The Journal of the Daily Adventures of Indiana-Joe

....Thanks for stopping by my adventure journal. I can't believe how time has flown by since Dean's Gain the EDGE Event 2010. After the EDGE we hit the ground running again and ran out of daylight each day as we are going non-stop. We are having such a great time with Real Estate, eBay and Craigslist, but want to still make time to read all the great stuff and DG.com and chat with our friends. Dean's Set for Life program looks awesome and after the I watched the first video I couldn't sleep because of the excitement and new possibilities for real estate! Have a great weekend. Believe and Achieve! Your friends, Joe and Stacey

...Friday is here and the weekend will eb upon us faster than we can say 5:00 PM! I hope everyone has some plans this week to have a little fun but also look at a deal or two. Whenever you are out driving aroun, running your errands, make sure you also keep you items open for the deals with a sign but for those deals that do not have a sign as well.

I made a few more calls this afternoon on a few homes, waiting to get the facts. When you get a recorder be sure to leave a messsage because it saves everyone time especially if you leave a question or two. The key is to levergae your time and make the most out of your 24 hours in each and everyday.

I hope your Friday is going well and here's to a fun and profitable weekend! Be sure to check-out a gargae sale or two because often those folks are also considering clearing the clutter to possible sell a home. Good luck finding that next deal! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” - Harvey MacKay

I saw the interview with Dean. You mentioned your 6th deal was financed 100%. What was required of you did they have to run your credit? Have you dealt with this bank on other deals? How did you receive I believe you said 5000K for repairs. It sounds too easy. Please comment and explain a bit more. Mellena

....Thank you for stopping by my adventure journal. The bank that owned this REI was a small local community bank that had under 5 branches. They were motivated to move this home because they had not had many offers and I summarized the monthly carrying costs in an email. The power of email is just tremendous. I negotiated via email and put many things in the email including $5,000 for repairs. I did not believe they would accept all my terms and conditions and we would negotiate back and forth. To my surprise they did and the only point they wanted to change is the fixed interest rate from 3.25% (which was the prime rate at the time) to 4.00 % which I agreed. The key I learned here is you never know how motivated a seller can be so ask for more than you want because you never know what you will get.

In Dean's new book "Your Town Your Real Estate Profits" we provide even more insight and information in Chapter # 5. The actual emails I used for the bank negotiation are in his book. I believe they can help others when trying to work out a deal.

Also, below are some additional links to my prior postson DG.com that will provide even more insight:

Joe's Deal #6
http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/my-deals/23722/deal-6-ban...

Indiana Joe's Guidemap to finding REO Gems
http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/buying-foreclosures-reos-...

Getting a bank to Finance an REO!
http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/my-deals/20527/getting-ba...

I hope these postings help. Good luck with real estate investing. You can do it! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

.....The weekend is here after a whirlwind week. Its time for a little relaxation, driving a few neighbors and scoping out the new real estate listings along with some garage sales. The day was going to be a sunny warm day but at least the rain appeared to have passed for the week.

There were several garage sales in teh area and I was able to find a few things that will trun other clutter into my cash. I also have been seeing more and more real estate signs popping up around town. It is interesting to see how many new homes are hittign the market. I spoke with 2 different realtors about what is happenign in their market areas. the time its taking to get offers, the amount offered compared to the listing price, percentage down by buyers, average length to close after they have an accepted purchase contract, etc. All these thigns can help you learn the pulse of your local market.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. I saw some Halloween costumes already at the local Wal-mart so that must mean that Fall will soon be in the air. I know many students are getting ready for back to school in a few weeks. So enjoy these last few days of Summer. You might even want to savour these last few days of Summer before that first leaf falls. I drove through the park and thought of Don Henley singing...."No one is on the road, no one is on the beach, I think it's in the air, SUMMER, is out of reach! Empty Lake, empty streets, the sun goes down alone!" Have fun in the sun, while driving for deals! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"After being trapped with indoor activities for months, now it's the time to break free and bask in the warm sunshine! There's a burst of activities everywhere. Kids swimming in the rivers, beaches and swimming pools... Adults fishing, reading, and picnicking... And naturally, there'll be barbecue invitations too." - Unknown

Do you have to have proof of funds and good credit? Mellena

Joe,

Outside of Dean, you and Stacey have got to be one of the most giving people on DG.com! Thanks for all you do!

i put don henley in my itunes and listen to him sing those words that was cool.... JOE I WISH YOU AND STACEY ALL THE BEST MY FRIEND...

