Before I first started flipping houses as a business in Rochester the internet existed, but nobody had figured out a good way to use it yet. So when I tried to educate myself on the subject, I had to do it the old-fashioned way—by going to the Central Library. I took out all the books on the subject I could find. It didn’t take long. There weren’t many. So, I waited months searching for a sign to take the leap and get started. 

Then, I saw it—literally, an actual sign, a small flyer on blue printer paper taped to a lamppost outside Schiller Park advertising a “flipping houses seminar in Rochester NY.” Exactly what I’d been looking for! I called the number, paid the fee, and I was in. I went, I saw, and then I was back out again. The seminar was over. I still didn’t have a house to flip. Should I wait another half a year for another random flyer? Was there a better way to learn how to flip houses? 

The world has turned a few times since then. Some things have changed, but everything’s still pretty much the same. While there’s a lot more on the internet now, it’s still difficult to find a house flipping seminar in Rochester. But, since that’s what you want to do, I’ll do my best to help. After years of experience, here’s what I can tell you about flipping houses seminars here beside the big lake. 

What Flipping Houses Seminars Can You Attend in Rochester, NY?

I hate to break it to you, but you can’t attend any seminars in Rochester this year. The only actual in-person seminar scheduled for our fair city came and went last February. Don’t worry, though, another seminar will be coming around eventually. In the meantime, you can make the most of the other resources that are available. Here are your options: 

Webinars

Back in my day, you couldn’t even find directions to a local seminar on the internet. Now, you can find actual webinars on the internet. Whether that’s an improvement is up for debate, which we can have after you’ve watched a few.

Just this October, BATT Strategies, who call themselves “a group of friends who invest in real estate, connect others to education, and partner on various entrepreneurial enterprises” held a webinar in our Flower City. They promised to teach everything from fixing and flipping properties and raising capital to tax and legal strategies. That’s a lot of cover in the one hour they scheduled for the webinar! 

But, even more curious is that the advertisements for the webinar tell you nothing about who these folks actually are or what their experience is. They don’t even have a website. Yet, these unidentifiable folks travel from city to city with their special message. So, you can be sure they’ll be back here in Rochester soon—though I doubt you’ll get the training you’re looking for. 

Real Estate Investor Meetings

Currently, there is a single open real estate investing meeting in Rochester held by the Upstate Investors Group. Or, rather, that’s what they call the group but it’s actually run by the ROC Capital Group, a Rochester-based commercial real estate investing syndicator. Basically, that means they take your money, buy multi-family properties that they choose, and distribute profits back to you—if there are any. 

So, right there’s your problem. This meeting really isn’t for you. It’s not about investing in single-family homes or enabling you to be a professional real estate investor at all. At best, you’ll end up buying into the sales pitch and become a passive “partner” for someone else’s investing dream. 

Willing to Drive Outside of Rochester for a Flipping Houses Seminar?

While there aren’t many more actual seminars scheduled in Rochester this year, the people who put on the earlier seminar, under the auspices of the name—wait for it—Home Flipping Workshop in Rochester have another coming up in Schenectady. That’s a bit of a drive, but it could be worth your time if you’ve never attended an informational seminar before. 

Their advertising does give me some pause, however, and the reason may not be obvious if you’re new to real estate investing. Remember the adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is? Well, that’s what it looks like from here. Their seminar website promises a “proven strategy” and that you won’t even need any credit or money. In fact, you don’t have to spend a dime—they’ll teach you to use other people’s money. There lies the hitch.

You see, I can tell you from experience that nobody is going to give you money to gamble on a real estate deal for free. Even the most risk-ready hard money lender is going to want a piece of the pie. So, where does the “free” money come from? Let’s just imagine it’s the Home Flipping Workshop folks.

Here’s how it usually works: They teach you to bird dog investment properties and give you an iPad to run some numbers for them. Then, you go to them and say, “Look, I’ve got a great deal!” and they provide the money to buy it. Your cut, however, ends up being not much more than a small finder’s fee. They get the rest. It’s brilliant—for them!—actually, because they grow their real estate investing business by acquiring new assistants all over New York. You, however, get permanently sidelined.

There is some information to be gleaned from seminars and similar meetings in the Rochester area. But, even if you attend all of them, you still won’t actually be any closer to buying, rehabbing, and selling a house. Don’t worry, there’s another way. 

The Best House Flipping Training For New Rochester Investors

In order to become a professional real estate investor, you’ll have to invest in real estate. The best way I found to do that was by becoming an independently owned and operated HomeVestors® franchisee. Doing so gave me access to a source of leads, coming in from the nationally recognized “We Buy Ugly Houses®” advertising campaign. 

Also, HomeVestors® provided useful training materials right away that were more comprehensive than anything I’ve seen at a seminar or online. Better yet, it connected me to my mentor who guided me through the process and gave me specific advice about my actual projects. That’s something I never got from a seminar. 

If you want to be a professional real estate investor in or around Rochester, NY, take my advice, take the plunge, and request information from HomeVestors® today. 

Each franchise office is independently owned and operated.