OfflineIf anyone is sitting on the fence wondering about whether or not you want to do some variation of what everyone is doing here, all I can say is GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND DO SOMETHING! Yes, Deans products are completely worth it and I wish you all the best.
Late last year I got laid off and spent the rest of the year doing the same ole thing. Pounding the pavement as hard as I could to get myself right back into the same position as I was just let go from and disgusted with! Is that insane or what! But, that was my programming and I robotically carried out my ingrained marching orders. "pound pavement, get employed asap". What a crop of crap that thinking was.
I decided after the holidays to get into re-hab and flip because my construction and finance background is well suited for that. I know I can do it but I spent all of January and all of February doing everything I could to talk MYSELF out of my own dream. I saw Dean on TV one night and got the books. It has been a whirlwind since that day. Dean gave me the good solid kick in the pants that I needed. What a guy, I hope to meet him someday!
You know that guy (or girl) that resides in between your ears and constantly tells you what you cant do? Well I have finally pulled an all out frontal assualt on that guy and he don't live inside me anymore. He's gone! HASTA LA VISTA, BABY!
I have two properties that are good money makers (nobody is gonna get rich on these deals they are just the first of many), two bird-dogs pounding the pavement for me every day bringing me pre-foreclosure opportunites, and probably 14 potential deals hanging out there RIGHT NOW! I offer on 2-3 properties PER DAY!
Needless to say life is quite different. I went from being a well paid executive, to laid off, to pounding the pavement like nobody's business to rinse and repeat, to a low paid employee of a company I created out of thin air. But guess what? The low paying thing is temporary! And I know it. I wake up in the morning feeling like I could eat barbed wire for breakfast and a fire that is burning down below that can't be touched.
Here is the cool thing about DG. The rehab flip is just my bag. Its what I know, its where I'm comfortable. DG will give you the information so that you can apply it to your situation and WHAT YOU DO WELL!
Dean,
You have my gratitude and thanks. I appreciate your swift kick to the behind!
Now, what will happen tomorrow? I don't know but I can guarantee it will be a load of fun! Regardless of compensation, how many people can get up in the morning and say that?!
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
You are already doing great just in the fact that you already have two deals DONE! Good luck on the ten you have in the pipe line. You're right, that low paying thing is just temporary. Sooner than you know those deals will be a memory of the steps you took to get to your goal. Who knowa, you may be a speaker at E.D.G.E. event next year.
If you don't understand where Stan has come from and where he is going, you'd better ask somebody!
I like your style and frankness.....let it roll.
Much success,
Peace and Blessings,
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”
- Nelson Mandela
Glad to see you got the positive attitude, That's what this all about.
Randy
www.adeptpropertiesllc.com
If you haven't done so already, GET OFF YOUR BUTT and enroll in Dean's Success Aacademy! They'll help you get to the more profitable deals in your area.
Great job Stan! Dean provides us with all the tools necessary for success, getting off your butt and using the tools is exactly the way to that success! Keep up the great work!
Jeremy
This train, Dreams will not be thwarted
This train, Faith will be rewarded
Big wheel roll through fields where sunlight streams
Meet me in the Land Of Hope And Dreams
Bruce Springsteen
Thanks everyone and I already thanked Dean. But I forgot someone very special. The day after I ordered Deans books I read Rina's success story front to back.
btw Rina, how cool to see you in the book.
This is an unbelievable success from my perspective. So unbelievably cool because to her it was two years of her life. To me, I read the whole thing in one afternoon. I WANTED TO BE LIKE RINA!
Her story, before the books ever got here were so inspiring. To anyone that does not have Deans books and might be thinking about getting them, read both these journals. E-nuff said.
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Stan, remember that your past does in no way equal your future. Your attitude at this point is all that matters; and it is positive! Keep it up there!
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.
10-4 my friend. I absolutely positively want to be surrounded by the folks at DG and the Academy. I went knee deep quick with what I am doing. Let me get my feet back underneath me and it is my every hope to be at E.D.G.E soon, and to meet all of you great people and share our success stories.
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Congrats Stan - thank you for sharing. Your story will be just the kick in the butt that someone else needs to get going. Looking forward to hearing much more from you in the future!!!
As for Rina, Talk about an awesome woman that has inspired so many of us. Thank you soooo much Rina for all you do for this DG Family. I believe you are truly our Queen Bee!
Chip & Andrea Weule
AC Investment Group, Inc.
Stan,
My sentiments exactly! I was just part of a job elimination at the end of this February after 25 years on the job and everything is geared to people who want to get back onto the same hamster wheel they just got off of! I am just not interested in doing it again!
