3. Belief - No one, and I mean no one will (or should) believe in you as much as you do. If you don't really believe that you can be a successful real estate investor, then you may as well stop trying. There will be times when it seems like you are the only one that believes in what you're trying to do so you have to be there for yourself! You should also surround yourself with folks that believe in and support you ... but that's a different point.

4. Guts - You have to be willing to go the opposite direction from the rest of the people you know. You have to be able to make your own decisions and have the guts to take action on them. This is not an easy thing to do especially when you first start out. And, to continue and advance as an investor you will still need guts to try new real estate strategies and techniques. In fact, we are working on several creative techniques right now and believe me, my guts are rumbling and churning as I push myself to get'r done. The more guts you have, likely the better you'll perform.

5. Integrity - Sadly, I have met many folks who have become successful without integrity but I believe that their success is likely only financial. I am confident they don't have the relationships nor the personal satisfaction that comes with doing business with integrity.  Doing business in a way that treats everyone with respect in turn makes you easier to respect and like ... and makes it easier to attract the folks that will help you grow your business.

6. Focus - This is probably the most underrated trait or action for becoming successful. If you lack focus, it is still possible to become successful. Heck, over the years I have had trouble staying focused but I have still performed fairly well in the REI game. But, my lack of focus has certainly played an important role in keeping me from reaching my full potential. And, the best part about focus, along with most of these other traits is you can learn it/them! In fact, Julie's been helping me to re-train myself to become (and stay) more focused! I am getting better all the time (at being focused) and our achievements are moving in sync with our focus.

7. Communication - If you dislike talking to people, emailing, or just all around don't communicate well with others, good luck performing and being successful with real estate. You have to communicate constantly with realtors, mortgage brokers, banks, accountants, lawyers, vendors, buyers, tenants, appraisers, inspectors, contractors, the list goes on and on. If you aren't at least somewhat effective at not only getting your point across but also being a good listener and understanding others, forget about being in the REI game.

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