WALT

...The local community banks I worked with were anxious to create a win-win deal. They provide 100% of the financing and I did not have to show a proof of funds letter. I did not have great creedit either so it was not a problem to make the deal work. Sometimes if you can establish a good relationship with the bank and do what yo usay you will do, it can go along way to building that business relationship. Another useful link for you might be Dean's REO video clip. The link is below for your reference:

http://www.deangraziosi.com/emd/videm/reo

Good luck with your future REO deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....Thanks for the nice comments, we appreciate it. We really enjoy the DG.com website and really enjoy sharing whatever information we can. Dean has made a tremendous difference in our lives and we are grateful we discovered his books and programs. It is nice to find the solution you may have been searching years trying to locate. We wish you continued success. Beliueve and Achieve! - Joe

...Thanks for stopping by the adventure journal. Summer is a great time to have the tunes playing as we are soaking up the sunshine enjoying the day in search of the next deal. Keep up the good work and good luck on that next deal. I am sure it is only a few blocks away. Have a great day, my friend! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

...The weekend is half over and the sunshine in the early morning has turned to rain. I decided to stop at a few open houses and I am surprised that with all the homes on the market there are not more open houses. I spoke to one seasoned real estate agent and he stated that most agents today do not want to have open houses. This can be an advantage if you are the buyer, but if you are the seller, this can mean less traffic and less offers coming your way!

A good real estate is a significant part of your power team whether they specialize in assisting you as a listing agent, a selling agent or both. Make sure you find the right agent for the job and this should make the process easier and may even add more cash to your pocket.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Sunday, as Football is almost in the air. Sundays are usully a little different in the Fall as we get ready for another season of the NFL! Get in the game, try to score when you have the opportunity as you will be in the right place at the right time, make a few passes, you could even fumble along the way, but keep running forward and the goal line will continue to get closer with every step along the way! Good luck finding that next real estate deal and make sure you're doing a little each day to get yo ucloser to yoru goals! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent's pressure, and the temporary failures." - Vince Lombardi

Hey Joe I know you have a lot going on and I just wanted to say I still enjoy your posts.

On the football season coming up you know the Bears will be on top this year.

We wish you and your wife a lot more success.

Steve and Veronica.

Thanks Joe you've given me hope!!! Mellena

....Thanks for stopping by the adventure journal. I hope all is going well and you have your NFL ticket ordered to watch all those NFL games, especially Da Bears! They just had an open practice downtown at Soldier Field this past weekend. Thank you for the kind words. We also wish you both success in all you do! This may be the year for a fantatsic season for real estate for you and the Bears too. Have a great week! Believe and Achieve! - Joe and Stacey

...You can do it! Each day call another local community bank and cast your net farther and farther out. You may make new contacts through REO Managers for future REO deals. Keep pushing forward and sometimes the contact may be more valuable than the deal itself. So work on networking and following up with these REO asset managers and the potential REO deals may follow. Good luck! Beleive and Achieve! - Joe

....It's another Monday and my schedule has a full slate. The word of the day is HUMIDITY as temeratures in the areas are approaching 100 degrees! I have to meet up with a handyman that will be some some general work at one of the rental units. It is always good to run through what you want, including materials and estimated costs to keep you on track of your budget. Wheneever you are fixinging or updating it can cost twice as much as you first planned, so its always good to have a budget in mind and make adjustments where necessary.

I called on a few FSBOs I saw while driving the area. I know I have to get my bicycle out of the basement for a little more exercise but I usually cover a lot more ground in the car. They were new listings and I left messages at both. They did not have the "free take one" information flyer. This would dave a little time if they did but you may find a deal that others miss by going the extra mile and making a few calls until you get the owner.

If you ever see a for sale by owner property (FSBO) with an out of area number, it could be a sign of a potential deal. This is where your questions about the proeprty as well as the owners current situation is importnat. Sometimes it is best to do more listening then talking when you discover thios type of deal.

I hope everyone is having a great week. Be sure to make a few calls and you will make some progress. Half the battle can be the amount of free hours in the day, so put to good use whatever time you may have available. Good luck locking up that next deal for some fast cash! Can you see it? You can do it! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out It's all about timing.” - Stacey Charter

...The word of the day was HOT! Temperatures were around 100 today once again. The humidity was thick, heavy and drenching. As you drove the area you could tell those that were trying to keep their lawns green because the sprinlers were in full force. On the flip side, it waseasy to spot a few homes that were being neglected or at least the landscaping area of the home.

