The Journal of the Daily Adventures of Indiana-Joe

...Thanks for stopping by my daily adventure journal. I look forward to meeting at the Gain the EDGE 2011 event. Dean's events are always just awesome! His events exceed expectations. Also, it is great to meet so many of the DGers that we communicate with on-line during the year. Have a great holiday weekend. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Just wanted again to wish you, Stacey, and your family a Very Happy New Year! I really appreciate all you do and all that you share with us on here.

Blessings,
Cathy L

...Thansk or stopping by my dailyu adventure journal and all the well wishes. It is great to start out the new year and spend time with friends on DG.com. I raise a toast of my can of Coca-cola zero and say cheers to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....The history book of 2010 is about to be put on the shelf. When looking back at the year I am sure we all had good things and things that were not as good. The great thing is we made it through the year and now we have 2011 upon us. If you did not like the way 2010 went or ended, its a fresh start in 2011.

As you approach each day just make the most of the day. If you live life each day you will have no regrets come year end 2011. The best thing you can do is true to go the entire month of Jnauary always being positive. By the end of the month you will feel a passion and energy that will carry you for the year.

I was a man on a mission as I kept calling real estate agent today. Most were out of the office or not returnign until Tuesday of next week. It was inetresting to see how many agents took advanatge of the long holiday weekend. I hope they are ready to write more offers come Monday or Tuesday.

Here is the challenge I put out to each of you that visits the daily adventure. Each day right down how many properties you review or run the numbers and how many offers you make. Then how many offers get rejected, countered or accepted. At the end of each month look back at your statistics and see where yo umight want to make some adjustments. It is always an easier path by knowing where you want to go.

I hope everyone had a wonderful New year holiday. Its tim to make a change to make a difference and today is the first day to put you on that path. Good luck and lets get this party started! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." ~ Bill Vaughan

...Its New Year's morning and I am up early and driving over to the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. My eyes were almost deceiving me as I approached the restaurnat and there were only a few cars in the parking lot. I asked Stacey if they were open because it was almost 8:00 AM already. They were open and just not crowded. This was a treat in itslef not waiting for a table as you were suggested to browse the country store.

The large fire was burning and it felt like a rustic cabin out west. The french toast and pancakes with the homemade maple syrup was the order of the day. As we had breakfast, we discussed last year and what was ahead for 2011! There is not a day that goes by that we do not appreciate what Dean has offered his studnets through his books, programs and events. I often look back and think about how nice it is to go out for breakfast or even do something I enjoy and have a true passion for.

Later in the day, when I went home I looked at various listings and made some calls. No one was open due ot the holiday so I sent out several emails. I hope to get a reply on Monday so my weekend efforts with get to pay off. The tally on the offers is as follows (50 Offers Made - 1 Verbal Acceptance - 49 Offers Pending). I hope everyone is having a great weekend! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return." - Salman Rushdie

....Its Day #2 of the new year and the holiday break for most is almost over. As I went to the local Target, I could see a gleem in the parents eye as most children had the look of the holiday vacation being over. I guess its the old saying of making the most out of the time you have available because the clock keeps ticking and winter break can be over as quickly as it arrives.

I met one of my childhood/long time time friends for lunch. It is amazing that the time has went that fast. My friend always enjoys hearing the stories about real estate investing but is too nervous to buy anything. He often believe that real estate is too risky even though he use to activitely play the stock market. He took two "major hits" (as he has called it) in the stock market during the last few years before cashing out his investment. I told him to buy at least one rental property and then see the power of what real estate will do.

Unfortunately, he listens to others that say real estate is "too risky". Others tell him to only buy big commercial buildings to get that "big score", etc. What I realized here is a few things. If people are not ready to take the real estate investing plunge, they need to get back onto the bleachers rather than jumping in. Only when they are ready will they jump. Second, so often in life, people listen to what others think (even if they are not doing what you want to do), or what others approval for doing something before doing it. Lastly, don't always try to make the big score, because a few smaller deals could add up to the "big score".

