Earl Journal Entry #1

Well folks, I went to the REIA meeting. Boy the roads were a little slick but still went. I made a couple contacts. I was invited to meet up with a smaller group at a local coney island on Saturday morning. I will be going this saturday. I will make more contacts then. I pulled out my business card holder and am starting to fill it up! I was talking with one of the board members and he told me he had 2 houses he wanted to get rid of. I presented him with a couple different solutions and he told me he never even thought about them. Goes to show ya that even if they look and act seasoned they can over look solutions. It was a great meeting and I walked out with my head swimming with information. I'm glad I went and I am so glad that Dean suggested that. Thank you to those of you that keep pushing me foreward. Everyone needs a nudge now and agin (motivated with great intentions).
Here's a potencial deal: I called on a house from Craigs list and spoke to the owner. Seems like he no longer lives in MI (out of state owner)and hasn't made any payments on the house. He said that the foreclosure process should have started but wasn't sure. I told him it sounds like a short sale situation and he agreed. He is ready to wheel and deal.
Action 1) Find motivated buyers
Action 2) I have to refind the house
Action 3) Run some comps.
Action 4) Get under contract if the numbers work
Action 5) Get money for my hard work!!
That is my plan for now.
Thanks for reading. Will post more later!!

Nothing new today. Actually took the day off to rest. We got just over about 1 1/2 inches of snow. Nice way to break in the back for shoveling. Just getting excited about tomorrow mornings meeting. I'll see if I can rock out one special project tonight. Will update more tomorrow nite. I hope all my DG family members are doing well and staying warm!! Time to eat and start to work on REI stuff!!

Well it was a small Meeting but I did have a great time. I think I got better connected and made a great new friend. Isn't that what networking is all about!! I have a couple emails to send out and then I am done this weekend from REI. need a tiny break before I rock it out next week. Things are really comming together. Thanks to Dean for being my REI rock!!

OK,
so it has been snowing off and on for the last week and been really down right cold. My foot is hurting like you would not believe. I am dedicated to my job and what I do to earn a living. Most people at my job would look into medically retiring.. That's not me. I am too young to think that was. So I push myself everyday to goto work! I always find some way to talk about REI when I'm there. I went to the REIA last week and had a brunch with them on sat. Again as I said before small meeting. That's not always a bad thing because you or me atleast can focus better. I was talking with a guy at work last night and asked him it he was thinking about selling those houses he has. Happens to be that they are in the area the guy I met sat was looking in. Also, the guy that was thinking about selling said he was interested in know what the taxes (property) on his investments SHOULD be. Everything is out of whack in MI right now due to the crazy market. I told him I had just earned about a company that will look first for FREE to see if they can save hime money. WOW you should have seen his face light up!! I felt great because here I am offering to give him a number that he can call to see if he is paying too much in taxes. Do you think I might have made a strong connection with a possible seller? I do. Even if I don't get a deal out of it do you think my name might come first in his mind and pass on my number? I do. The whole conversation 5 minutes. and I think I have a customer for life!! Gotta go have to make that phone call in 45 minutes.
My wife told me the other nite good luck at you REIA meetting. I told her I didn't need luck I have skills LOL. With a great site like this I really feel that way. My DG family is the best!! You guys rock and Dean wow. All I can say is this. Every time I run into a road block The DEAN GRAZIOSI plow truck comes throught and clears that road block outta the way and helps keep me moving foreward. THANKS DEAN!! Oh, I haven't heard if I'll be in Arizonia this month. Things are in limbo. The heat would have been nice!!

Just read your journal,and all I can say is WHOLLY COW what a ride! I am also new to the DG team and have found your spirt, enthusiasm, as well as motivation totally contagious. I am currently reading both of DG books, BAREM currently on pg. 153 and PFRERN pg. 135 After reading your journal I am now going to start my own ( thanks for the push ) I am also going to watch all Dean's video blogs and the fast track clips. So please keep doing what you are doing you never know who you just helped until they tell you, so consider yourself told.

Thanks for the Push!
LawrenceM
pa

Oh PS.

Can you please tell me what a DBA is and also what is a FLY TEMPLATE ?

Earl, Just read your journal and all I can say is WHOLLY COW, what a ride. I am also new to the DG family and just wanted to let you know that your spirit and enthuiasm is contagious. After reading your blog I am going to start my journal today, I am also going to look at all of DG video blogs as well as fast clips.

Thanks for the push!