I went to an after-hours event today with my previous co-workers and I don't even have to tell you who is the happiest one of the bunch. I asked them how are things are going? The answers were... "The same." and "It is what it is". (This despite having what many consider a "good job".)
I talked about what I am doing in real estate, and the leprechaun trap I made with my son for St. Patrick's Day, and that if I can do anything about it, my job elimination will be the best thing that ever happened to me.
I commented the other day to a real estate agent I am working with that I really, really like the positive people that I run into in real estate.
Best Wishes Stan,
Hope we can meet some day.
Roger
URL for Journal : http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/43293/...
All things are possible to him who believes! ----- Mark 9:23
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity ------ Albert Einstein
Thanks for the kind words. I will keep up my journal because in one afternoon Rina proved to me that I was worthy and could succeed.
Funny thing, she has NO idea how hard she impacted my life. I can never hope to repay her. The point in that statement is that Rina has religiously kept her story going. For the skeptics of the world, and they are everywhere, you cant read her journal and not get it. I had already bought the books but what a confirmation. You're right.....Rina rocks!
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
My best wishes to you and I can't wait to meet all of the great people at DG. I am literally in a whirlwind right now. I have HUD calling my RE agent asking where I'm ready to quit bidding and I have three offers in to one bank as a three-for deal and they are asking my RE where he thinks I'm gonna stop taking deals.
The answer to him was never.
Good deal with you on working with an RE you like. All I can offer as any advice is that make sure he/she knows your gonna be making offers and a lot of 'em. Everybody is going to think you and your offers are nuts. So be it.
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
You as many of my DG family members continue to be an inspiration to me. I could never stop learning. Just reading everyone's journal or posting provides a different type of added wisdom for which I am quite grateful. Congrats on your successes. Please post details after the transactions have completed. A whole new whole is now open to you, enjoy the ride. God Bless.
Sandra
"You can never get to the top, if you are not willing to climb. Do not look at the difficulty of the climb, only anticipate the view from the top."
"Can't even walk without you holding my hand." (Song)
"Is anything too hard for the Lord ..." Genesis 19:14
"In all things, wait on the Lord."
"Think not of your own deliverance, but trust in God who will give in abundance."
"When you are down to nothing, God is up to something." Unknown
"Our lives begin to end, the day we become silent about those things that really matters." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Great Great attitude, I love the determination. I hope you close on all your deals and continue on. Much success to you...Jan
Thanks Jan for the encouragement.
When I first started this process I realized we are living in a house with tons of equity. I told my fiance we needed to move out and rent somewhere temporarily and let me stage our house and quick sale it so we can get our equity. We have been wanting to move for a long time now. Well she was hesitant and didn't want to make such a drastic lifestyle change so I shelved the idea.
Well after the events of the last few weeks I have my marching orders to get us moved, sale this house, and find the right foreclosure for US and get it fixed up to move into. She's all fired up now! I love it.
I will hunt us down a foreclosure that we want, fix it all up, move in and probably do some creative refinancing to pull the equity out of that one.
It just gets better everyday!
Hope everyone is having a good one!
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
I'm a student in Dean's Success Academy but i'm not getting any help that would bring me profitable deals in my area! I thinks Stan knows what he is doing and i hope i can learn something from him.
Baria
Baria
Keep your chin up Bariafl. Things will get better!
The Uggghhh comment was because I got outbid today by $412.00. That one was my fault. I could have easily been a little more aggressive. Oh, well, on to the next one.
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
I like your attitude thats why I keep coming back. You are defifinitly going to make things happen, good luck> GOD BLESS
Congratulations Stan It ia amazing how yu have turned your life around. You did not let being laid off get you down, you turned it into a positive. I also share a construction background and have been laid off going on two years. I got deans books back in october and currently I'm working on two houses. This stuff does work, but you have to work at it. Keep up the good work and keep us posted on your progress looking forward to following it.
Kolby
Thanks! It is wonderful isnt it?!!
Picked up another property today!
Here is the downer though. My real estate agent is getting worn out dealing with these low commission foreclosures and all the offers. He actually said he did not want to put in another offer on a counter offer I received. Also thought an offer I wanted to make today on a total pig strictly investment cash buying property was not "worth doing." WHAT the H E DOUBLE TOOTHPICKS! These folks just cant see the forest for the trees. They are going to relist my properties when I sell them or at least rent them if I put tenants in them. Two transactions on the same property every year on everything I touch and thats not enough. PuuuuLeeeeezzzeee.
On the prowl for another agent. Need one like Matt's Star. I can make one a lot of money. They just need to suck it up a little in the beginning.
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Thanks! DG has turned my life around. My chest is pumped out and confidence is running over.
Best of wishes to you as well and go get em! The only thing holding any of us back is:
A)Ourselves
B)The Naysayers around us
Toss both ASAP!
