Jon's First Month, 2 offers in (one accepted!!)

Love your activity! Very encouraging and right on!! thanks...keep us posted!!

Your on your way. How exciting!! Is your new updated version of the website Deans website or another company?

That's awesome!! Sent you a pm. As Ross asked, Deans website or another? Currently creating my website through Deans website. Which did you do first to get started? Contacting a realtor? Word of mouth? Setting up your website??? Every time I hear a success story it inspires me. Awesome work!!!

To answer the questions...

1.I used Dean's website help to get started and to have a web-site to help with professional appearance. I think it is a great tool (Thanks Dean!). I do, however, want to have more capability and build one with more interaction, so I have already started working on that through other avenues. I searched "free website design and hosting" and have chosen the least expensive hosting site (with most, you get free web design).

2. As far as contacting a Realtor...I called the signs on the properties that I knew were REO's (Bank Owned Foreclosures) and on the 4 th one...I found a Realtor that I really feel comfortable with. I followed Dean and Matt's advice and presented my vision, business plan, short and long term goals and was honest and up front with him. I now have a great team member. I will be doing the same with a title company (going to need someone creative) and a mortgage broker (same there). I think he really appreciated my "loyalty" discussion and I hope that the others do the same. I am marketing directly to the public for "Buy a Home Now!!" and m going to need all 3 for help...I am still learning.

I think that the suggestion I read on this site to call "For Rent" numbers from the paper, yard signs and "Thrifty Nickel" ads is a great way to find buyers! Since I have a goal of $50K in assignments / wholesale deals before buying my first rehab / rental property...I am working overtime to get it done. I am a goal setter and I have given myself 6 Months to accomplish my goal. Dream big, Win big, right!

Thanks for reading all! I will let you know how this turns out as much as I can! Go get em, don't ever give up...and we'll all meet one day on the French Riviera for a shindig! (yes, I am Southern!).

Buy, Sell, prosper!!!
Jon

Hello all. Newbie I am so excited for you. I have not seen my books yet, neither has my husband at home. I have a couple of questions that I realize are your opinions, and I would be honored to hear from you all. I am a travel nurse and am currently on the road in South Dakota. My husband is a handiman and a a laborer for a fence company at our home in WV. We have not had a land line for a couple of years and money is tight. I am also a full time student(online). My concern is this, I did not realize I would need a 800 number for my AFF site. I think it is a wonderful system, but I am not at home to implement much of this. Do you all think I should wait till I am home to pay again for a basic land line ($25/mo) and the $30.00/mo service that Dean reccomends? I do not want to just have a website with no one home to contact. My husband and I both have to work our regular jobs fo a while longer. I know we will do well with Deans system, but timing and money are important too! Thoughts?

I used ringcentral.com and just purchased a 1-800 # for $53 a Month with voicemail. The neat thing about this one was that I have up to 15 "free" voice mail extensions with 15 minutes of "greeting" recordings each (as every one can see, I am quite long-winded). I am able to set up the main greeting (introduction) and have Ext.1 - Seller's Line / Ext.2 - Buyer's Line / Ext.3 Investor's Line and Ext.4 for a "Stop Foreclosure Now Hotline". I plan on adding Other things to the extra lines, but want to make sure my initial greeting isn't too long. Coupled with my bandit signs, Craigslist and other classified adds, I am getting good leads and letting the voice mail work for me without incurring more charges. There also is a way to add vm time to your cellular phone if you want...but rest assured, 4 of them won't be cheap.

I hope this helps! As Dean says, let the automation do the work for you,

Jon

Jon,
Your enthusiasm is contagious! You have inspired me to get moving and get doing. Thanks for telling us exactly what you did first and right down the line. This will help me graetly in knowing just where to get started.

Thanks, Sharon

No man ever got lost on a straight path.
Ponder the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be ordered
aright....Prov 4:26,27

I agree with Sharon, It is very inspiring to hear how quickly your moving. Time for me to get moving. Thanks for the inspiration Jon!

Hey Good for you!!! That's amazing. I've been on here way too long and haven't done a deal yet. But you are proof that it's possible, and a lot of people on here need to see that. I'm a little jealous, but more happy for you than anything. Go get em!

Great Job, Jon!!! I am inspired. I have not started yet but seeing your success motivates me. I have some questions..

1. Did you use the 1-800 # company from Dean's book or did you find another?
2. Have you been using hand written Bandit Signs with your 1-800# and website on them (like matt larson says to do)?
3. Do you use the sample scripts that Dean has in his books?
4. Once you get a lead from your 1-800#, how do you proceed?

Thanks,
Kevin

Thanks Jon for your success story, you are making things happen!! Also, few of us are talking about building and hosting website for free. In my opinion, Weebly which is supported by google, at this point, one of the best sites to start with.
Weebly.com
Hope it helps

and you can get a local number, too. The only drawback i you have to setup a few gmail accounts to do but it gets you voicemail atleast. With Google Voice, you get 1 minute greetings, but I posted 1 minute sample scripts that work well on the DG website somewhere.

WTG, man! You've got the energy and you're making things happen. That's what it's all about. And thank you for the advance you sent over pm the other day.

Jon,
Thanks for sharing this ONE month journey. It goes to show what you CAN really do in a months time. Keep on going.I'm sure YOU'LL make it!!!

