OfflineHello fellow DGers! I am so excited. I have been enrolled in the Success Academy for several months now and have had all my tools in place but yet have not made any deals. I am struggling with balancing an almost 50 hour work week, raising 3 children, and REI. I have an 800 number, business cards, flyers, a website, but I am having a hard time building my buyers list. I have tried google-ing "I buy houses" and looking in the newspaper for investors,I also took down the numbers of remodeling trucks that were at the houses of some REO purchased in my area. I would like to be able to go to the courthouse but Sunday and Monday are my days off, so I pretty much have one day a week to focus on investing. So, I have been in a little bit of a slump for a few weeks, getting a little down on myself for my lack of progress. So, I went to a friends house the other night (who I haven't seen in about 9 years) and she had a few other people over. One of them was, get this, a mortgage broker! After a little bit a built up the nerve to tell him I was getting started in REI. OMG! Just actually saying those words to someone else made my heart race. It made it feel real. The thing that made it even better is that he also has a credit repair business. So, we were talking about being able to work together. If he has someone come in for a mortgage who cannot get approved for as much as they hoped he will send them to me to hopefully find them something. Also, if I have someone who needs a mortgage(obviously) or help in repairing their credit to buy. This meeting was enough to get me out of my slump. I've made flyers which I plan to put in laudramats and supermarkets vestabules in the surrounding area. This was just what I needed to keep me focused. I've decided to start posting a journal online to keep me on track and more accountable. I'm not expecting to make a million dollars this year with only one day a week to focus on investing, however, being diligent and consistent, in time I plan to be a successful investor. At the moment I have no choice but to continue on working at my
J-O-B.
Well my laptop is about to die so that's my cue.
Jean
So I headed out today to hang some flyers but it was a little anticlimactic. I did hang up a flyer in one laundramat. I could only go to places where I could run in quickly because I had my two babies with me. I'm sorry if it sounds lazy that I did not want to unload and reload them in the car twenty times. My drive was not a complete waste though because I came up with quite a few places to hang flyers. I am also going to make up some that are handwritten really basic ones similar to the Greg Murphy style flyers. My boss has tomorrow off so I will use that to my advantage. When the cat's away...
Jean
Glad your ride was productive and you found other sites to stick those flyers. I may try some of them in my area too to get those sellers contacting me.
I am just wondering on where to direct them to. Do I get an 800# or set up a real estate website yet? Those questions need to be answered soon for me so I have a direction to follow.
Hope the little ones get better soon!
Kristin
I to will do the same ,and I agree if it worked for them it should work for us .
Connecting with people and Changing Lives
"Instead of using your words to describe your situation, use your words to change your situation" Joel Osteen
I have an 800# which can have up to 5 lines. You make one main message then 5 others, ie. thank you for calling... for foreclosure info press one, for investors press two, etc. Then again my website is only $5/mo so you could direct people to a website for less money.
Jean
Ok so I finally made up my flyer ala Greg Murphy.
It says
-3 bed/2 bath house
-rent to own
-Bad credit ok
-If you have money I have a house for you
I pretty much plagerized him but I figured that's why they put it in the book.
I'm going to hang some of these and some of the computerized ones. I think that i've changed my game plan as too where I'm going to hang them. I live in a beach area so it's mostly houses but there are a few areas that have apartments. So I'm going to head over that way on Sunday when I have the next day off.
Also, I received an e-mail the other day for a program from another guru. He specializes in student housing. Since I live in state with several colleges close by I thought I'd ask if anyone is familiar with dealing with this end of RE.
Lastly, I need help from my DG family. I live in a winter rental right now. I need to find somewhere before June and I can't get a mortgage due to job history (or lack thereof). So I was hoping to use a LO. I have the Success Academy who I plan on calling but I figured that I'd throw it out there to see what you all have to say. Do I use the same techniques? Can I get a Lease Option on a house listed with the MLS and a realtor?
