“People don’t care about your business. They care about their problems. Be the solution that they’re looking for.” – Melanie Dodard
This Clever Investor review will be a comprehensive breakdown of the Clever Investor 30 Day Deal Challenge.
During my search to expand my revenue, I like many people looking; I fell into the real estate investing world.
After many hours and eventual months of researching other coaching courses I decided to double down on the Clever Investor course.
While being a part of this program I gained knowledge and strategies that allowed me to flip more than a dozen homes, earning me over a couple million dollars in additional income.
There are just a few things I should get off my chest.
First, I most certainly did not accomplish that feat on my own as Cody and his crew answered my questions expeditiously.
Second, while I have made a significant increase in my income using the clever investor program, it was not enough to become my cash crop, so I decided not to become an affiliate and ultimately still choose my number one go to method for attaining a high passive income which I will go into further along in my clever investor review.
A few statistics for you on the 30 Day Deal Challenge:
- It was created in 2016 and offers annual updates as information changes
- The training lasts about 15 hours with many bonus printables
- This course is not necessarily for beginners but is for business minded action takers who just need a little guidance
- Overall was a good course but there were a few things that needed some serious flushing out
- This course starts out at 5K and has an additional mentoring program anywhere between $10-45 thousand.
Who is Cody Sperber?
He is from Arizona and met his wife Shannon while they were both attending Arizona State University.
Cody focused his academic attention on a business degree with an emphasis on the housing market and finance.
After graduating in 2005, Cody and Shannon decided to settle down in Mesa, Arizona with their two children, Hudson and Brynlee, and even their bulldog Sully.
Cody actually got into real estate investing while he was in college but it wasn’t until after he graduated that he really took the full time dive into flipping homes.
A long time friend pushed him into going to a Jack Miller seminar series. Jack Miller was one of the highly successful real estate investors from the early eighties until his untimely death in 2009.
It was because of that training that led to a complete shift in Cody’s career because that is when he also met Lyle. Lyle is commonly known as the investor behind the Clever Investor.
Lyle will become Cody’s most trusted mentor over the next few years and will help him completely reform the systems within Cody’s real estate setup by showing him quicker and more efficient technologies and how to use them.
After that seminar and his new found mentor, Cody went into hyperdrive eventually flipping over fifty homes within twelve months and established a rather impressive portfolio.
As they say the rest is history because in 2010 he launched the Clever Investor LLC and has educated thousands of wanna be investors on how to get their own start in real estate.
Now you know him, so Who am I?
While I have been within the digital realm for quite some time doing all kinds of various marketing; from selling with Amazon FBA to lead generation, it wasn’t until somewhere in 2018 that I really followed through with anything real estate related.
Within the world of entrepreneurs, it is a safe bet that many successful ones have multiple streams of income.
That is what pushes them to 6 figure incomes a year and beyond because they are gaining profits from multiple business ventures and/or assets.
During a bootcamp I attended to help me increase my current revenue, I was challenged by a highly successful Marketing Manager for the camp to diversify my income, specifically in regards to real estate.
I had actually been putting money into a capital fund program but decided now was the time and the right push to take me out of my comfort level and to finally try my hand at residential house flipping.
As I stated before I had taken the time to do my due diligence with other real estate investing courses and after reading other clever investor reviews, I ultimately decided that Cody’s program would be the best fit.
I enjoyed the fact that it gave me actionable steps for every day of the first month and still provided me supplemental resources I could access when I needed some extra help.
However, as you now know I don’t make money off of these reviews and I am not a Clever Investor affiliate.
All I try to do is allow other people a behind the scenes look at some of today’s training programs including the Clever Investor program so that you, my audience, can make the best decision for yourself on whether it is for you.
What could be my reasoning for inserting this mini disclaimer? Well, there are some out there wondering if it’s a Clever Investor scam! Is the Clever Investor a scam?