This is great!! I'm so happy to hear that things are working fast for you, and giving me motivation to keep plugging away. We too are at about our one month point from buying Dean's book, and joining the academy - and look forward to having our first deal hopefully soon!

Keep it up!

I also got a phone messaging service. It came with a 800 # and a local #. I got a month trial then I believe its about $25 monthly after that. Its pretty cool, however the intro is long. There are a few options also.....You could pick up to 10 or so voices( male or female, happy, professional, serious etc). As for right now I'm using what it came with. Let me know how it works for you. I haven't had much luck yet. Believe it or not, my cell # seems to bring in more calls. I'll give it another week, and if it doesn't work I'll shorten the intro and possibly switch up the voice....who knows? I'm glad to see that things have been going good for you. I'm also new and working hard on building my buyers list and networking with other investors. Good luck with everything.

Thank you so much for your comments! I am bowled over at the encouragement, responses, faith and determination from everyone. You know what? Just for you guys, I am going to make 2 REO offers today...we'll see what happens!!

I'll try to answer the questions short and sweet.

1. I found the most beat up sign shop I could find and negotiated my bandit signs at $4.75 each. I bought 15 "Stop Foreclosure" signs and 10 "Sell your home now in 14 Days". Great thing is, the young man did the design for me and they look absolutely fantastic and professional.
2. I used the sample scripts from Dean's books for my "Foreclosure Hotline" and made some small adjustments, but it works great! I hand-scripted my 3 other lines, I added the question "Are you currently under contract with a Realtor, or has the time for them to sell your home expired" to my "Seller Questions". Mainly because I had someone call me that was "still under contract with an agent that wasn't helping them...so it hurt the price. I write it down, because it was taking me forever to get them "perfect from memory (I'm not the best actor in the world).
3. When I get a lead...I pick up my cell phone, and call them back personally and ask them if I can come see the property and sit down with them to see what I can do. I have 2 really nice people that I am matching with my new buyer and I hope to get a decent assignment fee. As far as REO's go, I am just sending in offers through my agent and structuring the deal to my advantage. Clearly, I am going to have to make 100:1 on these (Although, I did get lucky on my 1st) because they are VERY stubborn (banks) and I'm finding that 90% of them just don't like our "kind".

I think it's a great Idea regarding hosting, guys. There has to be someone out there who has the know-how to get it done. If everyone thinks that it is something we all want to do...let's get together and just do it (There goes Lubin "Doing it" again!

Again, thanks for all of the kind words and I have received a couple of great PM's that mean a great deal...speaking of which...

My Grandfather once told me that "The ostrich who sticks his head in the sand and does nothing...gets eaten by the lions!" What will we be DGers? Ostriches, or Lions? I will call that henceforth, a "Lubism". Go get em and don't ever take no for an answer!!

Respectfully,

Jon

Hi Jon,
I am very new to DG family and know somewhat a little about rehabbing ground up and buying. I am reading advice and DG info on how to get started, maintain, and grow financial wealth. I have 3 little girls is a single parent with no income now. I am very eager to get started to give my girls more than what I have been able to. You have definitely set the tone and motivation for me and I just want to say thanks so much for your inviting and inspiring words of motivation. I pray you and everyone on here receive the financial stability they are seeking. I do have one question, do I need to have a LLC before I do anything? Thanks for your help and I am sure you will meet your goal before 6 months.

What a great story of getting everything all lined up and then going for it! You are a great inspiration to all those starting out that if just take ACTION things will happen! You can read every book on the planet, watch every infomercial and dvd, but unless you get up and do it guess what? You're going to be sitting in the same place a year from now with no change in your life! THanks for sharing your story and I look forward to reading about your future successes.

sjones - I don't think that it is necessary to start an L.L.C., but I have an entrepreneurial background and wanted to make sure that in the event something happened (God forbid), that I was protected. Also, the tax benefits, short and long term (I keep EVERY MILE I drive looking at properties, running to the sign shop, every book I buy and every piece of paper I copy in a file...tax deductions for 2011!). You can go to Legalzoom.com and they will form an LLC in your state for you and bill you over 3 Months ($138 / Month for the Standard Package) and you are on your way. P.S. This is NOT an advertisement for them...they are just who I used...legal disclaimer! I, personally, plan on building wealth and being a millionaire through REI (Thanks DEAN!!!) and want to be sure that I have a professional image, am protected and have the tax advantages. Also, you never know, if you find the right person, you can assign percentages of your LLC to them and make them a "managing partner" until a deal goes through, buy back the "stock" and there you go...another creative way to finance a deal!!

Laura - Thank you so much for the encouragement...I have received some great PM's from some great people and if my story helps just one person get up and GO DO IT...then I am proud of putting this on here. I hope to make everyone proud and am finding that the drive that I already have is multiplied every time I see someone who is counting on me to do it! I have always believed that if you want something, no matter what obstacles are in your way (and believe me all...I HAVE SEVERAL!!) you merely have to get up, dust off and go do it. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger and if I make a mistake, I'll learn from it...but as my tag-line says...if you don't do it...it won't happen for you anyway!

Thanks all...God Bless!

Jon

Jon,
I am new and setting up the 800 #, LLC and need information on the free website please.

Thanks Viki

WOW!

Now that's what I call INSPIRATION.

Congratulations Jon!

gelah

The best free website I have found is on www.connectedinvestors.com

The registration is free and there are some great contacts on that as well. Hope that helps!