Rick's journal

This week was a very interesting week. After last weeks foray of several offers. I find a great opportunity. Unfortunatly, it is outside my investment profile. Pushing the envelope is a good thing. “The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible. “ Arthur C. Clarke. I see at this point I have two options, 1) I can continue this course of action or 2) quit. Thus failing. I am reminded of the saying failure is not an option. Why would I go back to that life? So…

I posted an entry to my DG journal. Updated Linkedin profile adding link to website. Updated Backpage ads with new phone number. Updated Google place entry with new phone number. Updated IQrealestate signature. Listed business with business directory on salespider.com. Contacted 2 owner about their properties. Sent offers to DGer for input/feedback. Started to put together an offer on mobile home purchase.

I think you see what choice I made. See you nest week.

3 deals failed to complete. My story begains by posting an entry to my DG journal. Consulted with a private money lender/investor on a proposed deal. Confered with a possibale partner out of state. Set up voice mail. Inquired on a couple of prorperties. Updated website.Checked out reifax.com. Contacted a owner and started negotiations for purchase. Contacted by an end buyer satisfying sellers needs. After so many e-mails buyer became confrontational. Owner received a serious offer. I backed out before paper was traded as buyer’s demands became to excesive I couldn’t compete with owner’s new offer. Out of state offer was declined by owner. I decide not to persue another out of state opportunity due to incomplete research. Sought out funding for my deals. Found http://besttransactionfunding.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=fron... as a possible source.I investigated gobignetwork.com as another funding source. I recognize the fact that your support team (title company, funding, etc) has to be in place for a quick and smooth transaction(s).

Live and learn. On to next week.

I read over most of your blog, and I learned some things too. I've been considering whether or not to make my own blog for awhile now.

You said you had a problem with a POF letter for agents? If that is a problem you can pretty easily obtain a POF from transactional funding companies or hard money lenders. Personally I use http://www.coastal-funding.com/ for POF letters.

Due to various reasons there was not thatmuch activity. I posted an entry to my DG journal. Made a 2nd offer on a declined offer. Watched vblog. Contacted a title company to inquire about double closings and fees. 2nd offer rejected.

No crying over something that can't be changed. Onto next week.

I posted an entry to my DG journal. Updated my DG account. Fine tuned my goals/plans for REI. Renewed Backpage ads. Spoke to Anthony at Assure America Title Company regarding double closings and fees. I was quickly labled a crook and I was trying to take advantage of people. If you are reading this and you live in Florida. I HIGHLY recommend that you DO NOT work with these people…EVER!!

Think (Pointer Sisters) I've rediscovered a source of discounted properties http://www.hudhomestore.com/Home/Index.aspx?sLanguage=ENGLISH to exploit. A very calm week that started by posting an entry to my DG journal. Updated my website and selspider profile. Requested more info on HUD homes from my REI club.com. Read more REI articals. Watched a REI webinar. Also opened a dialog to sources of transactional funding.

More as events unfold.

I started by posting an entry to my DG journal. Joined www. Biggerpockets.com , Real Estate Investors.com. Studied REI videos. Placed new on-line ads for buers. E-mailed to “I buy houses” ads from CL. Added a new buyer. Opened dialog with several homeowners. Added another buyer to my list. Found http://www.homes.com/ to be a good source of information on subject property including comps. And http://www.trulia.com/ is a good souece. I also used Trulia to generae a list of sold properties in the las 90 days. Further research is needed to complete a buyer’s list. Made offer on a house. Offer was accepted by homeowner. Updated profile for networking purposes.

Whew! What a week?!?! There's more where that came from.

This week was very productive dispite my challenges. I started by posting an entry to my DG journal. Contacted several homeowners regarding buying. Discovered http://www.city-data.com/zips/33020.html which breaks down county details in great detail. It’s a usefull tool when suppling data to buyers interested in property/area. You can search from http://www.city-data.com/ on any city, county, state, etc.Submitted contract for purchase. Tweaked contract for re-submission. Updated website. Submited a revised contract. Used Trulia to find buyers. Placed CL ad for property owners who rent looking to increase my buyers list. Signed up with USFreeads (http://fl.usfreeads.com/) and posted free classified ad. Watched a REI video. Analyzed several properties for purchase. Notified buyers of available contract. Sent 2nd request for homeowners to discus buying their homes. Made an offer on a property.

