The Journal of the Daily Adventures of Indiana-Joe

Thanks for the insight and nice comments I appreciate it. I just want to share this story with others because our surroundings or sphere of influence plays an important part of who we are and may become. Often we think back to when we were young and playing ball in the park during the hot warm Summer with friends. The years go by and it is true that unfortunately some of our friends from the past will not be our true friends of the current or future. People change even though it seems like yesterday all we wanted was to have a good time and wished the Summer would last forever!

I also believe it is good to know how a person might be before you partner on a potential deal. Better to see the true side before you run into problems after the fact. It is like Dean's weekly video blog lesson about when we say "YES" to something or someone, we say "NO" to something or someone else. Thus, I will have more time for new friends, as well as friends on the DG website, rather than this lawyer friend from the past. Sometimes people may not realize the opportunity they pass up. I truly believe I could have really helped my lawyer with his future but he did not see this as an opportunity. Thanks again for the insight and good luck on all your deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....There is nothing like a holiday and a day off work in February. Being President's Day I saw many sales at he mall but I have to admit it makes me think of the Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. I believe this is truly an amazing exhibit with all the Presidents of the United States in wax type figures that move and talk during the show. If you go to Disney World be sure to stop in and see the show. With this winter weather ...Orlando and the warm weather is calling me to sunny central Florida!

I had a good weekend and I have went throug some of the FREE homes books. I still get a little angry that there are many realtors that are not putting the price of the home in the book. I have heard it is because of the slow market and they may want to generate calls. Without the price, they may be getting overlooked. I spotted a few vacation homes right on the lake and could not believe the price drops. The motivated sellers are beginning to get a little restless. Here is another tip, ask you realtor to watch for price drops and see hoe early and often the price drops are taking place. This may point you in the direction of a motivated seller.

Another tip to share with everyone is get your system and flow down of how you will keep your records and track your information. Once you get the deals your system of record keeping and information tracking will be in place. The more time you spend on organization now, will benefit you for the future!

I hope everyone has a great week ahead. Why not set the alarm clock a little early tomorrow and spend some time on your real estate efforts (no pain, no gain). If you devote just an extra 15 minutes a day, you'll be amazed at the additional knowledge gained during this time. Good luck finding that next deal! One question before we go for the day...Will you be sleeping and dreaming of the next deal or getting up early and living the dream? The choice is up to you. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"“We ought not to look back, unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors and for the purpose of profiting by dear bought experience” ~ George Washington

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. In this life we get nothing save by effort." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

"America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand." ~ Harry S. Truman

"Accomplishments will prove to be a journey, not a destination." ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." ~ John F. Kennedy

"The noblest search is the search for excellence." ~ Lyndon B. Johnson

"A man is not finished when he's defeated; he's finished when he quits." ~ Richard M. Nixon

"I had a lot of experience with people smarter than I am." ~ Gerald R. Ford

“Unless both sides win, no agreement can be permanent.” ~ Jimmy Carter

“Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time, that in our time we did everything that could be done. We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith.” ~ Ronald Reagan

"We are not the sum of our possessions." ~ George H. W. Bush

“Big things are expected of us, and nothing big ever came of being small.” ~ Bill Clinton

"I understand small business growth. I was one.” ~ George W. Bush

"If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress." ~ Barack Obama

At our REI group tonight we were just talking about organization at the very end. How strange is that? That's an area I definitely needed some light on. Thank you for the tip and help. It's mindboggling how much information is on here and free. Can't wait to see you and Stacey at the Edge.
Blessings,
CAthy

Thanks for stopping by my journal. I always feel a little organization can go a long way, so as your real estate business grows, you will have your systems in place to be off and running.

The DG Website is truly an awesome resource not only filled with fantastic inspiration but a boat load of wonderful information! When I first found the website I felt like a kid in a candy store! Stacey and I are looking so forward to Dean's Gain the EDGE Event in May and we look forward to meeting you in person and saying hello at the event. Good luck on all your future real estate deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

* * * CALLING ALL CRAIGSLIST AND EBAY ENTHUSIASTS! * * *

Hey DG Members if you have bought or sold more than a few things on eBay and/or Craigslist, or thought about buying and selling on Craigslist and eBay, please send me a "PM" or leave a post on my other Journal..."Indiana-Joe's Epic Adventure Journal as I continue my successful journey through the Cash Lands of eBay & Craigslist Treasures!"