Oh the way can you tell me what is a DBA and a FLY TEMPLATE ?

Thanks for reading. I love this field and since I have joined this site I can write about what I love to do. I'm trying to make things happen. It is a slow process but I try to do something to move foreward everyday. There are dozens of awesome people on this site that have great stories to tel and great advice to give when asked. Dean has created a wonderful world of us all to come together and share our lives and passion!! How cool is that. Hey, and you can't beat the cost either...FREE.
DBA=Doing Business As
fly template...most likely a typo...I think I was talking about making fliers to put up around town.
My only advice I an give is this, If you have a question ask...Keep in mind that the question you have may have been asked before and you can do a search first. I hope you enjoy this site as much as I do. Best of luch in the REI world!!

Good morning.
I just wanted to up date that on wednesday I placed my first online ad for a house for sale. I hope I get emails soon from the ad. Just did back page...Which by the way I learned from fellow DG family members. I think I want to tweeek it once more and post on postlets and oodle and wal-mart and ALLLLLL the other sites you uys told me about!! This is the kind of motivation I get from this site.
I think I can! I think I can! I know I can!! I know I can!! I know in my mind and heart this is where I need to be. Thank you to everyone for the kind works and inspiration!!
Man o'man is it a heat wave here. I think we reached 38-40 degrees yesterday. It's over 32 right now because I didn't have to scrap off ice on the glass of my car!!!!! So thank you to whom ever sent the heat. Hey Indi-Joe, is it still cold in your neck of the woods? Stay warm buddy!!

Well I got my first email from my ad posting.
It was from a company offering to use their site to advertise my prop. I love passing on information. I don't know if anyone has heard of the site call
RentQuickly.com.
I'm going to check it out and see if it's a good site or not.

So I don't have to work my 9-5 today...as of yet. Might have to go in if there is a call in. SO I am in holding pattern until after 9:30 am. Been up for about an hour and a half. GOt to send a few comments to members of this site!! I did call on a house this weekend that has had a sign in the front yard for months. Stats 2/1,792 sq. ft. on crawl. Lg lot and 6 car garage. Yep 6 car garage. why for a home that is a 2/1 I have no idea....they owe about $120k Looking to short sell...Yep they are behind on payments. They are having a hard time working with the lender to bring the price down. Oh yes I did comp the home I think it os worth maybe mid $40s so does Eppraisel when I ran the address thru the DG cal machine! Guy was super nice. I told him to keep my number incase the bank brings down the price for a short sell....now I have this info what to do with it. I think my first step will be to call Kevin Dietz (he is a member of the DG family)and see what he can do....then move on from there. I am working on more postings too. Gotta get my buyers. Oh And I watched the video blog by Dean today. Excited about the Edge annoucement. I so wanna go. only 250 people can got this time. Time to go fishing for buyers!!

This was my first:
$70,000, 3br, Investor Special in Westland
Awesome Westand Ranch for Sale
Another great home at an unbelievable price. My houses move fast, so should you!
3 Bd.
1.5 bth.
Full Fin. Bsmt.
1200 Sq. Ft.
Move in Ready, Imm. Occ.
FMV=$100,000.00
Asking $70,000.00
Can close in 14 days or less.
Contact me via email!

This was my second posting:
$70,000, 3br, Westland home for RENT or SALE
First Time Home Buyer or Investor
Awesome Westland Ranch home for sale or rent:
3 Bd./1.5 Bth
1200 Sq. Ft./ With Full Bsmt. Fin.
Ready to move in, Imm. Occ.
FMV is $100,000.00 (Recent Appraisal)
Asking $70,000.00
Can close quickly
Lease option and land contract are available.

Please let me know which one you like. Thank you!!

