OfflineI originally posted this on my blog but realize it might just as well be the beginning of my investment journey.
So, here goes the post not quite your typical entry but it is my starting off point.
Thanks in advance to any who read this and helpful tips and support are always welcomed. 
When did you not only decide but declare you were a real estate investor?
Was it after you completed your first deal? Your fifth? Your tenth? Was it after you made a certain amount of money?
I am a new investor. Only been at this for four months. I came home after my Boots on the Ground weekend. Drove two hours,arriving home at about 11:30 p.m. on a Saturday night.
I told my hubby that first thing Monday morning I was going to place some ads looking for buyers. He took our suitcases upstairs and when he came back down I told him I had placed three ads.
He was surprised but encouraging. The next morning (Sunday) at 7:30 I got my first reply to one of my ads.
Immediately when the call ended I began scouting on potential properties.
I received two more calls that morning as well as two e-mail replies.
When my other half got out of bed I told him of the mornings happenings. His reply to me was again one of surprise but also of encouragement.
He said "Baby, you're an investor."
I said "you better believe it!"
I did find a property, did get it under contract but never completed the deal. Had to walk away from the contract because all of my buyers backed out.
What did I learn? I learned I need a bigger buyer's list. I learned to ask better questions of my potential buyers. I learned that the concepts I learned from Dean and his group do work.
Am I still an investor? You better believe it.
Do I know everything there is to know abut investing? No. But who really can know everything?
Am I an expert?
No. Experts require lots of experience.
Do I know enough to get started?
Yes. I have started.
I am a real estate investor.
Thought: When one graduates with a degree from college or university is their knowledge (degree) invalid because he or she lacks experience?
I like the analogy you used relating the college degree! I consider myself a real estate investor, and try to tell myself this everyday. Can't say when I started doing so, but like you said I do the work daily and soon I will land that first deal. I suppose it was after more than a year for me to take myself seriously, but I had the same epiphany that it is not in the deals but doing the work. I have learned so much in the last two years, that I feel qualified. There is always still more to learn. As for me, I will have to do a deal, to fully know that I have realized the dream.
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First of all thanks for taking the time to reply. I do appreciate it. For me, the biggest part of the real estate journey hasn't been about investing but rather all the personal growth. I have always considered myself an optimistic realist and have conducted myself as such but in doing the work of finding the reasons why I wanted to invest, you know the "why me?, why now? why investing?" and doing the 7 levels deep exercises I have discovered so much more about myself.
For me, doing these exercises and learning about my deeper self is what has made all the difference in my life and what allows me to keep moving forward.
Dean talks of sometimes needing the proof of concept to validate his teachings and even though my first deal didn't close it still gave me the "proof" I needed that it does work.
I feel the most hopeful that I ever have because now I truly believe I CAN change my future. I don't have to rely on somebody else or a lottery win or to have been born into a wealthy family etc.
I am in a far worse financial situation than I was before I started investing largely due to paying for the program and doing things to get my business going but I feel better than I ever have in my life. Some people may think "Oh, poor girl, she's has gotten involved in some kind of cult and has been brainwashed into thinking that shelling out money for education and for starting a business is folly and she can't really afford it"
If they think this way I don't care. I know something they don't- I am in charge of my life not the other way around. I make my decisions and live by them. I don't let life and its circumstances dictate how I feel, how I work or what I do. That is the most liberating feeling in the world.
I wish you success in your journey. I truly believe if you stick with it you will see the results you are after.
I am four months in now and am well on my way. I recently started a joint venture with another investor and things are moving along nicely.
Thanks again for taking time to reply to my post.
warmest regards,
Lisa Richardson
Though I have generally been positive and have been doing things related to my RE business everyday, I hadn't been doing the things I needed to focus on to move myself ahead.
I know we all go through those moments when it seems we are the only person who is doing anything. From work (for the paycheque). for work (for our RE business), to taking care of kids, parents, animals and spouses and not only taking care of them but trying to keep everyone around you up or at the very least not let them bring you down. People don't realize how much negativity weighs on a person. It can be suffocating and debilitating.
I was sinking fast under the weight of everything around me, hence the doing the work on RE but not the right work. Wanted to feel like I was still in the game but not wanting to commit too much because of circumstance overload.
