it! - Posted by SCook85
Posted by SCook85 on September 01, 2000 at 17:18:53:
The cost of education should not be measured in money, but instead with what you do with it. I do not believe that the Legrand group is trying to scam anyone, however I do believe that they sell you on hype and they realize that most of the people who get involved will never do a deal. Those people who never take the initiative to get anything done will feel like they were scammed if it were $47.11 or $4711 it doesn’t matter. If you become a successful real estate investor because of it $47.11 is cheap and so is $4711. It is all what you make of it.
I have charged more for mentoring then what Legrand charges and I don’t feel that I overcharged. First of all I’m doing it personally, and I’m in this to make my student successful. I’m not marketing it to the masses but only mentoring one person at a time. I also was careful in agreeing to who I was working with. I wouldn’t take money from someone who I felt wouldn’t do anything with what I had to teach them.
It is all up to you. If you are going to be successful as a real estate investor it is going to happen if you never buy a book or course, never sign up for a mentoring program, or if you buy everything available. It is all in your mindset. Books, courses, mentoring and coaching cut your learning curve down drastically. You can do it on your own in the next ten years, or you can seek assistance and be up and running in the next 10 weeks, that is the decision you should be contemplating. You are paying for knowledge- then you have to do something with it.
Steve
Re: Ron LeGrand program - Not a SCAM, but… - Posted by Ed Garcia
Posted by Ed Garcia on September 01, 2000 at 14:19:08:
Michael,
SCAM, is just too strong of a word. I don’t believe that it’s a scam. But I also don’t think that you’ll get your money’s worth.
To my knowledge the Ron Le Grand’s mentoring, allows you one phone call a week for a half hour. Mr. Le Grand farms out, or should I say has assistants, who do his mentoring for him. So even though your buying Le Grand, you’re not getting Le Grand.
You’re getting someone who you don’t know or know about his or her qualifications. I’ve been told that they have at least 2 years experience (That’s impressive isn’t it?).
As far as the price is concerned, if it were 6 month mentoring personally by Le Grand it might even be considered a steel, after all, Mr. Le Grand could no doubt be instrumental in you doing a deal. The cost could easily be made up in one deal if everybody’s doing his or her part.
I personally recommend a mentoring program if you can find a good one or a good mentor. Sometimes you can find someone to mentor you for free, but then you get what you pay for, because after a few contacts unless that individual is a personal friend, they’ll get burned out and get tired of helping you. So if you are going to ask an experienced qualified party to help you, be prepared to compensate them.
The reason I favor mentoring is because it cuts to the chase. Rather than purchase a course that’s teaches the fundamentals of deal making or deal structuring, a good mentor will provide you the immediate information NOW that’s applicable to doing a deal NOW. Each of us have different circumstances and market places that are our boundaries and a text book or course is not always applicable.
Most of them vaguely cover financing, if they cover it at all.
Michael, the best way to get mentoring without spending up front cost, is to find someone who is experienced that you can split your deals with and who will direct you because they benefit as well as you.
To me, mentoring is cheep. The reason I say that is, because it can make a difference in you doing a deal expadishly rather than stumbling around trying to learn and understand the dos and don’ts of the deal at hand. Sometimes in taking to long to do your first deal you can become so discouraged that you give up, or find that it cost you BIG money, because you lost deals that you normally would have made, if you wasn’t going through the learning period.
What ever you do, I wish you well,
Ed Garcia
Re: Ron LeGrand program - Newbie Scam? - Posted by Rob
Posted by Rob on September 01, 2000 at 12:46:32:
It is a scam!!!
You can get all the advise you want right here for free from people who DO REAL ESTATE EVERYDAY.
Some of those phone opperators are just people who have been to the $2K and $4K seminars (for free) and HAVE NEVER DONE A DEAL.
DON"T DO IT!
Does anyone Gurantee it in writing !!! - Posted by Akbar Aly
Posted by Akbar Aly on September 01, 2000 at 12:07:47:
Someone once said “Having cash in the bank gives a Zen like feeling of Peace”. Your cash as reserve will come in handy to swing some deals that otherwise may slip due to delay of getting your needed buyer.
Read this Board daily, and make notes and keep it in proper subject order.
Get all the paperwork required say from someone like William Bronchick with the supporting documents and courses and you will be fine.
Go slow at first and gather momentum as you feel comfortable in dealing with all issues related to RE.
Make many many offers on your terms and conditions and cover your self if you have to withdraw. You will understand more and more when you have gone through a few who do not want to be helped, but you will strike your first deal when you search out the motivated Seller. Its a numbers game, the more offers you make, the better chance you have. It does not cost any thing except your time to make offers. Only when the offer is accepted do you have to put any deposit down, your reserve will come in handy here too. How many accepted offers can you support with $5k.
Remember, Creative Real Estate is based on solving problems of others. They will kiss your hand and feet cause nobody else was willing to help, you are literally their angel. Now go do Gods work. Making money (which is not a sin) while helping others is one of the most satisfying feeling, try it you will like it.
Spend that money to advertise in your classified section that you are willing to buy property for Cash. Learn how that works, or ask questions on this board.
Spend your time with preplanned intent, cause that is your most valuable asset. Later your (RE) knowledge will over take that position, as your knowledge will make more Time and Money for you.
