Linda's (from Indiana) Journal

ouch! it kind of hurts. i am officially gluten-free and going to have to stay that way. i went to lunch with my sister (late notice) and we went to a Mexican restaurant that has a gluten-free menu. i had to do some business at my bank, so i did that first. right by the restaurant is a place that buys used books so i went and sold some used books. one less box of junk in the garage. my sister, Shelly, (she prefers Michele now) and i had a great lunch, but not enough time. she had to get to work and i was just getting started. she gave me a great idea for a business and she could help us with it. i need to sit down with Chuck and discuss it in depth and see what he thinks. Chuck and i could do this together and i think we make a really good team. we don't interfere with what we're each good at. it would still be centered about real estate so i would be very happy about that. Chuck had a meeting last night and came home by the FSBO we've been watching. he saw the lady out in the yard and gave her my realtor card. she said she would be willing to give me 3% for finding a buyer. next week (yes, i am waiting until then because of the withdrawal junk i'm going through with the gluten issue)i want to get in touch with my sales manager at the brokerage and find out how to manage this: i want to talk to her and if i can, get an option or lease/option on the property. then i will list it on sellpoint and possibly the site my mortgage broker set up for me (all is free) and get it out to about 40+ websites. i'll market it and see if i can find a buyer or tenant/buyer, so i could make 3% or more depending which way it goes. i'm not doing a bunch of work on it but with my contacts/resources, i would think i could get it sold or lease/optioned out. just my thoughts at the moment. Chuck didn't mention the investor part, which was probably for the best, because he really doesn't totally understand it yet. once i get permission from my brokerage and know kind of how to do it, then i will call the Academy to get more detailed with it. it's been on the market for at least 9 months, probably longer. it looks like the short sale will not happen at this point. i'll have to think on it and see if i can come up with something else on it. it would be a good idea for a brain storming session. we are looking at doing an MMA, money merge account. if any of you know anything about it or have used it, please talk to me. for those of you who have never heard of it, it helps you pay off your debt very quickly. i have to do some more research for the "skeptical" person in the family, but i have 2 friends who have used it and really like it. you can even put your rentals into the system and get them paid off early. the more debt you have the faster it works. i was talking to my friend from Tulsa and talking to her about all the REI stuff going on with me right now. i can't wait to see her in September. we plan on getting some investing women together during my stay. Question: HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FEEL WANTED???

Linda,

Thanks for your kind words of encouragement. Today I am making sure the phone, machine, Telephone number all work together. Right now i am looking for a web site I thought I put together months ago on Deans site. I am not sure how to find it but I will keep looking. My Grand father was from Indiana, Elmo Lincoln the original Tarzan.

Lets stay in touch,

Charisse

i got several things done and included a little real estate. my clients want to see a couple of HUD houses and we will try to do that Monday. the HUD listing agent doesn't always get the properties listed on the MLS before my clients find them on the HUD website. she needs to keep up a little better. i've been working on switching things around financially and planning Monday's list. i called several stores to see if they have bulletin boards that i can post my flyers on, but not one of them had one. i will check with laundromats next week; i don't see many of those around here but i did find several listed online. so, right now i only have one place that has a bulletin board to hang my flyers on. the idea about putting the flyers with the real estate books that have homes for sale did not work for me; the employees were coming right behind me and throwing them away. i talked with my DG sister, Lea, yesterday and we had a nice conversation. then i talked with my friend in Tulsa. we always laugh and i was on a roll with her and lease/options. not sure what came over me. they have 2 rentals that she would like to be rid of and there is a lady very interested in buying one of them. she calls often to buy, but she is not the tenant living there right now. i suggested they let her do a straight option on the property, find out when the lease is up and get a couple thousand dollars for the option consideration. then this lady has first right of refusal and they may have the rental sold and be out from under it. we talked a lot about lease/options and the more excited i get the faster i talk. i think they would do great with L/O's and they wouldn't have to be landlords anymore. just my way of thinking. and look out, because my mind has been on a roll since talking to Lea yesterday! REI club meeting tomorrow and we have a short sale expert coming in from St. Louis. should be interesting. i hope everyone has a great weekend. Question: WHAT IS THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN? IF IT DOES HAPPEN, WHAT WILL YOU DO?

you're welcome. sounds like you are definitely on a roll. very interesting about your grandfather. i bet he would be proud of you! please do stay in touch. i'll be following your journal.