Can't wait to get started on this week. Quoting Les Brown "In life if you do what is easy, your life will be hard. But if you do what is hard your life will be easy." http://www.hourofpower.org/messages/detail.php?contentid=7543 Fear, doubt, and trepidation has been replaced by excitement, joy, and contentment. I hope you get here soon, I'll save you a seat.

I started by posting an entry to my DG journal. Used Findcompsnow.com to locate cash buyers after signing up. Counter offer rejected by a homeowner, left otter available if reconsiders. Updated website and published property for sale. Watched REI webinar. Published deal for buyers in on-line outlets Reviewed settlement document. Printed closing document for signing. Partnered with a new “bird-dog”. Conttacted DGer to forward classified ad to buyers. Responded to buyer’s request for additional information. Patience is the key here. I see a deal coming together and opening the doors on other opportunities. I LOVE this stuff. How many people can say they like what they do for a living? What disibilities?

Ciao, for now. See you next week.

I started by posting an entry to my DG journal. Added website to SEO. Communicated with member of new network (real estate investors.com). Pulled all ads as deal fell through. Succesfully established a 800 number with Kall8 (http://www.kall8.com/tollfree/toll_free_included_features.php) with fax soon. Initial cost $4, 2 for set-up and 2 monthly fee. Updated profiles and Google places to reflrct changes.

See you next week. Happy investing.

You are working hard! I'm sorry to hear about the deal that fell through. 1 down and more to go! The good news is that you definitely learned from the experience. Take it as a learning experience that is going to help you with the next deal! The key is to never give up!

Keep moving forward!

Ellsworth, my signature is what exemplifies the way I work and in my personal life. Lately I've been in serious pain. With no answers I push foward, I DEMAND a solution. For me REI is the same. Thank you for thr words of encouragement.

That said, this week I posted to my DG journal. Signed up with Oodle Marketplace to find sellers. Updated business card to show current information. Sent email to auction companies.

Not much happened but I consider myself a success. Things planed, things accomplished. For the newbies, no matter how little you do at least do something that gets you to your goal. See ya next week.

That you're kickin' ace & takin' names, even if deals fall through, people tel you you're crazy for doing real estate, etc. This will happen, mostly out of our control. But, you just gotta push thru it & make it to the other side of the rainbow. Not every deal or every transaction will be peaches 'n cream, but it's about how we get hit and keep on truckin' that counts, and that helps keep us going. Nobody likes going through bad days, but it's necessary to get to the good days and the good times.

thishousebuyer,

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I know going in that not every deal is going to fsll into place. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "What lies before us and what lies behind us is of small consequence to what lies within us." I find that I'm always learning. Each deal teaches you something. My positive nature has armored me aginst nay-sayer, difficult situations, and failure. Being handicapped with all of my health issues I KNOW I'll get better. I'll repeat it (for the world) FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!!! I have been a success in soooo many areas, REI is only one area. I'll see everyone at the top.

Posted to my DG journal. Signed up with Oodle Marketplace to find sellers. Updated business card to show current information. Sent email to auction companies. Ordered new business cards. Copied Matt’s wholesaling process and adapted verbiage to suit my situation. Posted a new ad on CL.Moving on.

Dispite the loss of my e-mail account and doctor's appointments I managed to get work accomplished. I realize through all my set backs, I learn something new. I had a full week.

I posted to my DG journal. I discovered by Googling my business phone number my CL posts and other on-line ads appear as well as my website. Great free advertising!! Other search engines seem a bit slow and don’t show as much. Submitted my website to Bing, AOL search engines Altered website to new email address. Set several Google alerts to capture REI traffic. Signed up at magic bullets in REI (http://www.magicbullets.com) for networking. Updated Salespider, Linkedin profiles. Listed my business on Salespider. Listed an ad on Yellow pages classifieds.com. Sent email to “We pay cash for houses” ads from Google alerts. Against my better judgement I placed a CL ghost ad http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/reo/3270566302.html Sent an invitation to work with another REI in another network. Communicated with a potential buyers from ghost ad. Did I say I love this stuff. See ya next week.

