The Journal of the Daily Adventures of Indiana-Joe

Hope all is going well-It took me forever to get caught up on all that is going on. Well Now I have to find time, to get back on this site and give back what was given to me See you at the Edge if all goes well,

Randy

So much Joe and plan on reading as much as possible from you and Stacey both. I know you both have experienced a lot of good times as well as bad but I'm hoping to see the mistakes and mishaps that others have came across during their investing journeys and take the advice and make it my own that way I won't have to worry about making any mistakes, now I know I can't say for sure that it will be 100% avoidable but I wanna get as close to that 100% as possible. And again thank you so much for your insight and advice for your journeys touch more people's lives than you can imagine......including mine. Yes I will have to go one more year until I can meet a lot of the DG Family but I know once that time rolls around.....it will be well worth the wait. (I just hate the Army can't take a rain check sometimes because I would definitely be using one for the EDGE event this year but duty calls so.....)

Thanks and May You Have An Awesome and Prosperous 2011,

TheYungGun

...Glad to hear all is going well. The key is having more than 24 hours in a day. Each day brings that next opportunity. Looking forward to seeing you at Dean's Gain the Edge 2011. I heard your evening chair by the pool has been "reserved." Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....Thanks for stopping by the daily adventure and the nice comments we appreicate it. The one regret I hear all over the country from many new real estate investors is they all wish they would have started real estate investing earlier in life.

The great thing for you is you are starting earlier than most new investors and gathering a knowledge base that will benefit you the rest of your life. Your committment to serve your country will be something that you can be proud of all your life. Real estate will be here and you will be able to jump in and hit the gorund running as you continue to develop your knowledge base.

I am looking forward to meeting you at Dean's Gain the EDGE 2012! That year will pass really fast! Keep learning and moving forward, the deals will come. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....Yet another Monday began and I was looking at some new REOs in the Midwest area for myself and a few friends that are new investors. I made 7 more offers today between 2 different real estate agents in the Midwest. I have been helping some new real estate investor friends in Florida and we made a handful of offers. It will be fun to see what the Sunshine State has in store for them. My friends retired about 9 years ago and moved to the land of sunshine. They asked me a few months back if I could partner up with them to find a few investments to get the pump primed for them.

I have been making agressive offers so I hope these banks will become a little more motivated. I saw a new listing for an estate sale and I went to immediately look at the home. I made an offer on it so we will see what happens. Hopefully the formula of more offers = more deals will work out.

I received a call from a friend who lives in southern California. He is very frustrated with the So Cal market and he wants to start buying in the Midwest. He even asked us to partner on a few deals and if we could manage the properties. Thus, we will help him get rolling with real estate too. It will be no problem since we have our power team already going in the Midwest. I am glad we can assist our friends and I look forward to partnering on a few more deals in the next few weeks.

Keep moving forward. You may want to decide where your target market is by building your buyer's list and making offers. The more you try the better you will become. Go out and keep gathering that knowledge. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
“Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.” ~ Aristotle

And to that I say thank you and appreciate the support that you give. I'm more than honored to be able to look upon the DG family for the guidance and support especially since I am as young as I am. Just to give you a quick rundown on a few things. I do not intend to tell anyone (except that I have told my mother and my girlfriend which will be my wife by the time we will meet, and they support me 110%) Because I see the negative energy everyday in friends and family members and what they perceive as working hard for what you want out of life like Dean says "the status quo" and I know with the resources I have all around me and the knowledge I have been given there is no way that I can accept the 60-70 weeks and live for someone else just to make a dollar, and Dean has taught me that and yes I will admit that I don't have kids and hundreds of bills and bankruptcy or divorce or even credit card debt up to my eyeballs.

I have seen and done many things in my 20 years (wow I'm making 20 sound like 50 or 60!) but all play aside I don't want to lead the life of worries and stresses that go along with that life I want to have an amazing future where I can make MY own decisions and do as I see need fit for me and one day my family. I also will say I'm not the average 20 year old either I don't just worry about getting liquored up and club hopping because at the end of the day where will that get me? No where and I have partied and have fun but I also want to buckle down NOW so I can have time later on in the future to do such things, not just party for the next 10 or 20 years then start worrying about my future that is NOT the answer for me. So in every piece of advice and little bit of wisdom you and the rest of the DG family provide know that I will be there to pick it up and take it along with me through my REI journey. Again Joe Thank you for what you do and are able to provide me and the rest of the DG family!!!

