Interview with Kwesi Nichols and Tristan Cooley, authors of "the best of the game"
Interview with Kwesi Nichols and Tristan Cooley
authors of The Best in the Game: Let Us Show You How to Get Rich in Real Estate
Real Estate – Duo Publishing, Inc. (2007)
ISBN 9780977867509
Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (3/07)
Today, Reader Views’ Tyler R. Tichelaar is happy to be joined by Kwesi Nichols and Tristan Cooley to discuss their new book “The Best in the Game.”
Kwesi Nichols and Tristan Cooley are best friends and business partners. His book “The Best in the Game” offers practical advice for the millions of people who would love to invest in real estate but don’t know how to get started.
Tyler: Hi Kwesi and Tristan. Thanks for joining us today. I know that real estate investing has become a hot topic recently. Would you give our readers a little insight into your own experiences with real estate and what made you decide to write “Best of the Game” as a guide on how to get rich in real estate?
Tristan: Kwesi and I started investing in real estate with no money down and very little credit. Soon after graduation we realized that we would have to work long hours to earn the income we wanted for ourselves and our families. In our first year we made over $150,000 each. We have not only improved our lives but we have improved the lives of those who have learned our system. We have improved numerous homes within our community. We have helped families become proud homeowners. We have provided clean, safe homes for families who enjoy living in our homes versus apartments. And for our tenants who want to become homeowners, we put them in a system to ensure they reach their goal. Our system has helped people earn a lot of money. Our system works!
We decided to write “Best of the Game” because we come across a lot of people who want to invest in real estate but don’t know how to start. We found that people just need a game plan that works. Many people forbid themselves from investing in real estate because they have heard the real estate myths. You’ve heard from someone who doesn’t know how to make money in real estate. They hear negative information from the media and think that maybe real estate is not for them. We keep hearing people talk about a housing bubble. In our book, Kwesi and I dispel the myth behind the housing bubble. We show people how to protect themselves from the so-called housing bubble. Our system shows everyone how to make a lot of money regardless of the real estate market.
Often people will tell us that they want to invest in real estate, but they need to work on a few things first. Usually, that’s another indicator that they don’t know where to start and have convinced themselves that they’re going to learn more about real estate… but that never happens. When we see them a few years later and ask if they’ve started investing in real estate, they shake their heads in disappointment and say no, I’ve been too busy. We always respond by saying wow, you must be making a lot of money if that prevents you from making money in the most lucrative market in the world.
Our point is very simple. If you want to become a real estate investor, don’t leave it for later. You may think you need to work on a few things first, but investing now can put more money in your hands faster than working on a few things. Our book explains what to do and how to do it.
Tyler: How do you think your book stands apart from other real estate books and systems or strategies?
Kwesi: Our book removes all the fluff and gets right to the heart of making money in real estate. You get the benefit of learning from two successful real estate investors who have actually bought and sold over 500 properties. Many books similar to ours have a lot of theory and not as much practical experience. We also provide readers with more detail than any other real estate book on the market on how to make big money in the real estate game.
Tristan: Our system is very simple and easy to apply. When our students apply our system, they often respond by saying that I never knew it was so easy to earn so much money. Our strategies are based on our real life experiences. We teach our students how to develop the best exit strategy before doing any real estate transaction. We offer many secrets that real estate agents do not know. We share secrets that other investors don’t know. We explain how to form a real estate team that generates money. Your real estate team will make you much more money with less effort.
Tyler: Would you tell our readers what are the main areas of real estate investing that your book covers?
Tristan: Our book covers 2-4 unit apartment and residential buildings. We discuss residential vs. commercial because it is the easiest and least risky. Our system and strategies can be easily applied to many trading transactions, but the waiting time and funding can be challenging for a beginner with little or no money to invest in the transaction.
Tyler: What is the biggest caution you would give someone interested in investing in real estate?
Tristan: Our biggest precaution for someone interested in investing in real estate would be to learn to trust yourself. Don’t talk yourself into waiting. Do not make excuses. And don’t talk about investing in real estate to someone who doesn’t invest in real estate. People who don’t invest in real estate are the worst to get real estate advice from. Don’t confuse a homeowner with a real estate investor. There is a difference; homeowners don’t view their homes as investments; an investor views real estate as wealth builders. Our book will show you the benefits of investing in real estate. Our book points out many mistakes that can be made, and a lot of money wasted, without the right tools. We encourage you to invest in yourself. Buy our One-on-One Training System; it will arm you with the tools and knowledge you need.
Tyler: A lot of people are probably interested in investing in real estate, but feel like they don’t have the money to get started. How much money do you need and how difficult is it to get financing?
Tristan: That’s a great question. We specialize in buying homes with no money down. Our book shows you how to buy property and fix it up with no money down. We started with no down payment and are still doing no down payment deals. We offer free seminars that teach you how to buy a home with no down payment or credit. We have made a lot of money using our system.
Tyler: We see a lot on TV about buying government-repossessed property. These properties sell for a fraction of their real value. Do you recommend buying such a property, especially for someone new to real estate?
Tristan: The current real estate market is experiencing a great recovery rate. We hate that families are losing their homes. However, your unfortunate situations allow others to benefit. Let’s be honest; Anytime someone can buy a property for a fraction of its value, it’s a good deal. Often people think that because a property is owned by the government, it must be a good deal. Here’s why some government properties aren’t great deals.
Tyler: Once people decide to invest in real estate, should they buy a lot of properties and then collect rent from them, like owning multiple apartment buildings, or is it better to only own a few properties at a time and continually flip them?
Tristan: We suggest that an investor develop a plan before investing in real estate. The objective of each investor is different. If an investor wants to generate cash flow, then he may want to buy/hold/rent. But if an investor doesn’t want to keep the properties, he should consider selling the house quickly.
Tyler: You mention in your book that you don’t believe there is such a thing as a “housing bubble.” Can you explain why you disagree with this idea?
Kwesi: We believe that in any market we can find a good offer. We teach real life strategies on how to find good deals anywhere in the country. As professional investors, we believe that we can successfully rehabilitate anywhere and we can control any market we look at. In Boulder, Colorado, for example, many investors are buying blocks of houses at market price. Then spend a lot of money rehabbing and reinventing the area. In fact, they entered these new communities and sold the properties for 3 times what they originally paid. Creativity at its best.
Tyler: What do you think is the future of the housing market? Is the property overvalued right now? Will it be easier or more difficult to become a real estate investor?
Tristan: The real estate market is like any other industry. It has its ups and downs. No, we don’t think real estate is overpriced. There are many sellers who get their asking price and more. Due to the current economy and the mortgage industry, buyers have a greater selection of homes to choose from. Rising rates are forcing buyers to buy less expensive homes. People still want to buy the most expensive house, but are forced to stay where they are or buy a less expensive house. Once the economy improves and rates come down, the boom will start again.
Tyler: If you could give only one piece of advice to people looking to invest in real estate today, what would it be?
Kwesi: Definitely to buy our training kit along with our mentoring. The smart money is in the people who invest in themselves first, before investing in real estate!
Tyler: Where can readers go to learn more about “The Best in the Game” or to purchase the book?
Kwesi: You can visit our website at [http://www.thebestinthegame.com]. You can purchase our book at any of your local bookstores, our website, and online at Amazon.com.
Tyler: Thank you Tristan and Kwesi for being here today. He has given us a lot of sound and good advice on real estate investing. I am sure that many people interested in the real estate market will buy “The Best in the Game”.