Laura J's Journal

just wanted to stop by your journal to say how amazing it is to see you taking action as you are!!! to just pick up and and put the 9-5 behind you is something EVERYONE dreams about but only few have the guts to really do it!!
you have and you are only beginning to reap the rewards.niccccceeeeeee!!
keep us informed on the new adventures!!

ps:hope a good number of dgers can join us on that cruise!!

jay

Hello , Laura!! I cant believe that in such a short period of time you are living life the way you want to, no 9-5 to hold you down and doing what you enjoy. I am soooo happy for you. You deserve everything you have and much more.
You have been a great friend and so generously helpful to me. I dont know how I was so lucky to connect to you and Rina as friends early in my REI career. But I thank god it happened. I couldnt have asked for better friends. Now I even made more friends like Randy& Julie, Lea and Denny,Lloyd and more.
Its hard to believe.
I guess its true that good things come to good people.So i must be doing something right because i have met some incredible people over the last yr or so.
good luck on all you have going on. I will give you a buzz soon, to say hello and figure out what i need to send you back.
your friend
Richie.

Laura, i wish you all the success in whatever you do. Didn't i just read something about you don't have to do a 9 to 5 anymore? Wow, that's amazing Laura! It goes to tell you that real estate can make a difference in people's life in a matter of a year or two. I'm so happy for you my friend and wish you all the best in everything you do. I second what Richie said above, and i couldn't be more happy to have good things happened to a good person like you.

Lloyd

Cathy, Shane, Jay, Richie, and Lloyd...you guys are too much! All your kind words really hit me right in the heart and fill me with so much gratitude for all the good things that have happened in my life since finding Dean and this site in April 08. I consider each one of you a true inspiration and a true friend!
Jay - keep me posted about the cruise. If other DGers dont join in I'm not going to crash your vaca with Karen
Richie - look forward to talking to you soon - and my cold one is waiting to toast your closing!
Love to all!

Everyone that follows Laura journal get in touch with jay for the cruise early next year!! It will be amazing next year edge event and a cruise???? Take some action and get moving cause I'll be there!!!

And Laura,
you are amazing and deserve all the the wonderful word you get xoxo

God Bless,
Gorgeous

Love your determination to do the DG cruise AND the EDGE!! I know you promised yourself to do that! Cant wait till we meet in person and share stories, laughs, strategies and inspirations

love it when you post. congrats on not having a JOB anymore and living the life you want.

Always nice to see you drop in and say hi! Life is good, and its all from Dean, REI, and all my friends and DG family! Keep your eyes on that prize - its attainable to us all!

i haven't been on in a while either but i never let you fall back to page 4?
lol. wow i've really been slow compared to you and rina.
still working on my buyers list....SLOWLY,VERY SLOWLY.
i have just about finished an investors info packet that i'm going to give to potential investors regarding how much better they could do with their investment capital instead of a savings acct. or cd's,they can invest with me in real estate.TaDah,lol.i figure if more people know about the potential return on investment real estate can give currently,the easier it will be to find private money.hopefully i can be my own hard money /short term banker so to speak.
just thought i'd stop in and say hey and feel free to stop by and visit sometime.i need all the little tidbits of focus i can get.
keep moving forward,rob

Laura,

I just got caught up on your journal. Every time I make entries into my own journal, you offer more encouragement. Thank you Thank you Thank you! You inspire me and many others on this website. I am so pleased that you are on your way and having so much fun doing it. Please keep us updated because it helps us too.

Tim

Funny - I just finished posting in your journal and come here to find you posted in mine Very happy to see taking action and moving forward...your package for investors is a great idea! Now you need to have some deals with the numbers all in place to back it up! Maybe some of the FSBOs you're talking today will work out!

Thanks for stopping by with your kind words I'm following your journal - and glad to see you are always doing something in RE to move forward. I know you are working on a few possible deals - keep us updated on your research and progress on them!