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Keep at it. Finding the right agent is like finding the right bank. They take 20-30 calls to get the right one. One great place to look for RE agents is on a site called www.activerain.com It is a social media site for realtors. Look for realtors in your area that say they work with investors.
One thing to keep in mind about Realtors is they are sales people so many will say the right thing to get your business and then burn out when they realize it is going to take work. There are plenty of amazing realtors out there, but it will take a little time to find the one for you.
Keep at it, you're inspiring us all...
Chip & Andrea Weule
AC Investment Group, Inc.
As much of a fan of Rina as I am I hope to meet you two someday as well. I can't tell you how much the words encouragement mean.
Yes, I hear you. I gotta keep pounding until I find an REA that gets it and understands that I am all about making us all money. You're right, as soon as it got tedious and a little hard his only answer was to adjust my price UP to the asking price so percentages made more sense. DO WHAT? My answer was to find the person that came up with that listing price and have them buy the property right there. The asking price is completely irrelevant.
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Thanks chip and andrea for the website resource. I need to find an aggressive agent who will work with this young investor, so I'll look there. Way to Go Stan for making your own dang lemonade! You are inspiring me bro. Scott
Is that for Oklahoma? If so I like it there. Lots of friends in Tulsa which is a great city.
Thanks man. Just keep pounding. If what your talking about makes sense and your numbers compute everyone will listen.
Here is one thing that I am adamant about:
LENDERS
I did not set them up in the business to "rent" money. They chose that on their own accord. I don't worry about asking Wal-Mart if they will accept my debit card in transfer for the cart full of stuff I have at the checkout counter. As a matter of fact I actually expect that they do so with grace, a smile, and some good ole common customer service. I expect nothing less from lenders and I tell them that straight up. You should see the look on their face. I have told them point blank they put themselves in the business of renting money, not me. If they hate it so much and want to treat their customers as if they are doing them a favor they might want to look into doing something else. I don't want any of my tenants or consumers to feel beholding to me. I want them happy as a lark with their end product. These lenders are like the REA problem I am encountering. Tell 'em like it is and move on. I have found some folks that understand I want what I want and will pay for it.
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Just a quick comment. I have been on a total news cut-off diet as Dean suggested. It is as liberating as a nice cool breeze on a spring day. I can tell you what I know over the last few weeks. I have locked up 3 deals, my oldest daughter has a track meet next week and my youngest is struggling with english class.
We are working on that! Trust me she is bright and wonderful and she deserves my attention more than getting worked up about the silly news.
I did hear we passed a controversial health care bill recently. I am going to stay on my news fast. Let em do what they do.
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Two months ago I was depressed and wondering what the heck was going to happen and what I was going to do. Resources were limited and money worries were starting to put a stranglehold on my day to day existence.
Fast forward to today. I just got back from the bank getting a cashiers check in the amount of 3k to put in earnest money on a contract from yesterday. Two months ago a 3k withdrawl would have had me literally crapping myself.
I met with a foundation company this morning on a property that they have an estimate on for the county, which owns the property and wants desperately to see it go away. In 20 minutes I tore through his estimate and clobbered all the holes and over estimations and cut it back to where it really needed to be. As soon as I explained that he had the option of putting this where it needed to be or I was going to have 3-4 more foundation contractors out this afternoon he was more than reasonable.
AMAZING! Tomorrow can't get here fast enough!
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Another escrow check and deal 4 is in the pipeline on an REO. Here is the only thing I can add. REO's have never asked me for money in escrow until just now. I have had total turn downs, ridiculous counters, requests for only and final, but I have not had a "get us an escrow check" request until today.
I hope that is good news. The house is just flat out uninhabitable and a total craphole. Unfortunate for the neighbors, it is in a really nice neighborhood.
Stan
More on my story here
http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/43046/...
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Sorry to post on top of myself but that ONE word means everything.
No matter what you DG'ers are doing the pipeline is crucial. The pipeline is so many things. It literally is
-Networking with RE's and REI's
-Building a buyers and sellers list
-Daily knowledge of the properties that fit what we are trying to do. (does not matter whether your flipping, assigning, hold and rent, etc. The knowledge is crucial).
These are all filling pipeline activities that need to be done everyday. I try, but can't keep up with every property in the 3-4 county area on a day to day basis. But my pipeline is full. Actually over full!
Take DG strategies and mould them to what you do well. However, build and fill a pipeline, coming and going, and you shall never want. I can clearly see that.
Stan
When one sets out to take Rome, TAKE ROME!
Greatness courts failure.
Your positive attitude is so contagious! I love it!
Yesterday's gone forever-Tomorrow may never come-TODAY is mine to KEEP! or MAKE!
coco
coco d.