Well I along with many others who have taken the course would disagree with that statement.
I found it to be incredibly informative in most areas and again thoroughly enjoyed the daily action steps.
However, there are many who would beg to question if there is some sort of Cody Sperber scam since his course used to sell at $500 and now goes for almost $6000.
To that I answer: supply and demand!
What can you expect from the course?
I was immediately captivated when I jumped into this course and was able to use the 30 days of action planner.
This is where Cody breaks down everything you need to do on the first day, and again on the second day, all the way through until the final day of the month.
This well laid out guide started by deciphering the house flipping process into five steps:
- You will need to market that you are now flipping houses by attacking every marketing avenue from signs to social media.
- Obtain your properties by using various methods.
- Acquire funding, this process can be anyone from a private lender to banks, brokers and hard money lenders.
- Sell the property; he suggests the Double Close Method or the Assignment Method.
- Assess and repeat! Go through what did and didn’t work from the previous deal
You can also expect weekly question and answer calls performed live, you will receive the 30 days of actionable steps to help you land your first deal as quickly as possible, a bonus course called Quick Flips for Big Profits, a second bonus course called Negotiation and Influence, and even a third bonus course called the Digital Mail Deal Maker.
Course Breakdown
- Week One: You will learn how to market yourself as a professional real estate investor.
- By using a mindmap (for all those visual learners), Cody lets you in on the journey that is about to take place over the next 30 days. Over the course of the next 6 days, you are shown how to inform others that you are now providing a new service. Everything from using signs to one on one meetings. Video showcasing your new talent and even setting up a landing page on the web.
- You will also be shown how to create a simple business website which will add to your credibility and marketing. You will be shown how video syndication can help put your Youtube videos on multiple websites at once and you will get a guide helping you create those videos to begin with.
- You will be shown how to set up and use a marketing email service like Constant Contact or Aweber.
- You will also be shown how to create a Google My Business account and what exactly that can do for the success of your business.
A great foundation is laid out for you during the first week, I personally feel like there should have been an introduction to Contact Relationship Management systems and why that is so important.
What is Contact Relationship Management? Well, CRM for short refers to a technology that is able to manage all of your relationships and interactions with customers as well as potential customers.
When using the term CRM, you are most likely referring to a system that helps manage contacts, sales, agent productivity (if there is more than one of you) and much more.
I would actually recommend Ontraport as it also helps you create multiple “squeeze” pages. More openly referred to as landing pages or funnel pages, which help “squeeze” prospect information.
- Week two: obtaining your business license, learning your local market, and investment team building.
- There are three main points to this training. Set up your LLC to protect your business and yourself. Create a network with other professionals who will help you form your REI Machine. Lastly, categorize all the different types of single family homes within your local area.
Within this second week of training it is highly recommended to form your LLC or Limited Liability Corporation by using LegalZoom.
This will help you run your real estate business because it protects you and offers tax flexibility.
He reinforces that flipping homes is not meant to be a one man (or woman) show and it is in your best interest to create a real estate investment team.
Who all do you need to include in this network of business professionals?
- You will need a mentor or guide to help motivate your success
- You will need an insurance agent, specifically one that deals with real estate investors
- You will need an accountant who is familiar with real estate
- You will need a vetted contractor who has experience working with investors but also has experience working on completely dilapidated homes as well as the “simple” fixer uppers.
- You will need a real estate attorney who is able to quickly draw up proper legal documents
Towards the end of the week you will discover the four categories any single family home within your market can be labeled under as well as his personal rating on whether you should even invest your time flipping those properties.
- Week three: Understanding terminology, being able to analyze your own deals, and finding the proper resources
- During this week you will learn the many acronyms within the field of real estate, like ARV (After Repair Value). How you can sign up for multiple newsletters from various online forums and you can learn how to run your own numbers on your property deals.
- Some key terms you will go over include: Monthly Cash Flow, MOA (Maximum Allowable Offer), Capitalization Rates, Loan to Value, and Cash on Cash Returns.