We will meet!!! Not soon enough but when it does we will have a blast!! I currently have 2 more houses under contract and looking to get both assigned!!! Thanks so much for your huge heart and your encouragement

Man, so much has been going on I dont know where to start! My houses being rehabbed are still underway - one nearly finished I am getting ready to advertise for sale, and then the two Rina and I have together should be done mid-August - also to flip! Then I have one more sitting waiting for rehab once I pull my profit out of these. Gonna keep that one as an income property.
Working to get the farm ready for open house this Saturday. Had what I thought was a very interested buyer a few days ago but you know how that goes. All gung-ho then no follow up. So hoping to generate some interest this weekend! I've been commuting down to Kansas City, where Rina, Randy and I are doing some deals. Very exciting! I am actually going to move that way (did I post that already somewhere haha). I am blessed to have the freedom to follow the deals while I build my future with investing. I swear I would have never in a million years dreamed how my life has changed in just two years! I admit I am busy and pretty successful so far - but far from the millionair stage, but I'm working hard and keeping my goals high and in focus! When I told my one son I was moving again he said "Your crazy Mom, and I respect that". Gotta love it

You remind me of the energizer bunny! LOL. I wish you the best on the open house this Saturday. How exciting about you, Rina and Randy doing some deals in Kansas City. I wish you the best with your upcoming move too. Denny and I moved 7 times in 6 1/2 years starting with our move from CT to FL. Denny's job kept moving us around. Some moves were with 3 cats and a dog was added to our family moves too. On one of the moves as we were unloading the moving van we heard a cat meowing. We were so worried that a cat had been in a hot truck for 3 days with no food and water. So we started to practically throw everything out of the truck to find the cat. Turns out it was just the cat food cookie jar the meowed. LOL!

I am so happy for you and all the success you have achieved! You deserve it!

Lea

You are doing amazin things Laura.You have so much goingbetween your deals with Rina and your solo prodjects its incredible! I cant put in words how happy I am for you. I wish you luck in the move to KC, I think you are forcing me to put a gps in your pocket so I can keep track of your location lol.
talk to you soon my friend.
Richie.

I know that you said that you have not reached that Millonaire stage yet, but you and everyone else that knows anything about your Hard Work, Blind Faith, Positive Attitude and Determination knows that its just a matter of time before you reach that milestone of Millionaire status in this never ending journey of Success that you have embarked on. You truly inspire me to reach and strive for higher heights and I know that anything is possible especially when I have the likes of you to follow the footsteps of or just get a word of advice if I need it. I wish you all the best as you travel the country buying houses from state to state. I mean with all the connections you must me making you might as well run for President when Pres. Obama finishes doing what he has to do. lol

See you at the TOP!

Best Regards,
Shane

Thanks for your good wishes about the open house...unfortunately it didnt work out so well. Only had 2 people! We marketed it pretty well too...maybe its just too rural. There is no traffic that goes by unless you live out here. So we are going to put it in the hands of a realtor now. But until it sells I am going to enjoy every moment here! Its so peaceful and beautiful.
Cant believe you guys moved around that much! I hope thats not a record I break haha...but I'll go where I need too and consider myself blessed to have the freedom to do so. Oh - and I'm SO glad for the meowing cookie jar - what a funny story

Hahahaha...you always make me laugh! A gps tracking device on me lol...thank you for all your support and excitement for me my friend - I feel the same way about you. Who would have guessed that from our initial contact from this site the friendship and partnering that has developed. Just love it! Toasting your closing day will be one for the books

I am left speechless by the kind words you wrote my friend. And I feel the same about you. You are such an example and inspiration to everyone on this site with your hard work, belief in yourself, and never letting all the obstacles that arise keep you down. You just keep climbing over every one - and thats why I know that you too - will reach the greatest levels of success with RE too. It is my honor to share your journey with you! I'm heading to Jersey tomorrow for a visit with friends and family...but on my next trip you, Richie and I will make a plan to get together!

Hello Laura, I am guessing you are back in WI by now or KC, I am sure I will be adding more States to the list as you travel along your unbelievable REI journey. Hopefully 3rd time is a charm on my closing lol. I just have to find out if the wire I had set up for Friday is still good to be activatd Monday. Thanks again for your support Sat, that was a great jesture on your part. hopefully you will be back befoe the summer is over and drag Rina with ya to NY/NJ. I dont think she has been here before.
I will text you IF everything goes through Monday. Then you can crack that frosty that must be sooo cold by now it will hurt your throat when you drink it
Keep running with your REI, you have become a force in the market and are growing wealthier and wiser each deal you complete. god bless my friend, you truly are a special person and im glad to call you my friend.

