OfflineToday is the day I take action and start my investment journal!
I have been on this site for the past several months not really doing anything except sitting in the wings and reading posts from others. I have been taught, inspired and at times brought to tears while reading the journals of others. So... I decided that it was time to step out of obscurity and make a real commitment to moving my real estate investing career forward. One of those steps involves holding myself accountable for achieving the goals I set and I believe that this journal is a great way to do just that.
I have been interested in real estate investing for several years now. I have read many, many books on the subject as well as attending a couple of investment conferences where they convinced me that indeed I could make lots of money by investing in real estate but it would cost me an additional $30-70k+ to get the actual details of how to do it. Thank goodness I am somewhat cheap and declined the invitation to sign-up.
Then, I discovered Dean and his books on his famous infomercial. I too, like many others, was impressed by the sincerity of his message. So I ordered the books BARM and PFRERN. I received the books in May and immediately read them both. I was overwhelmed with the level of detail they contained especially considering what I had paid for them. Thanks Dean!
In June I decided to join the Success Academy. What a great decision that was for me. My only regret to date with the Success Academy is that I have not utilized it as much as I could have. But that is changing. The first investing strategy I am focusing on is doing Assignment of Contract so I have been working on building my buyers list. Thanks to everyone on this site who have posted their experiences and ideas on how to do this.
I also purchased the Edge Kit and have watched all of it. I have watched some of the presentations more than once. What a wealth of knowledge! Not just motivational feel good stuff but information you can actually use today. What it must have been like to actually be there at the live event! Thanks again Dean.
I have made some progress over the past several months so I have to give myself credit for at least doing something even if I am not quite where I had hoped to be by now. I have incorporated a new business, created business cards, set-up a toll-free number at COA Network, recorded my first messages to screen and capture buyer and seller information, completed several of the courses offered through the Success Academy and talked with my coaches a few times.
Well, enough about me and the past. Now on to my current goals.
October Goals:
- Get 5-10 solid buyers on my list
- Find a RE Agent to work with
- Find a Title Co that is familiar with assignments and double closings
- Get my first deal under contract and ready to assign
3 Month Goals:
- Have my investing team in place(RE Agent, Title Co, Mortgage Broker, Buyers List)
- Complete at least 3 deals
6 Month Goals:
- Complete at least 3 more deals
12 Month Goals:
- Complete at least 5 more deals
- Learn and use in a deal at least one more investment strategy in addition to Assignment of Contract
Well, there it is. Now time to take action!!
P.S. Sorry this post is a little long. Hopefully people will still read it and get some benefit from it.
"Success is overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving your dreams"
- Karl Mecklenburg(former linebacker for the Denver Broncos)
Congratulations for starting your journal and taking action. It sounds like you have had a busy fews months getting some great information and preparing yourself for investing. It is great that you wrote down your goals and shared them with us. You are doing all the right things and good things will happen. Good luck with real estate investing. We look forward to reading about your continued progress and future activities. Believe and Achieve!
- Joe
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Joe Jurek CPA
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Hi Bruce,
We are glad to see you are getting up n getting going.
We know how hard it is to step outside our comfort zone. Best of luck!
God Bless,
Alice n John
I am also new to these steategies, but not new to real estate investing. I purchased BARM and PFRRN about a month ago. My strategy has always been buy, hold, and rent, I'm looking forward to do an assignment or a flip. I have not yet started my journal, I have to congratulate you on your Journal and your goals. Good luck on your first deal and be sure to keep us posted. The information in these books is amazing. I hope you find a good Realtor to work with soon, there extremely important to your team. again I wish you good fortune in all of your real estate investments. Your Friend Kolby
Thanks everyone for your encouraging words. I love how everyone is so supportive of each other on this site.
WOW! Where did this week go. I didn't get near accomplished what I had hoped.
Still working on building the buyers list. I posted an ad on craigslist for the second week in a row. So far not much of a response. I may need to change it a bit the beginning of next week. Also, I need to try some of the other ways to find buyers that were suggested in the latest newsletter from Dean. If I try enough things something is sure to work.
I really need to pick up the pace and accomplish more each week. Especially if I'm going to find my first deal before the end of this month.
"Success is overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving your dreams"
- Karl Mecklenburg(former linebacker for the Denver Broncos)
If you look at the dates you can tell that it has been a long time since I posted anything in my journal. I thought about starting a new one but decided not to and that this would be good reminder of how much time I have let go by without taking any action. Not any more.
On March 1st I set a goal to have a deal done by the time I go to the EDGE event this year. No more being held back by fear, procrastination and not taking any action. I decided to follow the 30 Days to Real Estate Cash steps as my plan going forward without hesitation, second guessing or over thinking. Those have been my downfall in the past.