they both should work very well

Take care Fred E

Good morning all,
Wow Jan is almost in the history books. This month flew by. I did find a buyer on CL and called and spoke with him. We had a very casual conversation about 8-10 minutes. I asked him if he was still buying props. He said he didn't want to BUT with th prices so darn low how can you pass them up. I told him what I was doing. He said he tried it and he didn't like it because he wanted to do more buy/holds. I told him I completely understand and that I was going to whole sell some deals so I could get in the position of buy/hold too. He also asked about if I had read any book. I told him I had. He asked "how about rich dad?". Yep, read the whole series. and a few others. I told him I was very much into Dean Graziosi and his book. You know I had to talk about my DG family. You guys are great. End resuld he isn't looking for 25,30, 40% off he said if you find a great deal bring it. Like I said it was a great brush with a seasoned (appearing) investor!!
I hope everyone has a great day.
FYI, still taking comments on those two ads. Thank you Fred E for you! comments!!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD morning DG family,
Well I posted an ad on CL. Got 5 hits. of course 4 were post you ad on my site. one looks like they buy. I'll have to research a little harder into that one. Oh, and A few weeks ago I saw a house with a FSBO sign in front. Now the sign is gone. I noticed last week that one of the mom's in my daughters class pulled up into the driveway of that house. I asked here this morning if that was her house and she said now it was her sisters. I said I saw the home was for sale. she said it still is and that I should call her if I was interested. I think I just might do that!! Pretty cool. Well it is time to get #2 off to school and then find more buyers!! Thanks for reading will post more later on today!! Have the best day yet!!
Question,
Does anyone have a great flyer for contacting Expired listing folks?
PM me if you do!! Thanks in advance!!

Good morning DG family!!
WEll, I got a REAL hit on my CL ad. Posted the home for sale or rent. Looks like I have a renter interest. Now I just need to qual. the renter and look for a home. EASY...lol. WOW..this is all finally coming together. It is clicking for me in my mind. I have several people I talk about REI w/everyday at the JOB. It is consuming me more and more. What a great world this is. I have 4 co-works in my dept. that are alway talking with me about Real Estate. Ii tell them about all that I am involved with. I invited 3 of them to join this site. One has. Not to mention that I walk around my hospital all night long and run into people I know that are into the whole REI field. I am a little stoked right now.
I have to post on other sites and get more buyers!! Oh, and I have to get bus. cards (blanks) and start handing them out!! Well I am listening to some tunes and posting!! Have a great day!! I know I will!!

Good afternoon.
Slept in this morning, first time in a while. It was nice. Got called into work yesterday. Got the OT for 4 hours. That was interesting to say the least. Got to follow up on an email and make a call today. Actually, made the call yesterday but no answer. SO I left a vm. Posted an ad with Kijiji. Found a new web site VFlyer.com and checked them out. Pretty cool site. It is one you have to pay for, but they hit all the major sites in one shot. Price verys by the number of ads you place. I need to post more ads. I also asked for feb 2 off to attend the next REIA meeting. Well, it is time to get back to internetting! Need to get more coffee to wake up! I hope everyone of my DG family members has a great day!! Will post more soon!!

OMG...this month is flying away. I am posting ads on the net...man everyone and their brother whats you to jin their site too. As long as it's free I'll join. One site actually posted my ad on their site Pandahi.com. Hey, if people find it I don't care. I was thinking this morning about REI and Sudoku. They kinda are the same in a sense. Both deal with numbers that need to be arranged to complete the puzzle correctly. I numbers skill are getting sharper now that I do this puzzle every day. Oh, I found a term that made me come to peace with how much a home will cost to rehad: S.W.A.G.
This is an apparent military term. Well I have to take the kids to school. Have a great day to all!!

Good morning, I have had a few hits on my ghost ad. One renter poss. rent to own. One rent to own. Called both and had a great conversation with them. I also got an email from a guy that would like to do a land contract. He didn't give me a number to call so I am going to email him back and see where it leads. I also completed a sheet for my buyer's list. These are the questions that Mr. Jansen said we should ask. After typing it it is now more stuck in my head and I think that is what makes me sound more genuine in talking to people. I actually find myself enjoying the conversations. I know I can not help everyone but how rewarding it is to help just one brings a smile to my face!! Well I have to get going, I hav a lot of things to get done and sooo little time...Have a great day!

Just called on a FSBO I found after picking up the boy from school. I ran the address thru the program on this site. Man what a great tool. Told me all the spects and when the home was last purchased and the amount. I then called the owner and she was a sweet old lady. Sounds like she wants to move out of the area. It's a 4/1 no bsmt. with 1 car garage. Sits next to a park. She said she wants "like about $50 because I did a lot of work on the house". The comp tool here on this site said the home is worth $47. I think I just might have found a deal. I am going to call her back (she gave me her cell # too). Sounds like she has a PR that will be for sale too. Sounds like she is wanting to move to Fl. Don't blame her because it is about 15 degrees here today (NOT INCLUDING WINDCHILL) brrrrrrrrrrr.
gotta go

I'm rooting for ya.