WOW Linda, you sure have a lot of things going on. I hope everything works out for you. keep your head up and never EVER give up.Take your time and just make plan to do one thing a day and you will get to where you want to be.
good luck
Richie.

thanks for stopping by my journal. you would think having so much going on would keep me out of trouble, but......you know how that goes. thanks for the encouragement. i've been keeping an eye on your deals too.

just got home and i wanted to post while i had a chance. for some reasons our weekends are so busy. we had a really good REI club meeting today. our speaker from St. Louis had a medical emergency and couldn't come, so we had more of free discussion today and i think it went really well. a married couple played emcees today and they did great. we exchanged deal information and i mentioned that possible short sale in hopes of getting some takers. one friend of mine showed a little interest so i'll email him this week about it. he's a good guy and he'll shoot straight with me. our title agent was there and she is so much help. i mentioned some things i've seen about subject to's and calling the loan due and she set me straight on something. i heard that if you keep making the payments they cannot call the loan due. actually, the bank can call the loan due, but they usually will not because they are flooded with REO's as it is. she said that the wording says if the property is rented or the deed changes hands...something to that effect, then they can exercise the due-on-sale clause. there is a document you can send to the bank that tells them what you are doing and if they have a problem with it, then they need to contact you ASAP. if they don't respond negatively, then i think you are off the hook. so if you are going to do subject-to's, you might want to check into that. this title company is starting to facilitate short sales, which is really neat for realtors, but not in my county because it's too big and they don't have the manpower right now. they only charge $500 and the banks are willing to pay it because their fees are so low anyway. the company is nationwide if you want to check into some of this: Lawyer's Title. this girl is amazing at her job. you can use your own title company, even with HUD. they just won't pay your fees, but with this title company the fees are usually pretty low as it is. you have to get a third party authorization form from the HUD closing company. even though land contracts are kind of illegal in Indiana (always exceptions) the government agencies can do them if they choose to, so if you are working with a government agency, you might mention them doing a land contract with you. never hurts to ask. if your REI club does not offer discounts with companies, volunteer to go after them. we have discounts with Home Depot, Budget, Avis, Sherwin Williams, an HVAC guy, etc. have your business email be professional, not at yahoo, etc. if you have a website, your email should be going to your website name email. i hope that makes sense. like....if your website is www.ibuyhouses.com, then you should have an email that goes through that website that is like....linda@ibuyhouses.com. you should also have your domain name on a bumper sticker on your vehicle. one last thing i learned today: people believe phrases that rhyme more than ones that don't. that was the main gist of the meeting, besides the deal exchanges, so i hope you learned something. i know i did. hope you are having a great weekend! QUESTION: WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE INFORMATION I JUST GAVE YOU???

another hot and humid day. we hoped to get some rain yesterday, but that only lasted about 2 minutes. i worked on making some more financial changes today and i feel really good about it. i paid off one business credit card and that was great! i am still going through withdrawal from the gluten and i'm really feeling it. after i do a few things, i just wanna lie down and rest. again, such a fun date! Chuck worked 11 hours in the middle of the night between Saturday and Sunday. he was exhausted when he came home at 11am yesterday and i hadn't done anything yet and was exhausted. GLUTEN! we managed to get a few things done, looked through all our gluten-free magazines and books and made brownies last night. they taste so good! i also just ordered a gluten-free flour that is supposed to be exchangeable cup for cup with regular flour, so i should be able to use my regular recipes and make them gluten-free. thank goodness! i know that wasn't anything to do with real estate investing, but it has really affected what i am able to do. i am showing 3 houses tonight. one we have seen before, but we are having our roof guy come and look at it to see what would need to be done. if it's no big deal, then my clients will make a bid once the price on the HUD house drops. they have a theory that the price has to drop once, then HUD is usually more willing to accept lower offers. we'll try it. i'm really proud of them for being ready to "just do it". i talked with an investor friend at my REI club meeting and he may want to start using me as his realtor. i may have all ready mentioned this. he is working with someone i know and am leary of (to put it nicely) and he is having a few issues with him now. i told him i would be happy to work with him if he wants me to. he knows i'm very picky about who i work with as a realtor. i let people know i am one, but this is what i practiced on my way to my meeting: "i am an investor who happens to have a real estate license". i'm happy with that. i have lots more to do, but dealing with the financial and health issues are a big deal for me right now. tomorrow i go to the doctor and i hope to see some improvement, despite falling off the gluten-free wagon for 6 weeks. i do have one quick story to tell before i go. Saturday evening Chuck and i met my sister and her family at Outback for supper. they have a great gluten-free menu and they go out of their way to make sure your food is prepared carefully and without contamination. Chuck and i got there before my sister and her family and we were talking to our waitress, who was young and very sweet. she asked what we wanted to drink. i ordered water and Chuck asked if i wanted a little "drinky poo" and i said i was trying to stay off the alcohol since i'm having such a hard time recovering from gluten. he looks at our waitress and tells her that i got hammered Friday night and was dancing on the tables. (my kids would never allow me to get drunk because they are so afraid of what i might do and i figure i can be stupid all by myself - i don't need any help.) our waitress smiles real big and says "i did too, i had a party at my house last night". we have laughed for all weekend about that. i'm still laughing as i type this. help!!! Question: HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU LIKE/LOVE WHAT YOU DO?

