Start with Strategy
by Dave Meyer
Key Concepts
Strategy First
Define your investment goals, risk tolerance, and ideal market before ever looking at properties.
Investor Identity
Understand your unique strengths, weaknesses, and resources to tailor your approach.
Market Alignment
Select markets that specifically support your strategic objectives, not just popular ones.
Deal Criteria
Establish clear, quantifiable metrics for what constitutes a 'good deal' for your specific strategy.
Exit Strategy
Plan your potential exit from an investment before you even acquire the property.
Action Items
Before browsing listings, articulate your personal 'why' for investing and your financial objectives.
Create a detailed investor profile outlining your capital, time, and risk comfort levels.
Research and commit to a specific market that aligns with your strategic goals, not just perceived hot spots.
Develop a checklist of non-negotiable criteria for any property you consider purchasing.
For every potential deal, outline at least two viable exit strategies.
Core Thesis
Sustainable real estate investing success is built upon a meticulously defined personal strategy, not merely chasing individual deals.
Mindset Shift
The book fundamentally shifts the perspective from reactively finding 'good deals' to proactively defining a strategy that dictates what a 'good deal' means for your specific circumstances.