A link to my other journal is as follows:
http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/38372/...

I would like to speak with several other DG Members that are currently doing Craigslist or eBay on a regular basis. Please PM or leave a message by Friday, February 19th if you want to be on the list! Thank you for your time and participation! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“One of the things that I repeat probably every day here is that our success is built on our community's success.” ~ Pierre Omidyar

....February is flying by can you believe March 1st is right around the corner? I can't believe some people are already talking about the baseball season. It sure has been fun to catch a few of the 2010 Winter Olpmypic Games on television. I believe it is so awesome to watch history in the making. It is very inspiring to see how hard these world class athletes train for that one moment maybe ever!

I called on a few homes yesterday but I did not find any potential deals. I did have a showing for one of the rental units. The great thing was I had 4 different parties all show up within 10 minutes of each other. I could tell this created a sense of urgency amonst the potentiual renters. Thus, if you looking at buying and holding a rental property remember a little motivation will inspire a prospective tenant into action.

Another tip about rental units. I believe it is important to udnertsand aspects of renting units so if you decide to employ the services of a proeprty management company you can have an uyndertsanidng and an appreciatio nof what they do. This will enable you to better manage the property managers.

Have a great week and don't forget to support those small businesses in your local community! On the way home tonight stop and get a pizza, ice cream or even a movie rental. Network get to know the owner and in a few weeks come back with a bandit sign flyer to post at these businesses. Small businesses working together! The American Dream is alive! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I wanted to be an editor or a journalist, I wasn't really interested in being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going." ~ Richard Branson

I've Just started reading your journal today.I was at another post earlier and a student suggested to another comment that was posted to view your journal since you deal with REO'S. So I went there as soon as I read that post. You have lost of great info. I'm only on page 12 and have lots to read.

I have a question? How did you finance your first Reo's? Did you have money of your own, I've read were some are 100% financed. And another question on the MLS listing how are those provided for viewing? For someone that is just getting started what is the best way? Thanks Mellena

Another question is do you submitt offers in yourself or do you have your agent submitt for you? I've read were some students submitt themselves. What is your comment to these questions?

Thanks for stopping by to visit my daily journal. I previously wrote about finding REOsin another forum called, "Indiana Joe's Guidemap to finding REO Gems...let the adventure begin!" The link to this thread which may be helpful to you is as follows:

http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/buying-foreclosures-reos-...

The first deal we purchased an REO for only $10,000. We had tgo come to close with around $6,000 due to credit for taxes, etc. Our Deal # 6 was with a small local bank and they 100% financed the REO at a great interest rate too. The small local banks and credit unions are an excellent resource to approach and create win-win deals.

When searching on the MLS, there should be a note or type in the property description that reads: "Bank Owned", "Foreclosure" or "REO". Your real estate could also do a search on these types of key search words for your local area. Good luck with real estate investing. You can do it! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

If you are working directly with a small local bank, you can submit your offers yourself. If you are not working directly with a bank than use a realtor to help draft and submit your oofers. Good luck with REOs. Believe nad Achieve! - Joe

....The day started off with a light snow and a little frost on the windows. As I drove into the city I was running some information around trying to get my time organized for later in the day. Sometimes if you plan your day from start to finish you can get a little more done by scheduling errand trips along the way. In the mornign you wil lknow what you may need to take withyou for later in the day. That is why I enjoy driving different routes at times and seeing things otherwise I may have missed.

I took a walk and lunch and grabbed a Subway tuna sandwich, as I walked passed a corner there were some of the Free Real Estate books. No matter where I am at, I always try to pick up some of these books because I enjoy looking at all real estate markets. Even if you do not invest in a certain market, it is still good to understand the pricing in every market. If someone can't afford a home in a higher priced market, they will then keep going to find the market that they can afford. Thus, if you study the market it may help to understand your potential niche in your local market. Such as fidning the homes that may appeal to the broadest range of people.

Later in the evening, I had a call with a few friends. It is always fun to talk real estate especially when other enjoy it as much as you do. The more your share, the more you can learn. I hope everyone is having a great week. Good luck finding that next deal! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." ~ Henry David Thoreau

...The alarm went off at 4:30 AM and yet another work day was beginning. Each day can be an adventure and the outcome may depend on the paths and decisions we make in our eveyday life. Its like an email in-box, where you have to sift through the content of emails. There are always multiple emails coming in and some are worthy of reading while others get deleted as fast as spam. In my current position I interact with many different people and we have multiple offices in various states. So, I do enjoy visiting other places when the opportunity arises.