Posted to my DG journal. Joined fiverr.com for cheap marketing.Sent e-mail to REI group getting buyers and sellers to test network. Posted solicitation in another group. Altered profile on real esrtate investors to show criteria. Created an account on Manta.com for profile an d company submission. Submiter company Information to SEO site for exposure to SEOs and other sites.

Due to a 3 week hospital stay and the loss of 2 email accounts, i'm back swinging again. I met a mtg broker who is a licensed REA. She's willing to pull whatever kind of list I need. See my signature. It seems death is the only thing that will stop me. And even THAT didn't work. See ya next week.

Posted to my DG journal. Signed up for Zack Childer’ automated deal maker system through REIclub at www.reiclub.com. Activated ADM system. Sent intro e-mail to Southeast Florida Real Estate Investors Association, Real Estate Millionaires Network, Broward Real Estate Investors Association, Florida Homebuyers Alliance, to network with buyers.

Getting back into the swing of things. Next week, buyers and little else. Until then, happy investing.

A very busy week as they all seem to be. Studied RE software and videos. Downloaded and altered a new “bird-dog” agreement. Scheduled a meeting with local radio station to be featured. Quiried DGers on cover letters. Continued dialog with possible "bird-dog".

Know that my marketing plans have been established and I'm putting more effort into the "business". As Dean commentted, secure your own "mask" before helping others. Here is where I end my weekly journal entries and shift to a monthly schedule. For those of you following along, feel free to PM regarding current events between journal entries.

To all happy investing and may the seson bring you joy and Prosperity. See you next year.

Well, 2012 went out with a Bang. Excitment is growing for 2013. I finished 2012 by receiving and altered a cover letter I can use for my initial communication with sellers. Met with local radio station regarding advertising. Got information on Aweber (http://www.realwholesaling.com/uncategorized/time-to-put-your-buyers-lis...). Updated Vistaprint account and profile. Signed up for DG conference calls. Ordered email addresses for marketing to homeowners. Ordered a press release for the company (fiverr.com). Received press release for the company. Successfully installed web form to “buyers”, “sellers” site’s landing pages to capture info to build and automate business. Tested above successfully.

Watch out 2013, here I come!

Well, February has come and gone. March is here and proves to be an exciting time. Not much has occured last month as medically I've been busy. I did manage to sign up with www.allthelistings.com to notify me of new listings. Posted Craig’s list ad (for sellers). Posted DG classified ad for partners to locate property. Asked a REA to pull a list of home for a 25:1 strategy (asking for 30). Sent inquries to www.fiverr.com on lead generation. Went to www.yellowletters.com to get a sample for direct mail campaign.

Time to get some green (for the Irish....oh course). See ya next month, Happy investing.

What a month!! March was a very interesting and exciting month. So much went on during that time. I know the trend will continue. I just got Dean's new book and can't wait to dive in. Hello 2am bedtimes (again) but it will be worth it. Last month I Continued dialog with central Florida buyer. Signed up on Netr.com and subscribed to get email alerts. Sent request to www.fiverr.com to find the hottest home selling zip codes in Broward County, Fl. Introduced myself to other REI clubs in Florida. Continued to send request to homeowner’s ads. Increased www.Linkedin.com network. Solicited other REIs to partner nationwide. Joined Alternative Resourceful Investors group on www.LinkedIn.com . Purchased software to enhance lead generation and marketing tips. Contacted REA to get a listing and recent sales.

Is that enouigh, I think not. I left a bunch of things behind. I'm psyched about April. I'll see ya next month.

As I look foward to Mother's day in celebration to all the mothers here and out there I wish them the best. Last month (April) I received and started reading Dean’s latest book (30 days…). Continued to expand my Linkedin network (112+ connections). Joined Real Estate Investing Marketplace (USA) group on LinkedIn. Edited my Google+ profile. Updated Google Places page. Expanded network in Google+. Used Google keyword tool to create a list of specific keywords for my website. All in all hoping April showers bring May flowers in the form of more money. To all you moms, Happy Mother's day. See you next month.