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Try to relax and hit the ground running on Monday. Remember to always do your due diligence and gather all the facts on a potential deal. Listen to the numbers not to other non-investors that have opinions. The numbers will give you better deals whether your decide to move forward or not. Have a great week. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"One who walks in another’s tracks leaves no footprints." – Proverb

...It was a busy Monday in high gear. I had several errands to complete as the day moved by swiftly. I received a cal lfrom the realtor that told me we had a "verbal" on the offer we wrote. This is where the games can begin. I only allowed 24 to 48 hours for the seller to accept, reject or counter my offer. The realtor who also represented the seller (dual agency) in this case, stated the seller verbally accepted my offer and the contract would be signed on Monday (1/3/2011) because it was the New Year Holiday and the selelr was "out of town". Being accomodating, and believing people will stand by their word, I agreed.

Today, Monday came, and I got the famous email from the realtor. Over the weekend we "had another offer appear on the table". We now need your "best and highest offer". So, my best and highest was $0.00. I told the realtor I did not like how they wanted more time just to shop my offer and my best and highest was $0.00 because I was walking away. The realtor was surprised. I believ one of two thigns occurred. 1. Either they were trying to squeeze a higher price out of me or 2. they wanted leverage with the potential other buyer.

Real estate investing is very fun and rewarding and every day I learn new "lessons." The lesson to be learned here is stick to your terms and conditions. Often in real estate and in life people may mistake kindness for being naive or even stupidity. It has been funny that during the past few weeks, I have had realtors try to talk me out of just using a contingency even though I was only using one in the contract. The key here is stand your ground and work with people that want to help you more then themsleves. So often I see people give advice to make their position more favorable even though their obligation is to you the client.

So, even though it is a new year, keep asking the right questions, including the right information and have that professional skeptism when making deal or completing contracts. I hope everyone is having a great week. Good luck locking up that next deal. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.” - Spencer Johnson

Thanks for sharing your story about the offer. Good for you for having the foresight to realize what was going on and nipping it in the bud. I KNOW that with all of the offers you just put in that GREAT opportunities are coming your way!!!

I love today's quote of the day!

Lea

...Thanks for stopping by and your feedback. Each day is a new adventure and now it is a new adventure in a new year! I enjoy the lessons I learn. Have a great week. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

You are digging for diamonds! You are going to dig on up soon!

...Thansk for stopping by. Its true if you put enough pressure on a lump of coal, it will turn into a diamond! Have a great week as we keep digging for deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Just keeping in touch Joe! I am making progress everyday! My drive gets stronger and stronger each week!

I only recently started reading your journal because, honestly, when I started here it was already so long I thought I would never be able to finish it.

All the while, I knew I was missing so much knowledge and I had to get on here. So when I started it, I just started reading in that current time.

OK, you have hooked me! It reads like a movie or something. You have me smelling the maple syrup and feeling the crackling fire in Cracker Barrel, for heaven's sake! And all the while I am learning RE techniques!

You are a corker! Thanks for entertaining us while teaching us!

Karen

Glad to hear that each day is going well. We are only in a few days of the new year. Keep lookign at deals running the numbers and making offers. Its like the Illinois Lottery says, "You gotta be init to win it!". I know you have the passion to succeed. Keep networking, building your power team and buyer's list and the leads and deals will appear. Have a great week! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

...Thanks for stopping by. My journal is my daily adventure. You never know what you might find, who I might run into or where I might be. Each day is action packed with adventure as I discover new leads and learn/share new tips as we are in pursuit of the next deal. Be sure to read where and how it all began and see how the adventure continues to move froward over time. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

I very much like reading your journal it helps me set up a plan of action ( day to day )along with everyone else on this site.

Aaron

...Thanks for stopping by my daily adventure. I appreciate the feedback and I hope the tips and information are helpful. Good luck with real estate investing. Each day can be a new opportunity. I look forward to hearing about your futre deals and progress. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

I read what Karen said about how long you adventure is and I thought you shoul turn the adventure into a book. All the key topics would make a good book for investors.

Steve

......Thanks for the great idea! I often have thought of my daily adventure as a story unfolding, one chapter of action at a time. Each month is a new chapter to the story and I never know what to expect as I continue on this journey into the untold lands of real estate. It would be a lot of fun to see "the adventure" in a book. Hope your having a great week. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....The weather is becoming crisp and cool again with a slight chill in the air. January is usually the longest winter month to get through in the midwest because of the frigid weather. The cold and snow can be a challenge at times especially clearing those windshields and driving on the ice and snow. However, some vacant homes are easier to find with frosted window panes.....and unshoveled snow. So always be on the look out for the next lead that might turn into the next deal.