To break up the monotony of being in front of your computer desk the last few weeks, you are encouraged to go out on a Networking Day.
Introduce yourself, build relationships and trust with local investors and other potential members of your real estate team.
Again reiterating how vital it is to build this team and not to expect everything to fall on your shoulders.
Real estate investing is a team sport so take the time to build a great team. It is also recommended to think outside the box by searching for Section 8 housing investors and even Foreclosure Auctioneers.
You never know who within your network is gonna have an amazing deal waiting for you. During this week you will also be provided a few real estate books to check out to help you further your journey.
Real estate investing wouldn’t be complete without negotiations, so understanding how to navigate those waters is really going to build your confidence.
Clever Investors offers three main negotiating strategies to help you out.
- Developing the No. 1 character trait of excellent negotiators
- Getting your way with rude loss mitigation negotiators
- Handling ultimatums in ways that keep the deal alive
Your first deal will not go without a blemish. So you will run into all types of obstacles during your first negotiations.
Just remember the more you do it the better you will become so don’t give up. Failure and mistakes are expected, it’s the ultimate learning experience.
“Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” —Denis Waitley
After reading a couple of clever investor mentoring reviews and realizing I was alright on my own, I refreshed myself with his deep dives into the bonus negotiation information; and really hit the ground running.
Which I really did in a matter of twelve months, remember above when I mentioned how many houses I was able to flip in just that year alone.
The fact remains I got those amazing results because I put in the work.
Nothing worth having comes easy and that rings true in business as well.
I fully invest in the philosophy that some business models are a step above other ones, for the simple fact that residual income is way better than a one time, active income.
No matter the path you choose, take a little advice from a fellow real estate investor.
So again we must ask the question: is Clever Investor a scam?
There are many Clever Investor reviews. Some are rave reviews, speaking highly of this program and showcasing not just written testimonials but backed by number proof.
Others claim they got duped by the Clever Investor scam. Especially the frustrated people who saw the course at its original $500 price tag and now see the $6000 dollar price.
Some even go so far as to write Cody Sperber reviews, trying to besmirch the name of the creator to get their points across.
So, do I consider this a good course investment? I can say that I received a lot of value from his training, but it is not the only real estate training I have taken.
That being said there is incredible knowledge being shared with you and loads of value.
He is an excellent “miles away” mentor and really does know what the fuck he is talking about.
Like we say in business under promise and over deliver and Cody has done that with his course.
He has over delivered content and action, which I think really does provide you with more than the cost of the program.
So maybe the question you should ask yourself is not IF this course is right for you, but WHEN is the course gonna be right for you?
If the only disposable income you have right now is the price of this course, then you should maybe hold off on that investment as you will be quite literally stuck between a rock and a hard place.
You will have gained access to the course, yes, but unless you’re able to scrounge up a couple thousand more or go in with hard money lenders as a middle man investor and not a full-fledged flipper then you are gonna be S-O-L for any forward momentum.
There is still plenty you will need to acquire to get started in tangible real estate: there is marketing supplies like websites, signs, and phone service if you don’t want to use your personal number.
Don’t forget your team, there will be contractor costs and lawyer fees just to name a few.
Don’t count yourself out yet though because being short on funds does not mean you can’t be a real estate property owner.
Have you looked into Digital Real Estate?
I have enjoyed my time as a physical real estate investor, but let me drop some knowledge about what I enjoy most these days.
I am able to rent out lead generation sites (that I own) to businesses local and afar.
It is far more cost effective for me and really any newbies out there (listen up) because the return of investment is way higher than buying a single family home!
Service based businesses like tree servicers, plumbers, concrete servicers, and even limo services frequently rent their physical properties to minimize their short term expenses.
Just a few decades ago all a business had to do was put up a sign with their number, outside their building.