Much Success and a Prosperous 2011

TheYungGun

Excuse me but can not accept the 60-70 HOUR weeks!

TheYungGun

...You are making a very wise decision with real estate investing. You will probably be retired by the age of 30 or earlier. I went the 6 years of college road and entered corporate America as a CPA. The 70+ hours work weeks were all the norm for most ambitous youth. Before you know it five or tens years pass you by. You are making better money but you trade hours for dollars.

The corporate ladder would get higher and higher as you tried to climb. Once you can leave a regular job behind, the 2,000 weight is lifted off your shoulders. I believe real estate is a tremendous vehicle to get you where you want to be. It is great that you are making the effort now because the benefit to your future will be unbelieveable. Keep up the good work. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

hopefully I will be able to retire a year from now and really expand our REI.

I hope you and the family are staying warm.

I like the Bears over Seattle this weekend.

Steve.

...Thanks for stopping by. I am sure as you continue to do deals it will put you on the path of retirement. Being a real estate investor 100% of the time is very fun. The weather in the Midwest has been cold and snow. Good football weather. I hope the Bears can win on Sunday. The Seahawks sure looked tough against the Saints last week. Hope you and Veroncia have a great week. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....Tuesday is here and so is the snow. It looked like a blizzard outside with the gusty wind and everything was covered with the soft white powder like snow. The trees were shimmering and glimmering as the snow rested on the branches. I went to warm up my car to clear the frosted windows. I was thinking of warmer places again. Florida, California, Arizona or even Hawaii could be some possible destinations.

I received counter offers on a few offers that I made. The sellers only came down around $1,500 on asking price. I will continue to submit lower offers until they accept my offer or sell the property to another buyer. The thing I realize is there are so many deals out there, I do not get emotionally tied up on just one potential deal. Its like a bag of jelly beans, just keep on digging because you never know when a new one will jump to the top.

I hope everyone is having a great week. Keep looking for that next deal because it may just be right around the corner. Drive a direction path becuase you never know what you may find along the way. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
“Nature has no mercy at all. Nature says, "I'm going to snow. If you have on a bikini and no snowshoes, that's tough. I am going to snow anyway."” - Maya Angelou

I like the new heart symbol you have now.

I think that fits you Joe you have a big heart for helpping others.

Steve.

I 2nd what Steve said. You have a good heart and are always helping people on this site (and I bet in your travels too )

Glad to hear about your counter offers on your offers and look forward to hearing what happens.

Lea

that heart you have! I cannot thank you enough for all the information and encouragement you give me. I have been talking to Stacey quite a bit on Facebook and I am glad she is willing to talk with me! You are both such a great help! Stacey was scared to look out the window the other night because I said it was snowing hard in Illinois and I was sending it your way! I told her "so what if you are scared to look out the window, just do it! You arent scared to make moves in real estate are you!?" haha. Have a great week Joe! Im getting closer!!!!!

.....Thanks for the nice comments. I appreciate it. The dG.com website is a great place where we can share information and inspiration. I believe Dean is a role model for all of us and his generosity of sharing tips, techniques and strategies rubs off and makes others want to give back as well. Have a great week. believe and Achieve! - Joe

P.S. Thank you DG Admin for the New Badge

....Thanks for stopping by and the kind words. Each day of our real estate investing is a new adventure, whether it be in the Midwest, West Coast, East Coast, up North or down South. It is always a pleasure to meet new real estate investors as the adventure carries us into new areas each month. It is nice to know we can help others as others have helped us along the way. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

.....The week is moving forward as I am following-up on a few offers that I made last week. One property sold for about $5,000 higher than what I wanted to go. The point is always know your walk away price and don't look back. You never want to pay more than you should.

I have an opportunity to make some new friends and visit a new area. Today we hear about real estate in the news. There are many people that want to learn about real estate investing. The more you you desire to learn, the more you will learn. So be open, ask questions, listen and learn.

I hope your week is going well. Make this a weekend that will be productive. When Monday comes around you will be happy at what you did and accomplished over the weekend. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the day:
"Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom." - George Washington Carver

...The month is flying by as we are approaching the half way mark of the month of January 2011. How have the past 12 days been for you. Have you started in the direction you desired for 2011? Have you had more productive dyas than not? If not, that's okay be sure to get on track this week. There is still plenty of days left in 2011.

I went to look at a few properties. When you look at a new market it is always a good idea to compare price points of all types of proeprties from single family homes to condos to townhomes. When running the numbers on townhomes or condos be sure to figure in the additional costs such as home owner fees or assocition fees. These additional costs can make a difference in your cash flow.

