12/30/11

Well it's been about a week since I posted and I'm sure everybody's been wondering "What's going on with AndyS?" Well okay, maybe not everybody

So here's the rundown:
This has been a very busy week for me once again. I had another lure order I delivered to Miami yesterday ( my fiscal year ends 12/31)so I've been bustin' hump and doing RE as well. I'm going to skip the daily bits other than to say that I check my emails, PMs and bookmarked threads at least 2-3 times a day, every day. Today I even posted to a couple of threads. There just hasn't been enough hours in a day to do everything I need to get done. (I'm sure you all feel that way as well.) What I did get done was amazing.

My partner in CO and I have been keeping each other updated as to the status of our deals with MM. There has been little hitches along the way but nothing that couldn't be overcome. We are currently waiting until after the 1st for MM's buyer to get back into town for the closing. The seller was getting nervous but my partner was able to help the seller understand that the delays were because of the time of year not hesitations or shananigens. You may have read about this deal in MM's thread. As for what my partner & I are making on this deal, I don't know yet. WHAT???!!!! Yes, here's why. I trust my partner to have our best interest in any negotiations. The two of us talked when we first got into this and came to a mutual understanding that it's not all about the money. It's about what each deal can mean for the future. We started out with a threshold for what we'd like to make on each deal but are both willing to reduce our take if it gets the deal done. It's not easy to find many people who share the same ideals but we both agreed that "a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing." If I am right, we'll make up any difference on future deals and that's okay with the both of us.

We are also waiting on an acceptance or counter to MM's second house offer and have offered yet another deal for consideration. 1 done and 2 on the horizon. Not bad if you ask me! I want the 6 deals and we're going to find and get them!

In the meantime, I recently discovered that for the past few months, people have been leaving me messages on my homepage and I didn't know it. I never looked at the bottom of my page so I didn't see the posts and questions. I immediately PMed each person with an apology and an answer. Now I also check out my homepage frequently. (Added that to the "To Do" list)

Meanwhile... I am in conversation with another fellow DGer, also in FL, about possibly partnering up. I've given her some assignments to do and info to get me before I would commit my already limited time to her. I've given her a lot of the Hows, she needs to do the Dos. Time will tell.

Also, through another investing group, I have added another buyer for CO. Watch out Michael, there's competition. (LOL Only kidding. Michael is #1 for me.) Thankfully, this new buyer is looking in areas outside of MM's area of interest and is willing to take deals that MM won't. No real competition and that's just how I want it. Everybody's happy. My partner is impressed as to how far my reach is. Here, all the way in FL, I found a buyer for his backyard. Impressive if you ask me.
Did I also mention that MM has made me an offer for finding houses in FL for him? I've begun doing some research and will be going to areas I think he will approve of after the 1st. It's a distance from here but I believe it will all work out. Like my motto says "Whatever it takes!!!"

Finally, (are you all sitting down?) I put my first local house under contract. (Thanks for the standing O! ) That's the good news. The bad news is that I brought my #1 buyer to the house the other day and he passed. (It's not a huge surprise. I told him that it was a bit more work than he had said he was looking for but the numbers just fit so perfectly to his criteria that it peaked his interest and wanted to see it.) Some good did come out of it tho as we got some face to face time with each other and it turned out that he and my rehab guy (who came with me to show the house) have mutual acquaintances. That has to work well for the future. So I figured, okay, so I've got other chances. Unfortunately, I've already sent out the emails to my buyer's list and 3 of my 5 "heavy hitters" turned it down. I haven't heard from anybody else. The big problem is the timing. With Xmas and New Years eating away most of my contract time, I know a lot of people could be or are away and maybe not getting their emails. So I look at it as, I've been able to hone my negotiating skills, my contract writing skills and my personal image. If it works, I'll be getting the seller his full asking price, a buyer a great deal (40%-45% below ARV) and a 3K fee to split with my rehab guy. If it doesn't work, I've practiced some extremely important skills for the future.

So you see, I've been a busy bee!!!!

3 things I want to mention before I close.
1) The importance of networking. It was through networking that I found my partner in CO. It was through networking here on DG.com that I met MM and the opportunities that introduction has brought. It was through my bandit signs that I met my rehab guy who brought me the deal on the house I now have under contract. It was through my REIA club that I had over 30 local people to add to my buyer's list. You can never under estimate the power of WHO YOU KNOW.

2) The importance of perseverance. You must keep doing something to move yourself forward. It's not always easy but it is important. I've learned a lot through DG and the programs but the opportunities to use this knowledge is not working out to be locally. I could have quit but found another way instead. Partnering with an out-of-towner my be your answer too if you have the same situation as I have. If it means I get less of a cut of the profits, refer back to what I said earlier about a "little bit of something..." If you truly want this to work, find a way to make it work. Where there's a will, there's a way.
3) I may be having some big news next year in terms of already rented cash flow houses, around the country, being available for sale. If you are looking for this kind of opportunity, please PM me with your area of interest. I don't know all the particulars yet but have had some interesting conversations.

Lastly, I want to wish everyone reading this, and even those who aren't, a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Years and 2012. Celebrate responsibly so you have a tomorrow to celebrate.

Since I already know what my day looks like tomorrow, this will be my last post for 2011.
See you all next year!!!