It simply was a short period of time waiting before those service providers would start generating traffic flow and receiving calls from clients needing help to fix a part of their home, for example.
But a little over 35 years ago, something happened that would forever change the way businesses would obtain clientele. In 1983, a small thing called the world wide web began to appear.
Now in 2020 (seemingly overnight), the internet has over FIVE BILLION MOBILE users.
It has been proven statistically that more people than ever are using their devices to search for local services near them.
Think of your own daily activity. How many times have you searched for “restaurants near me”, “closest gas station”, “24 hour mechanic” or “24 hour plumber”?
We all have used this service time and time again and many service providers are recognizing the need to be digitally relevant so their potential clients can find them easily.
They may understand the need to have a digital footprint during this era but don’t have the knowledge or time to actually do it. Let alone capitalize on it by generating leads through it!
So what I do, and many others like me, is we own these lead generation sites, rank them at the top of Google, and rent them out to local business/service providers.
As these providers are struggling to get a handle on their website and how the heck to get clients to it, how freaking stoked do you think they will be when you call their office and say “hey, I’ve got 10 leads that need immediate attention, do you want them?”
I have a funny feeling they would be so freaking relieved and grateful for you.
What if the very next week, you said the same thing? I bet you would blow their freaking mind!!!
I bet their next thought would be “how can I make sure I keep this person around! He/she is giving me constant business, I didn’t have to search for it!”
Well, this is how we get that money stack.
Here are a couple things you should know about one of my current lead generation sites. My site is AVERAGING almost 80 leads a month, which translates to about eighty people in search of someone to do some home services and calling that number from my online property.
“Alright Grant, you have reeled me in a bit but what exactly is a lead generation site,” you might be saying to yourself and why is it considered an online property?
First here is my lead gen site
The service provider I have connected to that site currently is paying me $1,000 per month!
Which means every year I am receiving $12,000 from this ONE site.
Since the service provider pays me for using my site as HIS lead generator it is called an online rental property, AKA digital real estate.
I currently have tens of these lead gen sites and my renters pay monthly to ensure they get to keep the leads and ultimately money flowing into their business.
The internet isn’t going away people, neither is small business.
Everyday thousands of new business and entrepreneurs are hitting these digital streets to make their dreams come true and you can be a part of their story while you build yours right now!
There is another significant bonus to becoming a lead generator and really an online entrepreneur in general.
There is no massive team building of tandem professionals to help you on the way to the top.
There are no huge start up capital expenses, as a matter of fact the average site goes up in less than 24 hours and costs $25-50 to start.
That comes from hosting fees and domain registrations.
The rinse and repeat aspect is a big selling point as well. The more sites I build the higher my profit margin. Did I mention you keep almost your entire profit from each site?
The truly magnificent thing here is instead of trying to outbid or compete with loads of other investors, we are just dealing with 15 other pool services (or whatever niche you’re working in), who have no freaking idea whatsoever on how to market themselves on the internet.
Do you think this could eventually become exhaustive? Don’t fret my friend.
There are over 25 million service businesses within the United States alone, and that’s not even counting the UK, Germany, Australia, etc. Oh yeah, you bet your ass you can take this globally too!
There are unlimited niche opportunities as well. Sit down real quick and think about how many service business you COULD need at your home in the event of something happening.
That list would be endless. Popcorn ceiling removal? Spray foam insulation? Bee removal? Those are just a few that you’d probably never think of.
This can truly be an empire building opportunity based solely from residual passive income.
I truly feel fulfilled using this business model because while I am able to consistently make large profits; I am genuinely in the business of helping build up the goals, dreams, and aspirations of other business owners.
This is the exact coaching program I used that helped me create a $45,000 monthly income, you should click this link to learn more about how you can build your digital real estate empire.
By gaining this skill set I have changed my life, my friends and families lives, and many others.
Creating these sites can make a significant impact on someone else’s life as well as your own. The question is, are you ready?