I decided to contact another real estate attorney about some questions I had. The meeting went very well as we spoke for about an hour. It is always great to meet new people that offer a perspective on the market. Also, I drove another market area and we found a few more lsitings to follow-up on. I enjoy learning new markets because it is interesting to see what types of homes are selling at what price and what is the avergae time on the market.

I hope everyone is having a great week. The time is now to make your tracks and take action. The next deal could be just down the street or right around the corner. Good luck. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other." - Abraham Lincoln

.....The day started off early as I wanted to hit the ground running. When your up early and see the sun rise, it can be energizing because you tend to accomplish a lot more before 12 noon than others may do the entire day. I guess its like that old saying "that the early bird gets the worm."

I was looking into another market and the one thing I enjoy is findign information about a place. The best advice is to drive the area a few miles in every direction. I always enjoy looking for information on the area. I enjoy the free home and land books because they can provide not only information on homes but also on realtors or others from your Power Team.

I stopped at the Home Depot and I saw a contractor get out of his truck. it read "Genral contractor plumbing, electric, carpentry, "we can do it all no job too big or small." I asked the contractor for his card. He was happy to give it to me and we chatted for a few mintue.

Some of the best contacts you make might be in the parking lot of Lowe's or Home Depot. It is always good to have extra contacts becuase when the time comes that youe need them, you will have them available. I hope evryone is having a great week. Good luck in pursue of that next deal! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

I do belive it is good to talk to contractors at Lowes, Home depot and don't for get Menards back East. I miss Indiana and Illinois.

I see you said it was 100 plus humidity. I don't miss that. But when it is over 100 in Northeren California it is still hot no matter what some say about dry heat.

Joe have you gone over to ST. Joe or Elkhart county for deals.

...The heat wave continues as we are headed into the weekend. I am fortunate to have Home Depot, Lowe's and Menards all close by to each other. I often shop at Menards where as they often sing..."save Big money at Menards!" They are rebuilding one of the Menards and will make it twice the size as the old one. I heard the new location is also going to carry more food products besides all the home improvement products.

I have some friends that live in St Joe and Elhart Counties. I always look everywhere but I have not purchaed anything there as of yet. I did see a tax sale a few months back that peeked my interest. The future may hold some future deals. Have a great Friday. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

......The week is flying by as I read there should be a metor shower that will be visable in the sky this evening. The heat from the day will make the evening a little more comfortable and cooler to be enjoying the outside weather.

I met a few new realtors later in the day as I looked at some new areas. It is always good to gather as much information as you can as you review a new area from driving the area to reviewing comps and current listings. The more information you gather the better decisions you can often make.

I hope everyone is having a great week as we head into the weekend. Don't forget to check out some deals this weekend, so make those appointments. The weekend deal can just be a few phone calls away. How many calls will you make today? Remember, it can be a numbers game so increase your odds by reviewing more potential deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It's quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that?s where you will find success." - Thomas J. Watson

.....Friday is here and the weekend is so close you can feel it. What are your plans fo this upcoming weekend? The week seemed to fly by as I was working on several projects. The great thing is I am having a great time with real estate and my daily routine. When you enjoy what you do, it never seems like work.

I called more realtors and discussed some additional areas. Always try to maximize your call and when you call, get comps, listings detail and the realtors impression of what is currently happening in the local marketplace. As you review the stats for the month, sometimes it can tell you if the market is level slowing down or picking up. The amount of listings, days on the market and price fluctuations will enable you to understand what may be happening in the marketplace.

Good luck finding that next deal and make sure you take action and review deals and make some offers. If you have the right information you can minimize most risks by taking action based on the informtion you use to base your decisions. Good luck on your next real estate deal! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks. Yet most people don't. They sit in front of the telly and treat life as if it goes on forever.” - Philip Andrew Adams

....The weekend is here. So what is on the agenda for today? Garage sales? Driving the area? Meeting with your realtor? Looking for a new deal? Have you updated your bandit signs and flyers? Now is the time! The weekend might be the best time to get the most exposure.

I met a new realtor today and we looked at 6 different homes. The thing that was interesting were the homes were fairly close to each other but the blocks and the neighborhood area differed. When I compared each home it was evident that some people should have price their home lower than what they did. There were updated homes in move-in condition and other that needed an extensive amount of work.