i went to the doctor this morning and i am highly encouraged. i believe we are finally on the right track. having my doctor make his own formula for my thyroid medicine has been a big help and now we just have to find the right dose. he said that it could take me another 1-2 weeks to get over the gluten withdrawal, but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel. right now all i want to do is lie down and sleep constantly. i guess i'm lucky if that is the worst of it. we took my clients to look at 3 HUD houses last night. the first one we had seen before but our roof guy took a look at the roof and some other stuff and should have a bid to Chuck by tomorrow to give to our clients. the last house we looked at was great. it needs a lot of work, but there was a time when it was a really lovely home. it's a tri-level in a nice neighborhood and has real possibilities. our clients really like it so they are working on a bid for Monday, when investors can bid on it. i emailed a realtor that lists a lot of HUD properties here and asked about the escrow noted in the HUD listing. we want to make sure that it is money they are allowing, which is what it sounds like. it will affect their bid. the husband client went to the neighbor across the street and got information on the house from her. Chuck has taught me that you get to know the neighbors and you ask questions. they know what is going on, especially the women. my investor friend is checking out the short sale i'm trying to help with. he has a lot of questions and i am working on the answers for him. i emailed him to see if he wants to see the property real quick, which i feel would help. he wants to know if he can add a half bath easily, but i have no way of knowing that. Chuck is so swamped at work that he doesn't have time to check it out for me and they might not be of the same opinions. i scheduled a call with my coach in August because she has some things going on and i would like to feel human again and maybe get a few things done before we talk again. i'm so sluggish and slow right now and doing anything with numbers concerns me. i'm not the greatest with numbers as it is and going through withdrawal makes me real NOT good with numbers. i was talking to my daughter this morning and she told me my grandson slept from 7:30pm to 6:30am. i said that was 9 hours and she said, no it was 11 hours. i told her that i meant 11 hours and 9 hours just came out of my mouth and that she shouldn't let me do any math for her. no kidding. by the way, i am hearing that you can get a google voice # quickly now; no waiting for several months to be invited. try www.google.com/voice. Question: WHY ARE YOU SUCCESSFUL??? HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FEEL SUCCESSFUL???

just a quick update. i just confirmed showing the short sale for Friday morning. don't know if the investor will go for it or not, but it's worth a try. when i emailed the listing agent to let her know i was trying again, she seemed very pleased. for some reason i just really want to help them out. the HUD listing agent i emailed about escrow listed in the HUD listing replied and i sent the information on to my clients. HUD makes it sound like they are escrowing money for repairs on a property, but they are not. very misleading. got to talk to Jared just a little. he had to ask where i was born for a special passport he has to have for work. many times i text him a little here and there because there is no telling what he's doing at the moment and can be hard to reach. i talk to Danelle every day (she works from home) and Desiree on the weekends because she works long hours. we have a funeral viewing to go to tonight and the funeral tomorrow. a good friend of Chuck's passed away from cancer and it has been a really rough time for the family. Question: IF YOU KNEW YOU ONLY HAD ONE YEAR TO LIVE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

Girl you never stop with everything you got going on, you just simply amaze me. I am so inspired by you....that is why I just love this site you guys are the best.

i feel like i'm going in slow motion though. we're both so tired right now we can barely keep going. talk about feeling old! you are doing amazing things yourself and i'm so proud of what you are doing. keep it going.

