Awesome REI, which stands for Awesome Real Estate Investing, is an online school that teaches the layperson how to enter the real estate industry with no experience, upfront capital, or technical skill and improve their cash flow. 

It regularly uploads new training courses, made by different real estate experts, on investing in real estate, mostly by becoming a broker for various financial opportunities, such as private trusts or tax yields (this is similar to some courses taught at Private Wealth Academy). 

All the programs claim to be completely risk-free and can be done by anyone who can read and follow directions, whether they're from New York or New Hampshire. The free workshops that introduce each course are filled with dozens of success stories; ordinary people like you and me who’ve become millionaires just by following the techniques taught at the school.

But, is this true? All business models carry with them a certain amount of risk, even if it offers a great deal. All we can do is make informed decisions on which model is aligned with our risk tolerance. For example, local lead generation, is one of the safest ecommerce opportunities available today. In this model, you build a website (or several, depending on your need) that attracts an already-interested market located in a specific geographic area (such as HVAC services in Phoenix, Arizona). Because you are targeting a niche market, there is little competition and your product typically sells itself after a few months. 

In this Awesome REI review, I’ll summarize what you’ll learn from each course and whether they’re worth enrolling in.

Is Awesome REI for everyone? 

Anyone can learn the material, but not everyone can apply the lessons learned. As with any school, YOU decide whether you will use the skills taught and how you will use them. 

One of the other red flags is the declaration of a completely risk-free investment. The school plays on words and has you assume that becoming a real estate broker has no risk. However, this is not what Awesome REI was referring to. Its “zero-risk” policy is only for enrolling in any of the programs; after all, there is a great refund policy attached to all of them. There is NO mention of the risks that are involved in your real-life application of the lessons. 

A subtle difference, but one that you need to remember.

So, there may be no risk in learning the materials but there is definitely some risk in investing in real estate. 

What do you learn in Awesome REI?

There are 6 courses you can take. All programs are self-paced and can be accessed on any device. 

Capital Syndicate by Lee Arnold

Taught by the self-proclaimed “King of Private Money”, Capital Syndicate invites 75 to 100 people to join a private equity fund owned by Lee and broker a deal between himself and a real estate individual or firm. You earn money for each successful contract and could potentially earn 5 to 6 figures per month. 

Supposedly, you only need to follow three steps: Send an email (with templates made by Lee), make some calls (with scripts made by Lee), and submit documents (overseen by Lee). Lee needs you to find him deals, and you get paid for your effort. 

Default Deals by Peter Vekselman

Default Deals is a step-by-step 5-module training program that teaches you how to earn money by finding default deals and then brokering a deal between various homeowners and Peter’s team. Similar to Capital Syndicate, you earn money for each successful partnership you make.

Included in the program are several marketing letters and templates you can copy, including 4 phone scripts that teach you exactly what to say when speaking with homeowners. 

The Vacant HouseBank by Cameron Dunlap

Vacant HouseBank teaches you how to find vacant houses around the United States, purchase them at a discount, and sell them at a profit. According to Cameron, there are two reasons why people don’t succeed in real estate: lack of funding and lack of good deals. 

In this 4-module program, Cameron will teach you how to secure your first vacant house flip using transactional funding. Supposedly, you can earn around $10,000 in just a few weeks. 

Family Bank Funding by Cameron Dunlap

Enroll in this REI co op program to receive a no-fee, no-tax loan of up to $600,000 to fund your first rental estate house flip. The funding comes from the Family Back owned by Cameron who is on a mission to help more people receive the funding they need to pursue their real estate careers. 

The 4-module program will also teach you how to close your first deal, once you receive funding. As an REI member, you will also receive unlimited “proof of funding” letters for the first 6 months. 

Tax Yields by Jazey Drecksel

This is a 3-module program that teaches you how to get a tax-equivalent yield. It’s a zero-risk investment, where you lend money to the government, and the government is required to pay you back with interest. You don’t need a minimal investment and you can start earning money in just a few weeks. 

This is one of the newer courses at Awesome REI. It is taught by Jay Drecksel, who is now a multi-millionaire after living in a basement with his daughter, struggling to put two cents together. 

Weekly Cashflow Triggers 

This is a closed-group program and is the only program that costs $4,997. It claims to teach you how to claim around $500 checks using a “secret” cashflow opportunity. 

Is real estate still a profitable investment?

A real estate investment is always a good idea, and some experts say it will be even better in the next few years. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, US homeowners were allowed to skip or make smaller payments on their mortgages under the CARES Act. It was presumed that the money saved would be used to pay for essentials such as food and water. 

However, as the world slowly returns to normalcy, the government is expected to begin enforcing mortgage payments again. This means that millions of homeowners are at risk of foreclosure - an opportunity for real estate investments to purchase homes at distressed prices for them to flip for profit. 

Who teaches in Awesome REI?

Awesome REI features several real estate experts, such as Cameron Dunlap and Peter Vekselman. Interestingly, they do not mention who founded the company or who is even in the “core” group (if it has one). If you sign up for the free newsletter, though, you will receive emails from “Patrick Riddle”. There is no information available on who Patrick is 

Is Awesome REI BBB accredited?

Yes, Awesome REI is BBB accredited and has a 3.3 rating out of 5. They seem to be very proactive in addressing concerns. 

It is unclear whether the company also filters out negative reviews on BBB or on any other social media platform. A quick glance at any Awesome REI review shows all great reviews, which in itself is quite suspicious. 

Is Awesome REI a scam?

Awesome REI is not a scam, but you should always read the fine print when enrolling in any course. As mentioned earlier, the school proclaims to be a completely risk-free investment, which may make you think that real estate investing is incredibly easy when it’s not. What is relatively risk-free is taking the programs themselves, as all of them have a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

All the same, it is unclear whether it is easy to claim a refund. 

What are the reviews for Awesome REI?

Awesome REI has all positive reviews, even those found on BBB. The “negative” scores were immediately addressed by the company, who said that they have asked the negative reviewer to take the comment down as the issue has “already been resolved”. Whether this is true is not clear. 

Consider this a minor red flag, as any company is bound to have some sort of negative review. 

Awesome REI Alternative

CONCLUSION: Is Awesome REI Co worth it?

Awesome REI offers affordable courses and has a great refund policy. All the programs, despite some of their teachers having dubious reputations, are educational and give you valuable insight into the local real estate market. 

Nevertheless, Awesome REI has oversimplified several processes and promises that the industry is “easy to learn” and earn money in. The reality is, real estate still requires some sort of effort, knowledge, and skill. There IS massive income potential, but you need to invest in other real estate training programs aside from Awesome REI to learn “all you need to know”. You may even want to consider digital real estate - I talk about the difference between real estate and digital real estate here. 

The school is worth investing in, but not worth putting all your hopes and dreams in. Learn what you can from their programs, do your research, and decide whether real estate is truly something that interests you

If you’re looking for a passive income opportunity, I’d recommend local lead generation. Unlike real estate which requires you to be active every day for several hours, this business model is one of the few online business models that works even without you being present. Local lead generation requires only a few hours of work in the beginning, but, once set up, earns you money every month.