What I did to combat this was to reach out to others who were struggling. In helping others I helped myself. In trying to help others overcome their own difficulties it made me hold myself accountable too and so got me out of the rut I was falling into.
Thankfully this period was short-lived. I am moving ahead and am in three different joint ventures as we speak.
Bandit signs are going up tomorrow in a new area with one of my partners and searching properties for another partner.
In the meantime, just bird-dogged for a local investor. A small paycheque but a paycheque related to RE nonetheless.
Keep at it everyone and don't let those bad days keep you down. I am actually learning to appreciate them a little. Makes feeling good so much better!
warmest regards,
Lisa
So my car broke down on a busy road. My cellphone died while trying to call the tow truck. Broke the heel of my shoe when I stepped out of the car.
Finally, a friendly face walked by and lent me their phone to call for a tow.
I think my alternator went as the battery light flashed off and on then all the lights on my dash came on, I lost my power steering first then all power slowly drained out of the car til it died. I couldn't even engage my hazard lights!
Oddly, I didn't even get upset. All I could think of was that I am glad it happened when I was driving and not when one of my daughters were behind the wheel. I have two teenage daughters (16, 17) My 16 year old just got her learners permit and my 17 year old was supposed to take her road test today.
Anyway, I bused it back home and kept thinking how thankful I was that it was me driving and not one of my children. I had already planned on calling real estate agents for the new area I am investing in so that's what I did while I waited for the shop to call. All in all called 7 offices and spoke with 5 agents, none a good fit. Changed tactics and started calling buyers in the area, got criteria and added a three more to my "C" Bucket of investors.
Called an investor that I am working with and we got his voxox number working and made a schedule of tasks for each of us to complete.
All in all got a lot accomplished and only have a bill of $1000 for repairs.
Guess I need to do a deal to cover that.
Good for you, you are doing it and it will all pay off. Some day you will look back at this from your brand new car and say, it was all worth it.
We will stop by from time to time and say hi.
Aaron-n-Suzy
Thanks for stopping by and for the encouragement. I look forward to "seeing" you and will look for you myself.
Take care and best of luck in all your endeavors.
warmest regards,
Lisa
Well this is short and sweet today.
I am as always grateful for the help and support I find here with the DG family.
It occurred to me that we are all "freedom fighters", trying to work our RE business to the point where we can be financially free to live our lives how we wish.
Good luck to all my fellow freedom fighters - stay true to the cause!
warmest regards,
Lisa
I have enjoyed reading your posts here on DG.COM all the best.
WALT
Thanks for stopping by! I always have found your posts and comments uplifting and positive.
warmest regards
Well, as is listed in my profile my husband had a serious scare and almost died last November but all is well now and we are moving ahead. During the time he was recovering I didn't do a lot with RE as is understandable but now that he is fully recovered and we have been given a second chance we want to make the most of it. Oddly, I am an optimistic person and don't feel scared about trying new things but for some reason I had been in some kind of holding pattern.
January got off to a good start and near the end of the month we finally felt we were getting our groove and then I noticed myself slacking. My husband and I sat down and tried to see how and where we could make improvements. He works a 9-5 as an architect and I am working two jobs outside of RE. It wasn't so much a lack of time for me but more about using my time productively.
We have since created a daily work schedule for Monday through Friday where we assign a set number of hours each day and certain tasks to be completed each day. This is paying off as I am much more focused, and with assigning tasks to be completed on a certain day I have a greater sense of accomplishment. There are tangible items I can check off my list and see that I am moving my business forward.
Time on the weekends is set aside for education, study and planning next weeks activities.
Also, I do my work in a dedicated area for business only. It helps me get into the "time for work" mindset and lets others in the home know that I am working so am not to be disturbed unnecessarily.
For those of you who may have some struggles with staying focused when working from home I hope these ideas will be of some help for you as well.
I am very glad to see you back. I missed you. Even more so, I am glad that your hubbie is doing well! It sounds like he is very supportive. That is HUGE!
I look forward to reading of your success and will be cheering you on.
So go out and make your good luck happen.
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Im very happy you and your family are doing much better now,Im proud of you how strong you have been I know how hard it is!
Cant wait to hear about some of the good deals you will do.
Aaron
Karen, love to see your smiling face and thank you for your support, it means a lot.
Aaron, I know in particular you have had a rough go and I am rooting for you with all my heart.
2014 is our year, mine and you both as well.
All the best!