Now, one thing I tell everyone is learn about real estate. Repeat after me: real estate provides the highest returns, the greatest values and the least risk. And because the U.S. government wants to incentivize real estate investment, tax laws will always be geared to ensure that trend continues. What you have to understand is that if you make a wise investment in property, it doesn?t matter as much where the market goes because you are probably assured a profit over the long haul. There are a host of tools to make owning real estate easy, ranging from government loans and seller financing to discount mortgages. You just have to be willing to invest over the long haul.

What if you don?t know anything about the real estate market? That?s OK. There are plenty of people out there who have dedicated their lives to this field. It?s now your job to go out and tap these resources. That?s right, I am talking about networking. You must develop personal contacts if you want to be successful. In his book, Building Wealth, MIT economist Lester C. Thurow writes that "Knowledge is the new basis for wealth.? Lester is right. We live in a time of incredible opportunity. We are not enmeshed by class limits. Riches are not merely cosigned to a few families. Everyone can build wealth. So everywhere you go should be an opportunity to meet experts in a particular field such as real estate, financial planning, etc.? who can help you achieve your dreams.

Networking is an essential part of building wealth. For example, one of my former employees is currently at law school. He recently decided to volunteer at the school?s career counseling center. Did he do this because of a burning desire to help other students acquire their dream jobs? No! He did it because it offered an opportunity to make contact with people in his field who could help propel his career forward. Each day he calls practitioners and invites them to school speaking engagements. After their lectures, he mentions how much he enjoyed what they had to say, and he requests an informative meeting to learn more about the filed. He doesn?t ask for a job or for money. He just asks every practitioner he meets if they would be willing to share some of their background and expertise so that he can map out his own career path. The practitioners are inevitably flattered and agree to talk. In his first two weeks of volunteering he has already received five job leads for summer clerkships. You need to do the same! Volunteer at local associations. Get involved in the community. And meet experts who can teach you what you need to know about a field of interest. This doesn?t mean go out and beg for a job or money. It means making an effort to engage successful people in conversation. It?s tremendously flattering to be asked to regale others with your own exploits. If you show sincere enthusiasm for what an individual does, he will likely take time to point you in the right direction. Instead of asking them for a job, ask them what traits are crucial to success in that field, or what resources you should look at to learn more. The key is to put yourself in a position where they decide either to mentor you, or to point you toward additional resources that can be of benefit.

First hand contact is also a great way to get your ear to the ground. It?s one thing to read about the real estate market. But it?s quite another to find out about a proposed development deal and being able to invest before the property value sky rockets. You can?t squander the advantages of networking. Bottom line: if you show a genuine interest in learning about how others became successful, you can open up a world of opportunities.

These wealth-building opportunities are available for everyone. They do not require specialized skill. They just require entrepreneurial resolve and willingness to network. Once you achieve that, you will be well on your way to the life you?ve always wanted.