Richie

It's great to catch up. I have to read. But good to be back here and checking in. Thanks for your messages in my journal, much appreciated. Take care and blessings to you as you deserve all that's happening to you.
Cathy L

Yes,after a fabulous week with friends on the Jersey shore I am back in Wisconsin. Next trip east we will meet up for sure. I am SO happy that your first closing is now done and that you are moving forward not only with the rehab and rental but busy putting in other offers too! No stopping you now
Have a great week my friend!

Nice to hear from you - I know its so hard to keep up with everyone these days! There is so much everyone is doing with real estate here its absolutely amazing! Thanks for stopping by and saying hi

Ok lets see whats gone on since my last update entry.
I spent a great weeks vacation on the Jersey shore with my friends. My phone broke, which was like withdrawals as it took Verizon 2 days to fedex me a new one...and then another day to figure out how to get me up and running again haha. But it did force me to just turn everything off and truly relax!
Now back in Wisc. Rina and I are listing the farm with a realtor tomorrow. Not attracting enough buyers on our own for some reason.
Also tomorrow my Minnesota house is fully rehabbed and will be listing that tomorrow too! That flip should go well and quickly!
Then Rina and I have two other places being worked on. Its so fun to go visit and see crews in there making things happen so quickly! Very exciting!!
Then I have one more waiting for rehab which I am going to keep as another income property.
Once these deals are all complete I will be moving forward with my next move down to Kansas City Mo. where we are working on new and exciting things with Randy.
So life is good, exciting, and I love to keep learning and studying new ideas in real estate every day!
So thats my story for now
Much success to all!

You will have much success in Kansas City, I am working in ST. Louis right now and i come across allot of investors buying BOATLOADS of houses in K.C they say the cash flow is amazing!! It sounds funny for me to say im working in st. louis lol all the way from Jersey lol but i have a great agent there, title company that likes investors, Lawyer etcc. I have to visit somedeay!!! Love your stories and am so happy for you enjoying life and rei to the fullest!!

Laura your story is one for the history books of REI. You are in my eyes the ultimate investor. You started from having no knowledge of REI to traveling the country as you see fit to make things happen. Oh man that must feel so good and you must feel so powerful. This is the stage that I so long to reach in my investing career. Moving like a bird and floating on cloud nine. What makes it even better but you definately seem to have such an easy going and cool demeanor. I'm sure that makes it just that more easier to deal with people and get things to flow as you see fit.

Ok Ok Ok I will stop but just had to let you know that you are a true inspiration to me. Looking at your movements makes me wish that I could just borrow your brain for a day. Thats right we could have the surgery and everything and let me just see the world of REI through the eyes of someone as GREAT as yourself. I probably would **** in my pants from over-exposure lol!

Keep on enjoying life its good for the Soul, and I cant wait to meet you at the TOP!

Best Regards,
Shane

Thanks for stopping by my journal as always How cool is it that you are working long distance from Jersey to St. Louis?!?! That is how I started here in Wisconsin with Rina - and now here I am enjoying life in the 'northlands' before I move on to my next REI playground! So keep all those doors open for yourself too - this is truly an amazing experience!

So good to see your smiling face appear in my journal Thanks again for your kind words. I find it hard to believe that I can be that much of an inspiration to others - but I accept it as a great blessing! And you, too, are doing the same for so many - I read it all the time in your journal. How cool is that! We are all lucky to get to share the great minds of each other here on this site. If not for Rina, Randy, Chip & Andrea, Richie, etc etc etc I wouldnt be where I am today. So I just send out big thanks to Dean for sharing his knowledge and creating this site!

Ok - so this morning Rina and I listed the farm with our realtor, Gail. Not going to make super big profit here, but we will come out on top and in the meantime I've had paradise to live in while here in Wisconsin. So thats a BIG win/win:)
Then I went with Gail to show her my finished Minn. house to list for sale. Well, after she saw the rehab job and poured over solds and current listings for the area - we came up with a number that blew all my expectations out of the water! I am so excited. But like I just said to Richie on the phone, I dont want to jynx it so I am not putting any numbers up here yet lol.
Will keep you all posted.
And in the same conversation Richie has turned me on to a possible awesome deal near his first one down in Fla. Simply amazing all the events that can transpire in one day! (And to be truthful yesterday I was feeling very stagnant)
Well, heading out to shop for a few appliances for the flip. Blessings and success to all my DG fam!