Mark's journal, I'm about to pop!

I can’t help myself I am so excited and having so much fun learning, growing, networking, absorbing and achieving a little every day!

I have never kept a record of anything I have done in the past. (The local police department did such a great job ) Just seeing if you all were awake lol. I’m just kidding I can’t even remember the last time I was pulled over for a speeding ticket; hope I didn’t just jinks myself !

I am looking forward to criticism, prodding, pushing, and I guess I might even be ok with a little positive feed back or cheering if so deserved. I do ask that you please go gentle on me with the positive stuff, I'm kind of delicate

I am a little behind, I received my books around 10/24 did not actually start reading them until 11/3 and then I got started. While reading them I came here to the site and started watching, reading, and exploring the site. I started looking at the site just about every day after 11/18. I had never posted on a site. This is my first time so I will back up to my first post.
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HOLIDAY SEASON SLOW DOWN? 11/25/09

This is my fist post, not even sure if this is where I start.

First off let me say Happy belated Birthday to Dean and his Daughter.

The success academy deal is pretty cool! Congratulations to the winner and runners up.

To the contributors, WOW! What a great thing to see as a new member to the DG family. It shows this group of people really does care for others. It’s not everyday you see people putting up there money to help others with no financial gain to come from it. I would have loved to apply as well but didn’t submit in time, maybe next time. If all goes well Ill be putting myself through the academy and then moving on to a contributor. My wife and I have always wanted to be in a position to be able to help others. From what I have seen so far, there are many ways we will be able to do this in the future.

As we all know this is the holiday season. Is this a harder time to buy and sale property over the next couple of months? I am excited to get started and I am now starting to follow the action steps. My personal goal is to have my first transaction done within 30 days and 5 within 6 months. If this is a little slower time I may raise my target dates a little higher to be more realistic. Any input in this would be great.

I received Dean’s books on around 10/24. I finished reading both of Dean’s latest books about 2 days ago. I am now on second read through at page 68 of Profit From Real Estate Right Now. It looks to me that all the information and answers you need to succeed are right here, in the books and the website. I hope to accomplish my first transaction and earn enough from it to enroll in the success academy. I’m sure there a lot of great minds there that I would like to pick.

What a great amount of usable information. WOW!

I have spent thousands of dollars on some of the so called Guru's in the past, over 20 years ago. Most all the info I received was outdated and useless or not even legal in the state I was in (Which was confusion most of the time :0) I was in CA at the time.

I hope everyone has a great holiday.

Mark

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2nd post to site. 11/25/09

I am a newbie this is my 2nd post to the forums. I finished reading Deans last two books 2 days ago and I am now on my second read through, page 89 of "Profit From Real Estate Right Now".

I am starting from the front and following the "action steps". My personal goal is to have my first transaction in 30 to 45 days and 5 in 6 months.

I have spent quite a few hours watching videos, and blogs as well as reading over and exploring this site.
What a great community of like minded people! In my short time here I have seen a lot of people sharing there knowledge as well as there money to help others. The pay it forward program that you all started on behalf of Dean’s birthday yesterday 11/20 is awesome. I hope to be a contributor myself in the near future.

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RINA 11/26/09

Rina, I would like to thank you very much for your response. I have seen and heard what you have done and I know you must keep a very busy schedule. I would also like to thank you for putting in place the resources and funds to help others.

I hope to achieve my goals in the time I have set.
I have been spending anywhere from 2 to 5 hours a day after my 8 hour day at my JOB "Just Over Broke" and up to 10 hours or more on my weekends. I have been reading exploring and absorbing the books, action steps, blogs, posts and any and everything else I can find.

I am looking at the phone system, I already have one in place that I have been using with another business however this is not a 1 800# so I am trying to decide whether to switch to a 1 800# or not.

I started a flyer work up, and will work on my business cards today as well. I have looked through creagslist.org and kijiji.com for the fist time the other night. I will soon be posting there for buyers, sellers and Realtors. I have also talked with many coworkers and let them know what I’m doing and asked for brokers and realtors they may know and like.

I’m really looking forward to getting the robotic system setup, and my team in place to get this thing rocking. I’m not sure what the cost on flyers will be but I will have a little hurdle getting started when it comes to the financial part, we are living paycheck to paycheck with no savings as many others are right now. Just a hurdle I will overcome.

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THANKS DAVE 11/26/09

Are there issues I'm going to run into if I do go ahead and purchase a property before the end of December?

Am I going to run into possible problems with having to come up with money for taxes?

This is all new to me. Due to circumstances threw out the years we have never owned our own home. We have been throwing away money on rent for way to long.

I was planning to buy investments properties and raise our income then purchase a home for ourselves.

Am I going about this the wrong way maybe?

I do know there are advantages for first time home buyers. I am a veteran and I have never used my VA loan. The $8000.00 first time buyers credit as well as by owning a home you gain certain write offs. I don’t have a down payment of any type and we can not afford a very large mortgage. I’m not sure if or how we might be able to get in a home. We have not used credit for anything in over 11 years so as far as I know we have no credit rating. The only proof of our credit worthiness would be from our rent (We have never been late) and I have worked for the same company for 12 years now. If I'm able to structure a "killer deal" and purchase a home with good positive equity should I be able to pull the equity out or use it as collateral to purchase more investment property right away?

Am I missing a big opportunity here? I know this may seem strange I am just now thinking of some of these ideas as I am writing this.