Good Luck, Now Go Do It!
Akbar
Think of how MANY ‘nothing down’ $deals$ you’d be able to do with that $4,700… - Posted by SusanL–FL
Posted by SusanL–FL on September 01, 2000 at 11:24:12:
…or how many properties you could ‘tie up’ at a $100 a pop! Quite a few!
If you have questions about a deal, bring them to the CRE board!
I’ll bet there hasn’t been a problem yet that someone here hasn’t encountered and had to deal with.
Just take it step-by-step.
Good luck!
Susan
P.S. There might be someone right there in your own community who would mentor you for FREE! Check it out at your local real estate club.
Re: Ron LeGrand program - Newbie Scam? - Posted by Dee-Texas
Posted by Dee-Texas on September 01, 2000 at 11:20:25:
I will recommend ANYTHING that William Bronchick has. He has easy to understand courses that usually come with computer disks and or video’s. Then study and ask questions on this board, find a local RE club in your area and listen to every word that they say and LEARN! Then DO!! You have to get out there and talk to the sellers and buyers, make some mistakes, but with the contracts and information in Bronchicks courses hopefully you won’t make any permanent mistakes.
Good Luck!
Dee-Texas
Re: Ron LeGrand program - Newbie Scam? - Posted by William Bronchick
Posted by William Bronchick on September 01, 2000 at 10:40:33:
I won’t say “scam”, but consider this . . . $4000 to talk to someone other than LeGrand himself. Maybe you should consider a few books and tapes first.
One major flaw in your approach - Posted by SCook85
Posted by SCook85 on September 02, 2000 at 15:17:00:
What if the mentor spends days on end with you and you just decide that you don’t want to do it- should the mentor not get paid???
In most cases it is not the mentor, it is the student who is unsuccessful.
Steve
Re: It is all what you make of it! - Posted by JoeS
Posted by JoeS on September 04, 2000 at 12:38:00:
Steve, you are so right. The cost of an education is measured only by how you use it. I am thinking of charging to mentor, probably more than some courses. What you get is personal attention, motivation and guidance. I made plenty of mistakes, and a course will not help you avoid these, only personal guidance will. So, anyone out there in NY State who wants to make 100K your first year and is willing to pay for personal motivation and guidance to do it feel free to E-Mail me. Anyway, Steve…you are the greatest!!!
Steve is right, you will never believe who first changed my thought process… - Posted by Ben (NJ)
Posted by Ben (NJ) on September 02, 2000 at 11:55:47:
about 7 years ago I was just graduating law school and
preparing myself for law firm interviews, resumes, looking forward? to putting in eight years of hard work to earn partner, a** kissing, the whole bit. One night during an attack of insomnia, I actually watched a DON LAPRE infomercial. It dealt with 900 numbers which I had no interest in at all but the underlying theme of being your own boss, not having a JOB,and being responsible for your own destiny really struck a chord with me. I think he even has one part where he says, “even if you don’t order my program, at least consider starting your own business, you won’t regret it”. His excitement was contagious and the timing was critical since I was just about to embark on that miserable path. Anyway, the point I am making is that I can trace my Kiyosaki-esque change in thinking to probably the cheesiest, slickest, hyped-up infomercial on the market. Of course, I was lucky, this didn’t cost me anything (certainly not $5000)but the point, like Steve says, it is what YOU MAKE OF IT! THANKS DON!
Re: My FANTASY… - Posted by Ed Garcia
Posted by Ed Garcia on September 01, 2000 at 19:16:26:
Steve,
I completely agree with your post. It’s funny how we talk about mentoring. I want to tell you about a fantasy I had when I was a young man, which I never had the nerve to live out.
When I was young, I would fantasize about contacting Howard Hughes and offering to go to work for him for three years for FREE. All he would have to do is provide me with room and board. I figured what I could learn from him would well be worth the three years I would give him.
Steve, chances are he would have rejected my offer, but I’ll never know now, will I.
There is no question that a good mentor can let you see things that it could take you years to learn. Not only can a good mentor provide you with information that is applicable to you and your circumstances, but motivation as well, which you’ll never find in any course or book.
Steve, I can tell you that, there have been times that some of my students spent their last dime to go to Terry’s and my workshop. I can’t tell you what that does to me. I feel so obligated and go out of my way to help that individual do a deal. I want to not only help them get their money back by doing a deal, but share with them, what it has taken me a life time to learn.
The only difference I see Steve between $47.11 and $4,711 is commitment. I think someone who spends $4,711 is definitely going to be more committed because of the amount of money they’ve spent. But you’re right when you say; (You are paying for knowledge- then you have to do something with it.)
Ed Garcia
Ditto dee - Posted by Laure
Posted by Laure on September 02, 2000 at 07:39:44:
I agree. Covering my shelves are Bill Bronchick’s materials. They are the ones I listen to over again because the material is interesting and pertinent. Other’s materials, and I have a few, are a good read once, full of encouragement and bla bla. But Bronchick’s material has meat.
Laure
Re: If you won’t say SCAM, I will - Posted by Won’t get taken
Posted by Won’t get taken on September 01, 2000 at 12:53:09:
SCAM!