Book Review: The Real Estate Journey by Dr. Brian P. Simon

I recently received a copy of Dr. Brian P. Simon’s book, “The Real Estate Journey: From Dreaming & Home Buying to Realty & Entrepreneurship” for my honest opinion.

There are times where life just works out perfectly – things line up, doors open or inspiration comes at the EXACT right time. This read ended up being just that.

If you have been following along in my stories on Instagram, I have been dealing with a huge mess on one of our investment properties. Our contractor got in hot water with the city for working without permits and it has drug out for months and cost us thousands. Avoidance (something I’ve been focusing on for self improvement) has led both the contractor and I to let this drag on for far longer than it should have.

Bumps in the road like these – learning opportunities – can really have you doubting the path you are on. It really helps to sit down and read something like Dr. Simon’s book to pull your head out of your own immediate situation and catch a glimpse of the bigger picture. The entrepreneurial insights, tips and strategies offered throughout the book are very applicable to investors and real estate agents alike. After all, building your retirement with investment properties is an entrepreneurial endeavor!

Crafting Your Dream

A dream is an unrefined hope, an aspiration, a what if, an imagined thing you might do or experience someday. Dreams are cost-free. You can think about them without making any commitment or taking any steps to do them. A dream is not a goal. Goals are specific future targets that we are committed to becoming or accomplishing in an action-oriented, time-specific way. One of the hardest paths of achieving dreams and goals is overcoming the mental barrier, realizing that you really can achieve this, and understanding that it’s not as big as it appears.

Dr. Brian P. Simon, The Real Estate Journey: From Dreaming and Home Buying to Realty and Entrepreneurship

Real estate investment is, for many, a dream of financial freedom – the dream of passive income coming in while you enjoy your life outside of the 9-5 box. Getting to that dream, though, is hardly passive. It takes a true entrepreneurial spirit, a cultivation of belief, hard work and the ability to lean into the chaos.

With relatable stories and even helpful worksheets, Dr. Simon first takes you down the path of cultivating your dreams into achievable goals. This important step is where many dreamers fail. They know where they want to end up, but actually getting there is a different animal all together. The Real Estate Journey encourages readers to take those steps, guiding them from what might seem like a far fetched fantasy into developing an actual plan of action.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

I realized that nobody, no parent, no friend, and no mentor was going to succeed in my life for me. They could help me on occasion, but ultimately, day after day, my life was my decision.

Dr. Brian P. Simon, The Real Estate Journey: From Dreaming and Home Buying to Realty and Entrepreneurship

The chapter about becoming an entrepreneur really struck a chord with me. Once we started to imagine a life that was free of the typical work confines, we knew we had crossed into the entrepreneurial realm. It was scary (and still is on many occasions), but it is worth it.

Dr. Simon first presents the advantages and disadvantages of entrepreneurship from a very down to earth point of view before laying out what is needed to be successful. From there, he moves into a realistic action plan you can tell has come from experience. So much of what he talks about has proven so true for us on our journey into entrepreneurship! It was incredibly refreshing to read through his experiences and tips.

One of the areas that spoke to me the most was the section on the attitude toward failure. We, like many others, are having a history of failures mixed in with our successes. His motto, “fail forward every time”, is exactly what I needed to read during this ordeal with our property! Treating failures as learning experiences and then striving to do better the next time has helped keep us on the journey to our dream.

The Real Estate Journey

As I got into the real estate section of his book, I found that he offered a lot of great “meat”, you could say. He really took the time to lay out the common fears, pros and cons of the various options out there and steps you take when you want to actually make a property purchase.

While I do feel that he could have explored a few of the lending options out there for investments a bit more, I think that his overall approach is easily digestible for a broad spectrum of readers. Whether they are seeking their first home purchase for themselves or looking to get into real estate investing, knowing the steps is really helpful.

The final sections relating to financial planning were incredibly in depth and offered a multitude of worksheets to help you actually budget for your or your family’s needs and goals. From determining expenses to saving to increasing your annual income, his approachable worksheets are easy to follow.

As a side note – I truly appreciated how he included a small amount set aside for treating yourself. I firmly agree with Dr. Simon when he says, “If you don’t experience the good things every now and then, you may find it hard to stay on track.” I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to go extremely strict on my budgeting, cheaping out on everything just to find I’m miserable.

In the end, it’s virtually important for aspiring entrepreneurs to remember this: whether you have great talents or little talents, great wealth or no wealth, if you continue creating and maintaining good daily, weekly and yearly habits, you will be successful. Success is defined as the ongoing accomplishment of your worthwhile goals. One of those goals may be to raise a family. This doesn’t have an end point, but can have incremental accomplishments along the way, year over year, month over month. Don’t wear yourself out to become rich. Show discretion and choose to embrace the journey of today, not waiting to enjoy life only when you reach some perceived goal you have in mind.

Dr. Brian P. Simon, The Real Estate Journey: From Dreaming & Home Buying to Realty & Entrepreneurship

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever imagined a life beyond the constraints of their unfulfilling job. Whether you have dreamed of owning your own business or growing your wealth through investing, The Real Estate Journey: From Dreaming & Home Buying to Realty & Entrepreneurship is a realistic yet optimistic, easy to read guide. It will provide you with the inspiration and reassurance you often need on the quest to making your dreams come true.

I will keep this copy in my car, so that when I face those harder moments – filled with the fear of failure – I will remember to lean into the chaos, tackle the day and fly on my journey.