I had some errands to run and a few homes to check-out. It has been a busy week #1 of 2011. I heard back from several of the offers and I am awaiting to hear on the others. I decided to make more offers this week as I completed 3 new offers. I want to see how many offers I can make each month and then try to do more the next month.

I hope everyone is having a great week. Are you doing today what you need to to make a difference in your future tomorrow? If not lets get going! The time is now! Are you one of the investors on the bus or watching the bus pass you by? Jump on, you never know what you may discover! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.” - Alexander Graham Bell

.....The winds of change have brought in some snow with a forecast for more towards the end of the week. I had an opportunity to take a trip and meet some fellow real estate investors for lunch. It is always nice to talk about real estate and hear stories of other's real estate investors adventures. No matter where you live, real estate can be a fun and rewarding investment.

I have been working with realtors in sending offers through email. So many realtors want to stick to the old way of doing it by hand writing and faxing signed contracts. Through time the changes will occur but always try to find the best way to maximize your time and effort.

As I look at more and more REOs, I have been noticing that some banks are starting to put a little money into their REOs. They will usually clean out the home and in some cases replace paint and carpet. The key to remember is still be aggressive on your price especially if the property has been on the market for a long period of time.

I hope everyone is having a great week. Did you pass out any business cards this week? Do you post fliers? What about bandit signs? Well, you know what some of your to do's need to be this weekend. Have a great week! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the day:
“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” - Tennessee Williams

.....The first week of the new year is moving by fast. As we look at the calendar the one thing we can confirm is time will always move fast. The question to ask is time moving faster than we do as investors. Time is of the essence, time can be everything, TIME! Is it your time, this time, the time is now? Will you be ready for action this time?

Take the time and take action. If you are willing to learn and apply the information you learn this will be the time, your time. So never let anyone else slow you up. Everyone has the same amount of time but it is how you usue that time that will separate you from reaching your goals or wishing you had achieved your goals. Tick, tock, tick, tock........TIME!

Make today the day where you reflect back on your day your time. If you manage your time more opportunities will be coming your way. Make sure you maximize your time rather than abuse the gift of time. Your time is no different than money. Try not to waste money but never waste time. It is somethign that everyone wish they have more of, time.

I hope this has been a productive week. I try to do a little get day to get closer to my goals. If you did not use your time as best you could today, then there is always tomorrow. The key is don't let too many tomorrow go by because they can turn into weeks, months or even years. The real estate market has cycles. Will you be able to maxize your time this down cycle? You can starting today and end up having the time that others wish they had. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"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

......Friday is here and the weekend is hiding right around the corner. During the holiday season it is always nice to see the first Friday of the new year. Today I had an opporunity to see another area and meet with some other investors. It is always fun to meet new realtors, investors and see other real estate markets. Don't let a little rain slow you down.

The one thing I always see is if you find the right realtor for your power team no matter what area you are in they can make all the difference. Make sure you have the right realtor for the right area. Your realtor should understand that you are looking for a way for both of you to make money and if they get you good leads, it will work for both of you.

I hope everyone is ready for a fun and productive weekend. Make some time this weekend for fun but also for your real estate business. I want this to be the year you look back on that put you on the path you are working so hard to be on. Good luck. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.”
- Thomas Alva Edison

....Wow, did the first week of 2011 go that fast? Can you believe it is Saturday already. I had an opportuinity to meet a new real estate agent today. She was helpful but did not know the ins and outs of a question revolving aroud a HUD property. The tip here is to always make sure you get good advice and people do not comment or make a guess to your question with real estate. The old quote of "trust by verify" should always be on your mind when learning new areas.

Some new investors have asked me if they could succeed with real estate. As we have discussed before, the key is to learn and then apply what you learned. If you are willing to make offers you never know what can happen. The same is true in sports. Two teams play a game but you never know who might win. The underdog always has a chance if they "believe" they do! I had a group of terrific real estate investors realize it this weekend. There is no limit to the success they will achieve as long as they believe in themselves.