As I get older, I guess we all learn lessons in life. A few lessons I have learned would include never forgetting where you came from, always giving back when you can and always being loyal to the people that matter in your life. These people can include neighbors, co-workers, family and friends. I believe loyalty says a lot about a person's character and integrity.

The day will come that you will be able to help others or influence others opinion's. It is powerful and scary that you could provide advice that could change a person's future or direction in life. Be sure to offer the best advice possible. Offer the advice you would want if you were in that person's shoes. Often I see people give others advice that they would not even follow themselves. So a word of caution is be careful of the advice you take from others and equally careful the path of those you follow. You become part of your surrounding and the people you are around may determine your future. When we were in school there were always the group labelled the "trouble makers." They were other groups like the over achievers. When we were young we decided what groiup we would follow, now that we are older and wiser we still are making those same decisions.

I hope everyone has a great day today. Friday is almost here and the weekend will be upon us. Thank you to all who come and read my daily journal, I hope to share all I can to make a difference in your life and in real estate investing. I really enjoy being part of the DG Community and making new friends on DG.com. I started a REI Group on-line at DG.com called the "Adventure's Club", so feel free to check it out (pssst there is a link below). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.” ~ James Dean

Thats what I like about this site everyone is so willing to help. Thanks for the link you posted. Im going there right now. I'll be keeping up with your journal.Thanks again Mellena

Question? if i dont do any dealing with paper checks and only debit card does that mean i'm going to have to go get checks printed out? Or can they do a bank draft with bank check from bank itself?

Will you please tell me how to bookmark I tried yesterday and i could'nt figure it out. mellena

You may want to get checks printed out rather than using a debit card. A check gives a better paper trail and if the deal does not go through you have the check. In some cases a real estate agent may even just want a copy of the completed check if you do the offer on-line.

In regards to "bookmarks" at the top of every story the first entry there is a feature in the right hand corner at the end of the first post of each story called "Bookmark this". Just click it to bookmark or later "unbookmark". Then at the left you can choose the "My Bookmarks" button to review all your bookmarks. Have a great day. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

I am so thrilled. I just got off the phone with a realtor who is willing to work with me. I had emailed her and she responded. She asked me to call her so I did. I did not get ahold of her so I left message and guess what she called me back. I saw her Picture on one of the sites I go too and she seemed like a down to earth person and someone who does'nt look like she was intimidating. I told her that and we laughed and she said I was right. I can usally judge a person pretty good by a picture. I just hope once I start offering deals this does'nt bite me in the rear and tells me these offers can't be done.

I told her what I was about and how I will be puting in lower offers like 30% thru %50% off market value she said that was fine. She also told me right now is the best time to buy property. She also has invested in the past. She mentioned she will be glad to make a little more money if any of these deals go through. She is familiar with assigning contracts.

I explained how myself and my investors are looking for property in this area and surroundings. She seemed please that we talked. She is going to set me up to receive MLS listing. Thanks Joe for all your help and every one else that has posted. Mellena

I enjoy your journal, I drop by occassionally for your insight! I am new and have a question about MLS listings. How can I obtain MLS listings?

Bruce......

Congratulations for finding a good member of your real estate team! A good real estate agent can make all the difference in the world. It can be a win-win situation because you both can make money and build a better business relationship with each and every deal! Good luck with real estate invetsing. I look forward to reading baout your continued progress and future deals! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Thanks for stopping by my journal. The MLS listings can be found on the following website:

www.realtor.com

You can search by various criteria for proeprty as well as search any proeprty in the country. Your realtor can also run reports or listings for you as well. I hope this helps. Good luck with real estate investing. Believe and Achieve! - joe

....Friday! Friday! Friday!....Hooray for Friday. Well, the weekend is almost here as we wrap up another work week. How was your week? Did you accomplish many things for your real estate investing? Any early morning reading or late nights scanning the new MLS listings on-line? As they say, no pain no gain! However, the weekend is always a good time to catch up on what you wanted to do during the week. So, on Saturday drive a new area and look for at least 3 vacant homes, FSBOs or places to post a bandit sign or flyer.

I receievd a call from my realtor and the townhome I put an offer in on previously was rejected. There was another buyer that had a higher offer they accpeted. The other buyer was not an investor but wanted the home to live in. So they received a good deal. A tip here to learn is never let your emotion get involved in an offer. I saw this at an auction I attended where a bidder stopped bidding but then jumped back into the bids and probably paid a lot more than he wanted to. What I try to do is look at each deal, run the numbers and determine 2 number even before I make my offer.

I know your wondering what are these 2 numbers, right? The first number is the highest price I want to pay for the property (my ceiling price). The second number is what do I want my intial offer to be. With real estate each deal is different but I learned you can literally save thousands of dollars that is money in your pocket or bottom line. The more potential deals you have on yoru radar, the easier it is to move on to the next deal. So never look back just keep looking for that next potential deal.

This is the weekend that you have drawn the line in the sand and you will make progress with your real estate investing. You want to look back at the day that changed your life. You decided to take action. You have all the information with the inspiration and information found in Dean's books and on the DG.com wbesite. The rest is up to you. Is today the day that you will look back on and say, I made the decision to take action and not look back? Hear the knock at the door? That is "opportunity". Let's grab your coat and go drive the local area now! You can do it! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can - there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.” ~ Sarah Caldwell

Thanks Joe for the info., I will go check it on some properties I am working on. Bruce.....

YOU BEEN THIS LONG TIME I JUST WONT KNOW DOES IT WORK I BEEN DOING THIS FOR LAST
FIVE MONTH . AND GET WORST MY WIFE LOST JOB WHEN I GET A DEAL I LOST IT .
LOOK LIKE IF CAN DO SOME SO I GET TWO JOB. JAMES

Good luck finding those potential deals. Keep us updated on your progress and future real estate deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

This does work, do not lose the faith. Try to join a real estate investing club in your area and network with others. Each day try to learn a little more about real estate and keep moving forward. You can do it! Good luck with real estate investing. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

i try going second investing club this thur.

Real Estate investment clubs are a great way to network with others. You get to often hear great speakers, make contacts through networking and there are often deals that happen between members with buying and selling real estate. Good luck and have a great weekend. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

I'm a firm believer in networking in unlikely places. I just mentioned in my own journal entry that I was p/u an item from a complete stranger in my town and after finding a way to work into the conversation that I was a REI, this woman said that she was a realtor...and 30 minutes later she was telling me about a potentially great piece of land for sale that my husband and I are going to look at today. You just never know where you'll find your next REI connection, so, like Dean mentions in his books, make a point to let EVERYONE you talk to know what you're doing and you'll be surprised at how far you can get : )

I'm a firm believer in networking in unlikely places. I just mentioned in my own journal entry that I was p/u an item from a complete stranger in my town and after finding a way to work into the conversation that I was a REI, this woman said that she was a realtor...and 30 minutes later she was telling me about a potentially great piece of land for sale that my husband and I are going to look at today. You just never know where you'll find your next REI connection, so, like Dean mentions in his books, make a point to let EVERYONE you talk to know what you're doing and you'll be surprised at how far you can get : )

Thanks for stopping by to visit my journal and share additional insight about networking. I always say try to be loud and be proud when it comes to telling anyone who will listen that you are a real estate investor. Think of it as planting seeds and over time you never know what future deals or leads may "pop up". Thanks again for the insight. Have a great weekend. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

...The weekend is finally here and there were 2 days ahead of us. You know that your clock or watch always moves faster on the weekeend then during the week? Most of the time it feels that way, doesn't it? At least we all have 24 hours in a day and 48 hours in a weekend! The choice is up to us as to how we spend that time. What are your plans forthis weekend? .... Any Real Estate Time?

I watched more of the Olympic Winter Games and I heard some of the announcers talking about the training and conditioning of the athletes. They discussed the importance of patience and persistence. This is so true for real estate investors, as well. You learn and prepare to get ready for an opportunity, being persistent and patient all along the way. Yo ulearn and search for the opportunity and when it comes you will be ready for it!

I have been working on various projects and had an opportunity to work on one that I have really enjoyed during the past few months. Anytime you do something you really enjoy it never seems like work. I hope everyone has a great weekend and finds a few good leads to their next real estate deal! Don't forget to check the local newspaper and Craigslist this weekend! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.” ~ Sven Goran Eriksson