As you look at new markets, know the prices ranges and what each price range might be able to get you for the money. Look for the motivated sellers to create value or equity for you or your end buyer. The more work you do in an area the easier it becomes to run your numbers and know when a property may scream "motivated seller" or DEAL!

Have a great weekend and just think if you found a deal a month. Could it help change your outlook or situation? Would you then be thinking about your job on Monday or more deals? Good luck, you can do it! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.” - Leo F. Buscaglia

just wanted to stop by and say thanks for all your inspiring wisdom in your posts.very uplifting and thought provoking.i love to read anything you write as it brings ideas to mind that are very helpful a nd reminds us to keep these tips in our head as we keep learning and growing our real estate library. hope you are having a great weekend!!
jay

...Thanks for stopping by the adventure journal. I had a great weekend, met some great new people and had a chance to look at a new market. It was a lot of ofun and the weather was great. Each day can be a new adventure as we learn life's daily lessons. Glad to hear things are going well, way to take action! Have a great weekend. Believ and Achieve! - Joe

...The Annual Chicago Air and Water Show was in town this weekend as boats were seen dotted through-out Lake Michigan and planes soared and roared through the sky above. This summer time extravaganza normally draws more than 1 million spectators. There are usually many sights to be seen as these pilots are just amazing at what they do.

It reminded me of the last time I flew (as just a passaenger). When you fly you can meet interesting people by just speaking with the people that sit around you. I met a person that was coming back to Chicago and was on vacation for about 2 weeks. When people go on vacation they can clear their mind and determine what might be important in their life. It gives people time to focus on their family and their own interests. The person I sat next to told me if they had a "do-over" they would not want to work as much and would rather enjoy more out of life. I inquired why they did not start right now and they indicated they only had a few more years to retirement.

Naturally, I brought up real estate inveting and they told me a story about one of their friends tha tstarted with nothign and built up a very good size portfolio of real esate rental properties. As we spoke a little further, they now were excited about the possibilities of real estate and stated they were going to speak with their friend for some pointers to begin real estate investing.

I believe people are never too old to "get started." The key is they decided to take action to make a differecne in their life. Do not let anything hold you back. Some people look for their reason of "why they can't start". LOOK for your reason of WHY you can do it! Dean has provided all the necessary tips, tools and techniques for you to succeed in real estate investing. The key is to take action and apply what you learn each day. You can do it! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” - Charles R. Swindoll

...Monday is here and so starts another new week. Will this week be a little different then the last few this month, this Summer or even this year? You can control what you do and when you do it. Which in turn may control where you go and how you get there! The choices are up to you and you are in the driver's seat.

I decided to have a little fun and drive to a town about 2 hours away. It was fun becuase there are a few recreational lakes in the area. I always enjoying seeing new places. I always stop at the local gas station or Wal-mart to see if they have any of the Home Books for the area. I found a few so it will provide some good reading for later in the day.

I hope everyone is having a great week and making plans to close some real estate deals. As the Fall season approaches, there may be so cool crisp nights that are just right for planning that next great deal! Good luck in your search! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"Lost time is never found again." - Benjamin Franklin

.....The month of August is flying by. I can't believe how fast the month is going. I am looking forward to tonight's conference call. I always enjoy hearing about the new products that Dean is offering. I have am counting down to hear about the Set for Life System.

I have made several callers today to respond to some signs and ads that I saw to build my buyer's list. I always feel that my buyer's list is a work in progress. If you are adding good qualified buyer's to your list it expands your possibilities.

I hope everyone is having a great week. Don't forget about the call tonight. Today is the time for real estate! You will succeed! Good luck findign that next deal. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day: "This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

....The day started out with a little rain and a cool breeze. I took an early walk in the morning to see the neighborhood but also to get a little exercise. Things can often be more quiet in the morning. Sometimes you can get more done by 12 noon than others may do for the day! You also can meet people in the morning as you walk the area.

I called on a few properties and did not find too many that I wanted to keep on my radar. I called another relator to find out about another market and to determine if this new realtor might be able to help me in this other area. The more comps I can get the better I can try to get a pulse of what is happening in this market.

I hope the week is moving in the right direction for you and if not you may want to get back on track, improve your investign habits and break those habits that may be detering you from gettign where you want to be. You can do it, how bad do you want to achieve your goals because of your "WHY"? Are you willing to keep moving forward? Now is the time! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the day: "If you don't know where you are going,
you'll end up someplace else." - Yogi Berra