Do you believe you will be a successful real estate investor? Can you picture it? Do others believe you will be? The choice is up to do and it can be determined by what you are doing each day to become successful with real estate investing. Anything is possible if you are willing to believe!

I hope everyone had a great week. The weekend is here so have some fun and get some deals done. You have 48 hours, how will you use that time? Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"Take Action!.....Run the Numbers!.....Make Offers!......Lock-up Deals!"
~ Indiana-Joe

......The weekend is half over and as I returned to the area I foudn the weather to be a bit brisk. There was not too many open houses today and I spent some time taking a look at various upcoming real estate auctions. The auctions have open houses usually a week or two before the auction. It is always a good idea to plan your schedule a few weeks ahead of time.

I returned home after visiting some friends in another area. I alway enjoy meeting new people and visiting different areas. It is fun when others have a passion for real estate and you can help them on their own adventure. Sometimes people just need a little nudge in the right direction to take action and make things happen.

The week ahead is filled with opportunity. Are you going to make the most of this week. Be sure to keep score each week to ensure you are doing at least one thing each day to move you closer to your goals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.” - Leonardo da Vinci

This week is going to be a huge week for me I can feel it! I met with Greg tonight and he gave me the names and numbers of everyone I need to have on my power team! I will be calling everyone of them tomorrow and developing my personal relationship with them. I have a bank that does non seasoned refinancing. I have an attourney that also does the escrow and the title work. I have an accountant. I also have a plumber, electrician, building inspector, pest inspector, heating and cooling guy, a guy that will serve eviction notices for me, a property manager, a snow/scrap removal guy. I cannot believe how far I am moving each week! I have a copy of EDGE 2010 any I have pages and pages of notes from it and I haven't even watched all 4 discs yet!

...Keep up the great work. It sounds like Greg is helping you get on the fast track with your Power Team. Greg is a great asset and knowledge base to have contact with. With your power team, try to have as much depth as possible on your power team because as the deals start rolling in, the more depth the more opportunites you will be able to handle. The gain the EDGE events were awesome and the DVDs are just packed with countless tips and strategies. Once you finish them go back in a few months and watch them again. There will be even more for you to digest each time you watch those DVDs. Keep up the good work. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Keep an eye on my blog because I post my progress all the time just like you do! I will not be denied my goal!

I have to agree with Karen. I've seen many of your posts all over DG.com and have read a few but thought to myself at times that it was too much and just reading some of things that I've come across I've been seriously robbing myself of some good information.....but not anymore! I actually remember seeing your video on Dean's infomercial and you telling your story of how you and Stacey got started and seeing how much success you both have had and I am proud to be able to write this comment because I feel like I am getting some of the best knowledge there is out there from some of the best real estate investors in America all the way from Dean to you and Stacey to Karen and Jan, Bill, Randy, Matt it's just amazing to see the results on Dean's infomercial and on here! I'll be glad to see the day where I can meet all the different DG family members. I was actually planning on going to this years EDGE Event but found out that I will have some training out in Kentucky during the event, but will definitely plan for 2012! You are all inspiring and motivational! I am pushing forward everyday towards my goals in REI and I know the biggest things for me is the motivation and determination TO push forward. So thank you Joe.....and Stacey LOL! For all of the knowledge and support you bring here to DG.com and hopefully I will get to meet you both along with everyone else at the 2012 EDGE event!

Much Success and a Prosperous 2011!

TheYungGun

....Thanks for stopping by my daily adventure journal. It has been a tremendous adventure during the past 20 months. With real estate investing each day can be a learning experience. Some experiences are more costly than others. Often I think of each experience as a lesson. Once you learn a lesson it helps you on future deals or offers. I believe I can share lessons I learn along the way to help others on their journey. So each day you will never know where the daily adventure leads but often will have a few morsel nuggets of tips, strategies or information. Looking forward to meeting you at the Gain the EDGE 2012. We have been to 2009, 2010 and we will be attedning the 2011 event. Dean's events are life changing events packed with the latest and greatest information on real estate investing. Good luck and lookign forward to reading about your future deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe