3pm ET / 2pm CT / 1pm MT / 12pm PT (Outside US: Dial 00 + 1 + 646-727-1711) Viki Winterton interviews Ellis San Jose! Ellis began learning about real estate investing at a very early age. Growing up in Southern California, his father taught him the skills of rehabbing and renting properties. When Ellis left for college, his father told him that he had taught him all he knew about real estate, and that he needed to learn more from other people. While attending college, Ellis took his advice and worked for a partnership group that was a major real estate player in Los Angeles County during the 1980s. He worked his way up to become their Operations Manager, and learned the principles of foreclosure investing and property management. In 1989, Ellis graduated from California State University at Northridge with a Bachelors of Science in Finance and Real Estate. That same year Ellis bought his first investment property, a duplex at the top of the market in Ventura County. In 1994, he changed careers and became a licensed securities broker. He also completed the educational requirement for the Certified Financial Planners designation. In 2001, at age 36, he quit his job and became a full-time investor. Since then, Ellis has devoted his time investing in many types of distressed assets, single family homes, commercial properties, and non-performing trust deeds. He has been involved in over 60 real estate transactions totaling over $30 million dollars.