I have followed up with a few realotrs and submitted additional counter offers. Time will tell but I feel I am making progress. Sometimes mnaking offers is like a chess match, back and forth and more back and forth. Not that I play chess but at least checkers. Have a great day! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
Persistence: "Just one more thing!" ~ Lt. Columbo

....Hoorah for Friday! The weekend is so clsoe yo ucan almostr taste it. I had an opportunity to meet my cousin for dinner. My cousin moved out of the area and I have not seen him for about 3 years. It was nioce to catch up and hear what has been going on. His children are grown and in college so he and his wife are empty nesters.

It is interesting to see how people think about housing based on how thier situation changes. He actually thought about selling his larger homw to down size. If you can provide what buyers are looking for, at the price they want to pay, you will be able to do more deals!

Have you created your goals for 2011? Make and update your goals as the year goes on and keep track of your progress. Mkae adjustments when needed. Take time this weekend to have some fun, review some deals and make some offers. The next deal is only an offer away! believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail." - Napoleon Hill

what do you think Deans big secret is about EDGE 2011?

Happy New Year!

It has been awhile since I stopped in on all the journals, and in catching up, I'm reminded why I have missed yours! Love it! Your daily reflections are so encouraging, inspirational, and plain informative...it's a great "wake up in the morning" journal. It's like I'm reading the front page of a newspaper, except YOUR the newspaper I want to read!

Thanks for your thoughtfulness and sharing here. And keeping us all on track with questions about our goals-setting, etc... We all appreciate it so much!
Cheers!
Louisa

...I do not know what the big announcement is, however I know I can't wait to hear every detail. Dean always strives to exceed expectations with everything he does. His books, programs and live events always are awesome. I can't wait to the EDGE 2011. I know we will be counting down the days. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....Happy new Year and thanks for stopping by the daily adventure. I appreciate the nice comments and I enjoy sharing my day and any tips along the way. I often feel like its the DG.com cafe and friends gather to share what we can as we continue on our journey. Have a great weekend. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

I miss stop in for a day or so and it is a major event playing catch up!

You are just so popular! Well deserved!

Karen

...Thanks for stoipping by my daily adventure. I hope all is well in sunny southern California. We had snow a few days ago and we were california dreaming. I look forward to getting out to the coast for some fun in the sun later this year. Have a great weekend. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Hi Joe,

I'm just starting out as a new student. Attended one of Deans training seminars here
in Ottawa, Canada. I just wanted to say you motivate me just by reading your journals. I looked at some properties in USA in your area. When I head down there this summer it would be a privilege to meet you and your family.

All the best in 2011 for you and your family.

Thanks
Diane Moreau

...Thank you for stopping by my daily adventure journal. Welcome to the DG.com website it is filled with information and inspiration. Each day we have a great time learning, sharing and meeting new DG Members. Good luck with real estate investing. I look forward to reading about your progress and future deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

hi joe and stacey,

wow, i know i haven't caught up in awhile but over 100 posts since i last checked in.
sorry , but i'm just gonna have to get a few at a time until i catch up.
keep moving forward, rob

...Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by the Daily Adventure. The advenutre continues as each month there is something new. Hope all is well and your doing well. Have a great week. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....The day started off with a plan to meet 2 new realtors and a chance to view several properties. Anytime you are looking at a new market it is always good to find a few realtors in the same area and compare and contrast their knowledge of the market and review what type of deals they might bring your way. These deals could be single family homes, condos or even town-homes.

One thing I saw common this weekend was some condos had excessive foreclosures. Why this might be important is how are the association fees being paid by the residents of the condo. I discovered one complex were charging the residnets that paid on time a special assessment to help cover the other units that were not paying. The residents might get part of the special assessment back if the assocition collects from the people that were not payign but this is a big if.

When you are looking at locking up a deal make sure you know your exit strategy and make sure you check out everything. For example, some banks are not loaning on condos right now. Some insurnce companies will not write new policies to cover condos right now. Some FHA buyers can't get financing on condos right now. So be sure to know your area and your options, right now.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend as we prepare for the NFL playoffs. It is a great time for family, friends, food and fun. Good luck to all the new friends I met this past weekend. You are off to a great start. You can do it, if you put into action what you learned! Have a great weekend. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Quote of the Day:
“True friendship isn't about being there when it's convenient; it's about being there when it's not.” ~ Unknown