Success in 2010

What A great family. I am rooting for you to. I book marked ya and have been reading your posts! I just feel like I have had a really productive day...

Wow...I guess I really needed some rest. I slepted a lot the last day. I have been working with a bumm foot for months (Since sept '09). I think I just finally quite moving yesterday. I def feel rested and ready to work. The foot is still sore. But I gave it plenty of time to rest. Now it's time for me to get back to work.
I am going to drive my surrounding subs to see if I can't find more FSBOs. It's like an easter egg hunt. I even play games wih my kids if they find signs they get quarters. It's a win-win situation for them and I. The last couple of times we did the spot the sticker game (Foreclosures) and they got me for a couple buck each time LOL.
Time to get back into the swing and get moving. My Coffee is done and I need a cup really bad!

What a week I have had. First my foot just will not go down with it's swelling and the meds are not even touching the pain. Then my computer died. I have someone looking at it and I am praying that it can be saved. So with that being said I might not be on here as much as I would like. I hope evewryone else had a great weekend!!
I have a REIA meeting tomorrow night and 2 doc appts tomorrow...I hope they can fix me and my computer guy can fix the computer! Fingers crossed...oh, just because my computer is down don't think I wont be looking at houses and reading my books....

WOW! Is it me or did last month fly by? I went to another REIA meeting last night. Made a few more contacts. It was a blast. I learned a lot about tranactional funding. Meeting started at 6p and I got home by 11:30p. Man was I getting tired but wanted to stay longer. I have to get up pretty early to get the kids to school.
I also found out what happened to my computer. Mother board is shot. Much like other DG family members I just can not run out and get another computer. So, I have to see if some of my computer friends either have a mother board just laying around or they have contacts to get it fairly resonable for my income to handel. and then pay someone to install it...I just might get lucky. So my computer time is really restricted. Like I said before this well not halt me it will be my motivation...I hope everyone is doing well! Will give another update in a couple days!!

Well my computer is down...can't get it to run. I have been making for phone calls. Had several meetings with the REIA and some REIA members. I have one guy that said he would like to mentor me. I have to meet up with him this week. I learned about tranactional funding with is an interesting concept. I miss readin all the posts everyday. I will get a deal this month and get a new computer!! I feel like something special is going to happen this month. Just remember this posting. I really have that gut feeling like I am going to reel one in!!I have been super stoked ever time I speak about REI to anyone. Will post more later on this week!!

I haven't read your whole journal yet but wanted to let you know that I wish you the very best in REI. I believe we have to go with 'our gut feeling.' I'm looking forward to hearing about your upcoming success.

Lea
SPR Property Solutions, LLC

Well the computer is still down and tried to get it fixed. I have been reading a little more but need to finish. I have made a few solid contacts and I am still getting emails on my ads. Just have to re-adjust my schedule to contact these people. Other than taht things are going on the same path!
I will be calling a buddy to se if he can get my computer up and running again...just another bump in the road. I miss talking to my DG family!

Update,
I have been working mega hours at the 9-5 gig. I have been pulling double shifts for almost two weeks (8am - midnight). I have been getting about 4 1/2 hours of sleep. My body has reminded me that I am not the young man I once was LOL. I did get to meet some really cool people due to the OT. My goal for working all the OT is to get that new computer!! And then it is game on for the REI. I have been reading my book. I got to read about Greg Murphy the lease option king. I'm glad I read it because it was deeper than I thought it was. Thank you Dean for explaining Lease options so clearly in your book!!
Coolist thing was my daughters 6th b-day was this past saturday. Another friendly reminder that the time train moves on wheather you want it to or not.
Have a great day!!

Good afternoon DG fam...
Man is it me or is this year just flying by? In the last month I have worked wayyyyyyy too many hours at work and have zero time to do anything with the REI part of my life. My little girl turned 6 yrs old this month. I remember rocking her to sleep in my arms. Seems like yesterday. I am going to be getting a new computer this week. So, I should be on the site more often. I missed the last few Dean video blogs. I miss that extra motivation he puts out! I also miss being able to great the new members of the site and reading the status of other members. My goal was to get a new computer this month and it looks like I might have met my goal. I hope everyone is doing well!! I wonder how Dave Puzo is doing? Anyone talk with him on the side? I hope he is doing well. Thanks for reading my thoughts for the day!

WOW this month flew by...Not much new I have a lot of personal things going on and it is hard to work and deal with the strested home life. Still have no computer to work on at home. This will change and get better....I hope