Should I be getting out there and talking to a broker and realtor about my situation or focus on investments first.

Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving

Mark

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EXCITED AND CONFUSED 11/26/09

I’m just getting started, I think this is around my 4th post. I’m not really sure if this is the correct place to post this question, but here it goes anyway. Living dangerous!

Are there issues we are going to run into if we purchase a property before the end of December? Such as coming up with money for taxes? Does it make a difference if it is FSBO, MLS, short sale or a REO?

This is all new to me. Due to circumstances threw out the years we have never owned our own home. We have been throwing away money on rent for way to long.

I was planning to buy investments properties and raise our income then purchase a home for ourselves.

As I am writing this I got to thinking, am I going about this the wrong way?

I do know there are advantages for first time home buyers. I am a veteran and we have never used my VA loan. The $8000.00 first time buyers credit as well as by owning a home you gain certain write offs. We don’t have a down payment of any type and we can not afford a very large mortgage. I’m not sure if or how we might be able to get in a home. We have not used credit for anything in over 11 years, as far as I know we have no credit rating. The only proof of our credit worthiness would be from our rent (We have never been late) and I have worked for the same company for 12 years now. If I'm able to structure a "killer deal" and purchase a home with good positive equity should we be able to pull the equity out or use it as collateral to purchase more investment property right away?

Are we missing a big opportunity here? I know this may seem strange I am just now thinking of some of these ideas as I am writing this.

Should I be getting out there and talking to a broker and realtor about our situation or focus on investments first.

Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving

Mark & Julene

"To continue to do the same thing you have been doing and expect change is a sign of insanity"

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? ABOUT BANDIT SIGNS 11/27/09

I’m new to all this. I have seen the bandit signs in my community. I have seen them on telephone poles as well as in grassy areas. If you are going to put them in the grass, wouldn’t that be on private property most of the time? If yes do you ask permission?

As far as putting them on posts is that pretty much accepted in most areas?

From a newbie

Have a great one!

Mark

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LA 11/28/09

Thank you for the response. I took a look at page 178 again. I guess the answer you had me seek, was one I just told a couple of my coworkers to pursue not more than a few hours ago lol .

The mortgage broker!

Each of my coworkers has a different situation, but both told me they have decent credit and they both had been turned down. I found that in both cases they had only spoken to there personal banks. They both assumed that if there bank they had been with for years would not finance them then it would not be possible to get a loan at all. I explained to them that I would have thought the same thing in the past. But now through my RI interest I have learned differently.

The home town good old boys type of banking is a thing of the past. Corporate banking could not care less about you! The fact that the bank president came to you for ideas on how to fix up his home, or even that your grandfather brought there daughter into the world does not work to your advantage anymore. Now days it is corporate and they have a set standard of guidelines they have to follow, with each bank or financial institution having there own set of rules.

The answer to there problem was go out there and talk to a mortgage broker. I told them how” with one credit application” (This was a concern for one of them, they didn’t want to hurt there credit with to many applications dinging there score.) the broker can actually search many banks and financial institutions to find a loan that may work for them.

Hopefully I may have made it possible through the knowledge I have gained, from the books and this great website for them to move forward in there dreams. One of them said he was going to try to get with his realtor (who he has known for a long time) and have him set him up with a mortgage broker on Monday. If he is not satisfied he will work on the mortgage broker himself. He did tell me also that his realtor friend had mentioned the broker in the past but he didn’t understand the possible benefit his friend either didn’t explain it or he was not listing and then he thanked me and asked why I don’t become a realtor.

I told him it took brains to become a realtor. But if you ask most people about investing, it won’t work, what I’m doing is a waste of time and I’m crazy! This is a much better fit for me Lol.

I gained something today as well! I added to my buyers list .

I asked the people I talked to, to keep me in mind if they decide to start looking for a home to purchase. With that, one of them started giving me details of what they want as far as bedrooms, baths, sq' garage, what they wanted to spend etc. In just talking with a few others about my REI interest, I also added one other persons information on what they are looking for and how much they are looking to spend, don't think they are real serious though.
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EUGENEA 11/28/09

Hey there

I have been here a short time myself. WOW!

I have found a ton of info and a lot of help already. I have been blown away with all that this site and the great group of people here have to offer.

I have spent thousands on other so called guru’s courses in the past (one was in the thousands just to get started) that was a little over 20 years ago. The outdated information got me know where. There was no such thing as free information, materials or a community of like minded people to help you along the way. You paid for everything. They were great at there job! Calling, to sale you more, and more all the time making you feel like the answer to "making it big" was with the next purchase. As you worked through that information you would find again that it was also still outdated.

I was so disgusted with myself. Rather than returning it within the given time I kept trying to find someone (realtors, friends, brokers or just someone that would help me make it work. I blew it, I was young I kept trying; I thought I would hit that first deal and then I would be able to pay for what I had spent. I made offers, but I would get shot down, not legal, I won’t present that, you can’t do that, it won’t work! After that I said I would never get caught up in a TV real estate thing again.

Not the case here, I’m having so much fun, I can’t wait to get off work, crack the book, get on the site and just absorb the information, knowledge and positive feedback being shared here.

I hope you have as much fun as I am and good luck to you!

Mark

I know this made for a long first post to my journal. If you took the time to read them all thank you.

Some of the questions I have asked have not yet been answerd. I would love to recieve any feed back you may have.