Thank you in advance, Jean
I went to bring my kiddos to the doc the other morning and noticed that in the vestibule there is a corkboard. It had all kinds of flyers for all different things like landscaping and puppies for sale, etc. I think this seems like the perfect place to post some of mine so on Monday I'm going to go hang some over there. Plus that area is rural and has a lot of "ugly" houses. So I think that I'm going to focus my energy over there instead of my town. I drove around for hours a while back and found many potential places. I have to just overcome my fear. I'm not so afraid to talk to people because I currently have a job in sales, but I'm afraid everything after that. lol At my job now they gave a little bit of training and then threw me to the wolves and now I do fine. So, I've decided to throw myself to the wolves. I have flyers to hang tomorrow and Monday. I am going to post ghost ads tonight after I write this. I'm going to the sites that Carol Stinson has on her website for FSBOs.
Wish me luck
Jean
PS My heart is beating so flipping hard right now.
PSS My newfound second, third or fourth wind is because I read Carol's original journal tonight.
I just thought of something. I was looking to LO a house because I can't get a mortgage but can I "subject-to" a house for myself. If I understand the technique correctly I would put a down payment then pay the mortgage for the seller. Then I could get the money or a traditional mortgage at a later date (TBD) 12, 24 months, etc. I am taking over their mortgage typically to be sold for a profit, however can I do this until I can qualify for a mortgage? I think that the thinking outside the box aspect of REI might be starting to kick in even if it may or may apply here I pretty happy that it even occured to me.
Jean.
Do you mean take over their payments with an agreement to have the house sold to you at a pre-determined date in the future? I am not sure of how that actually works, but if it is written correctly to benefit both parties then it is a definite possibility for sure. Look into it and see if you can run the idea by someone with more knowledge about how it might work.
Thinking outside the box may work after all!
Any luck with those flyers?
Kristin
So I had to take my son to the doctor tonight. I had taken my two other kids last week too. In the foyer they have a corkboard for public use. Well last week I wanted to hang a flyer but chickened out. When I went tonight I left without hanging one but went BACK! Yay I finally did it! I am still building the courage to hang one at the grocery store across from my job. I drive by with every intention but get scared and keep driving. I also called a landlord of a duplex who is selling offering a 30 year note with the right deposit. It was only 2 beds on each side so I didn't pursue it further. Although, my Dad says I should go look anyway to see if it can be modified to a 3 bed at all. Which I may do for the sole purpose of experience in dealing with sellers and the process of analyzing properties. I'm slowly chipping away at my wall of fear.
P.S. I also rewrote my main message for my 888#. I'm actually getting some things done.
We should think of these as brick walls, and each forward step removes one brick. After a while the whole wall will come tumbling down and we will be golden!
Great job going back! I completely understand how you're feeling, thinking people will look at me funny, or make fun of me. But then, how much better than me are they to make fun of me? Even though I do care what people think of me, once I get successful then a few strange stares are all worth it!
Keep at it girl, and I'll help with those bricks all I can. Have a wall or two of my own to work on.
Kristin
I haven't posted in a while but I have been working on REI. I decided about a month ago (I think) that I was getting overwhelmed trying to take on too much at once. So I've been taking on small tasks everyday.
I rerecorded my 888# today. I like my new message much more. Yesterday, I finished setting up my free website through DG. I am going to cancel my Vistaprint site. It's only $5/mo but it's $5 more than I'm making right now. The other day I hung up a flyer at another location. I also posted an ad on CL the other day. I feel much better now that I'm breaking it down into more manageable tasks.
My main focus right now is trying to find a house for myself. I'm still trying to find a lease option but haven't had any success.
P.S. A Real Estate agent told me that you can't get approved on a mortgage when the purchase price is below the appraisal value. ????
Jean
You sound so much like me! I was getting overwhelmed and decided to slow down and take it step by step. I am going to record some messages on the 800# tomorrow and plan on setting up the DG site this evening so I can put the website address and 800# in the message. Also posting a CL ad tomorrow for tenant-buyers, sellers, and investors. I will feel so much more professional with a site and 800# with helpful messages.
Keep up the forward progress and talk to you soon.
Kristin
How's it going for you down there in South County? And progress with your ads or flyers? I just cannot seem to get it together to make some flyers to attract sellers trying to avoid foreclosure. I want to tap into them and see if I can help them, and myself, to a better position.
My CL ad has had no responses, so I will repost 2 different ones today and hopefully attract the weekend crowd. Let me know if your ads are working for you. Will try to catch you on the phone within the next day or so and we can set up a time to meet and talk.
Kristin
I've got 33 names on my list of foreclosures to call. Gonna get the paper again today. I'm also going to post some CL ads. Other than that not doing much.
Jean