Everything Else

I came across a great article by a young man named Scott Young. He talks about staying focased as you work on your goals. Here it is:

Focus is important for making improvements. If your focus is spread too widely, you won’t make much progress. If you can’t stay focused on one project for long, you won’t be able to reach a foothold before you slide back to where you started.

One trick I like to use to stay focused is to decide on a theme for my life. Summed up in only a word or two, this theme gives me a specific direction I want to invest in for several months. Deciding on a theme helps you focus on what is important to you if you find yourself getting off track.

As a new investor I am slowly building my buyers list by going to RE meetings, and ghost ads. As my list grows I am finding it harder to keep track of my buyers and their criteria. Currently I am adding their info to my Google contacts and putting their criteria in their contact notes. I'm finding it a bit challenging to maintain my list this way.

I am preparing for my business growth by seeking out different ways of organizing them. What are some other techniques that have worked for you?

Thanks,
{J}

Each day I continue to recieve requests for help in this area. If you are new and needing a little direction then read and email me and I will get you this info.

What I would like to talk to you about today is building a buyer's list. Our buyer's list is the foundation of our wholesaling business. If we think of other businesses, our buyer's list is our customer list. If we are to grow and thrive we must have a strong buyer's list.

Understand that there are dozens and dozens of ways to build a buyer's list. The key is finding something that works and then doing it over and over again.

Let's talk about some proven methods that work in many areas. These are things you can do today to get your phone ringing.

As a former realtor when I would be listing a house I would always tell my clients their neighborhood and more importantly their neighbors affect the price of their home. Now, a new article has come out addressing this concern. As a investor, I choose my fix and flips wisely because I know external factors will help or hurt my selling price. Read this quick article by Inman News and see what I am talking about. It is important to look at the neighbors and the neighborhood when looking for a good deal for yourself and be prepared to take less if you got the best house on block.

Bad neighbors can affect appraisals

By Inman News | Inman News – Tue, Jan 29, 2013

Do something to be proud of today.

Recently I said this to myself. Everyone falls into a slump from time to time and it seems to be easy. But unfortunately it isn't as easy to get back out of it. So when I realized I was in a slump and not getting too much done I decided to find a way to get out of it, knowing that I need to take it step by step. So my first step was to “do something to be proud of today”. Day after day I made sure I did at least 1 thing towards my business. After about a week I realized that I was busy again.

So when you are struggling just simply do one thing towards your business that you can later look back and say that you are proud of.

Dampness or water in basements and crawlspaces is the source of more complaints from home owners. The strategy for surface water control, or grading, is simple. If the ground slopes down away from the building, surface water will run away from rather than toward the home. If the grade slopes toward the house, water will accumulate against the foundation walls.
Basement window wells and exterior basement stairwells are natural collection points for surface water. Grading should be down away from these, so surface water is not funneled into basement window or stairwells.

Happy Investing

Children have been burned touching metal doors that are painted dark colors and exposed to the sun. These doors are often well insulated from behind, and the metal cannot dissipate heat. Dark colors tend to absorb heat, rather than reflect it, and the surface temperature of the metal can be more that 200 degrees.
Many manufacturers of insulated metal doors recommend against adding a storm door. The heat buildup between the storm and primary doors can be significant. Raised plastic trim on metal doors will sometimes warp and pull away as a result of the heat buildup. Watch for evidence of this. In rare cases, the door itself can warp to the heat.

Have FUN!!

Insulating the perimeter of the building above the foundation wall where the joists rest on top of the foundation.
Implications of missing installation are increased heating costs. If air sealing is not done well, moisture damage to structural components is possible. The rim joist area is a vulnerable part of the building. If the exterior grade is too high, the rim joist may be exposed to constant dampness from the ground around the home. The exterior grade levels should be at least six inches below the top of the foundation wall.
This is little things that can make a big difference.

Happy Investing

Keep in mind that many houses have no basement or crawlspace wall insulation. You should find out what levels of insulation (if any) are recommended in your area for basement and crawlspace walls.
You may also want to research whether insulation is recommended all the way down to floor level on basement walls. The recommendation is to extend insulation down to within about six inches of floor level.
In some cases, it’s easy to determine whether insulation has been provided. In other cases, it can be tough to tell.
Where basement walls are finished, you may be able to determine whether there is insulation by removing covers from electrical receptacles and light switches on perimeter walls. Turn off the electricity first.

Happy Investing

Many homeowners ask me all the time, “Do basements and crawlspaces need to be insulated?” No part of the house needs to be insulated. Insulating the basement and crawlspace will help to reduce heating costs and may improve comfort. Adding basement or crawlspace insulation is an improvement, rather than a repair, like any other insulation upgrade.
Where no basement wall insulation has been provided, we do not describe the house as having a defect. Basement wall insulation is an improvement, not a necessity.
If the crawlspace is not to be heated, insulation is usually provided on the underside of the floor. Insulation is typically tucked up between floor joists. The subfloor and flooring material above are usually relied on as the air/vapor barrier.

Happy Investing