I have to tell about my experience in finding a RE agent to work with. I practiced the script that Matt Larson teaches until I felt somewhat comfortable with what I should say when talking to the agent on the phone. Last Friday I finally worked up the courage and called the first agent. To my surprise by the time I was a few minutes into the conversation I felt very relaxed. I gave him the assignments outlined in the book and followed up with an email. A day or so after, I received an email back from him with the information that I had requested. I am in the process of reviewing both the cash buyers and properties and hope to be making some offers soon.
The second agent I called was busy and so I set a time to call her back on Monday of this week. By the time we talked, I was feeling a lot more relaxed and confident. I had to laugh to myself when this agent was almost begging me to give her a chance when I inquired about how much experience she had working with other investors. Within about 2 hours, I had the information from her with the information that I had requested.
It really works!! I just had to quit over analyzing and over thinking everything and just take ACTION! I have been my own greatest obstacle to success. I have found that the key is to follow the steps exactly without thinking about it too much and do it with confidence.
"Success is overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving your dreams"
- Karl Mecklenburg(former linebacker for the Denver Broncos)
it's never too late! Glad you decided to re-commit!
Teresa
College Station, TX
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"Declare that you will prosper despite every difficulty that may come your way. Don't just survive; thrive!"
-Joel Osteen
TeresaJo - Thanks for the encouragement. Can't wait to get the first one behind me and continue to move forward.
Now for an update on my progress. This week I worked on matching the cash buyers that my RE agent sent to my to the county records to see how many of them are potential investors. I was surprised at how many of the buyers appear to be investors that purchase properties on a regular basis. Now I just need to get a letter sent off to them and see if I can get them on my buyers list. I completed creating a business card that I can start handing out to everyone I know and they should arrive by the end of next week. I also begin reviewing the property listings that the RE agent sent to me so that I am ready to start sending out offers so I can get that great deal locked up and sold.
I am moving forward.
"Success is overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving your dreams"
- Karl Mecklenburg(former linebacker for the Denver Broncos)
Wow, it's been almost a week since I posted anything on here. I'm continuing to move forward on the steps outlined in the 30 Days to RE Cash book. I have my letter ready to send to cash buyers. I got that completed earlier this week. My new business cards should arrive tomorrow and my plan is to send a letter to all of the cash buyers on my list from the properties that sold for cash in the last 90 days tomorrow as well.
Next week is Spring Break for the kids and we are heading out of town but I have plans to find time to still move forward with my RE activities. I don't want a week to go by and get stalled on my progress or get behind on my goals while I am gone.
I am taking action
"Success is overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving your dreams"
- Karl Mecklenburg(former linebacker for the Denver Broncos)
Keep taking action = you will get your first deal done.
You can do it.
Dan
www.danbuyshomesfast.weebly.com
Dusting off my journal here.
I get an email each morning from Craig Ballantyne of Early to Rise. This one really resonated with me this morning and I just had to share it. I hope it's ok to do so.
"... your status will not change until you truly become dissatisfied with your current situation in life.
Carve out some quiet time to ask yourself:
1) What will it take to finally get me to make the changes that I need to succeed?
2) What fears are holding me back?
3) What are the temptations that I must remove from my life so that I can breakthrough the roadblocks (physical & mental) that are holding me back in business and life?
4) What are two solutions to each one of these obstacles?
5) What is the ONE big goal that must be achieved in my life before the end of 2014?
6) What are the 3-5 most important process goals that will help me achieve the ONE big goal?
7) Who can hold me accountable?
With these answers you will have greater purpose and clarity.
Time is running out until the New Year.
There are only 6 weeks left in 2014.
Make each day count."
Let's all make a commitment to ourselves to finish 2014 having achieved that ONE big goal.
"Success is overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving your dreams"
- Karl Mecklenburg(former linebacker for the Denver Broncos)
You will do well, as long as you keep focused and believe in the tools at your disposal you will inevitably achieve your goals. It might take longer, be more difficult, etc, but the end result will end up being the same.
6 weeks, while not too much, is deffenetely enough! Also, for question 7, besides including people you know, you can also use these forums! I am doing so too, and it adds a little bit to my motivation.
And getting a little of topic, it is very imporant that you don't sacrifice absolutely all of your free time for long periods of time. While you could go for a couple weeks without much rest, over the long run the quality of your work, and motivation, will decrease. I remember that a biology proffessor once told me that a research found that succesful people were commited to their goals AND their free time, that way they never ran out of energy to keep going.
Good luck!