Chuck and i are just dragging. between his work schedule and my gluten withdrawal, and very little sleep on top of that, we are a couple of beauties. we went to the viewing last night and these people are the nicest people. so sad for their loss. the man who passed was only 44 years old and had suffered horribly with cancer for 3 years. he leaves behind a wife and three teenagers. makes you stop and think about your life and what you want to do with it. the funeral is today and we are mostly trying to rest a little before then. they are serving lunch afterward and i have to be really careful what i eat. trying to figure out how to go see my son before he leaves for a month of training in a desert in California. he will love it. he loves all that training and always does really well. when he was going through his leadership training for becoming a SGT. they forced him to be wounded and carried off the field because he had killed almost all the bad guys by himself and the only way they could get him to stop was to get him off the field. he knew from being in Iraq to jump in the back of a hummer and use the 50 cal. gun to shoot everybody. my kid does love to play Army! will work on a little real estate tomorrow hopefully, showing the short sale. i'm also waiting on my clients to send me their bid # for that HUD house so i am ready to bid on it Monday. i know they are excited and i would love to close a deal for them before i go to Tulsa. it would be nice for them to get the rehab started before we have snowfall too. Question: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, HOWEVER LONG OR SHORT IT MAY BE???

Hi Tammy. I actually joined up with the Success Academy yesterday so I'm also excited but fearful at the same time. As soon as the payment went through I was thinking to myself what did I just do. I just gave someone I didn't know 2 grand! Well I'm a younger guy that has always been interested in real estate. I believe I can make alot of money. I just need to do it. It sounded to good to be true but i see normal people like me making money with out using any of their own. So I was thinking if I can get coached on exactly what to do than why can't I do it. I've always sort of thought outside the box. I'll probably start out doing lease options....assignment deals for money until I get a nest built up to start investing. I'm actually starting a job this coming monday so I'm going to be super busy.

i'm not sure you meant to post in my journal, but thanks for visiting either way. congrats on joining the Success Academy; you'll be glad you did. if you have always thought outside the box, this should be easy for you. i love lease/options and hope to get at least one going within this next month. take care of yourself and best wishes with your new job and investing career.

yay, it's Friday! i'm so ready for the weekend. we are going to the lake and we are just going to spend time alone. then we can come back refreshed and ready to go for next week. i intend to take "Rich Dad Poor Dad" along for us to read. gotta keep things going. and we'll probably look at some properties while we're up there, even if it's just driving by. i showed the short sale to an investor friend this morning. it does not fit his business model, but he suggested another investor from our club whom it might be a great deal for. i just emailed that guy to let him know about it and that i think we can get it within his price range. i would love to get this place sold and get the seller out from under it. it is basically ready to rent and only needs a few things done that might add up to $1000. if the buyer decides to put in A/C it would be about $2500, probably with the discount our HVAC guy gives to our club members. i know he would give him a good deal. this buyer wants to buy property with his self-directed IRA and this would be a cash deal, so all the rent would go back into the IRA. it really is a good deal for the right person and the neighborhood is very stable. i got to talk to Lea for a while yesterday and then we talked again today. she is always such a pleasure to talk to and we share a few laughs along the way. i can actually see some improvement in how i feel today. i'm still really really tired, but it's not as bad as it has been. i hope this means i'm on the upswing. i also started my new thyroid dose today and that should help within the next week. the funeral yesterday was a military funeral. i've never been to one before and it kind of choked me up being at one and thinking about my son deploying in a few months. it was nicely done and when they played "Taps" on the bugle and then "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes i really had to get myself together. the bagpipes are a very emotional instrument and it really got to me. we did have to laugh though because the 21-gun salute was done by veterans in their 60's and 70's. i called it the 20 + 1 salute because on the last round, one guy got a little behind and shot his gun after everyone else. 2 young guys from the Army folded the flag. Jared is off for training in the California desert next week and will be gone all of August. i had hoped to see him before he left, but it just isn't going to work out. i hope to see him in September and we might have to work around the training he'll be doing then at Fort Knox. they definitely are getting these boys ready to deploy. i hope everyone has a great and restful weekend. Question: WHY ARE YOU A WINNER???

getting away to the lake was nice and i tried to make it as restful for Chuck as i could. i made a big deal about keeping everyone away so that we could just have time for ourselves, do what we wanted and just rest. we pretty much did that and we needed it, especially Chuck. this morning i put in a HUD bid for my clients. i really think they are in the ballpark and it would be just wonderful if the bid was accepted. this is the house they really like. i have not heard back from the investor on the short sale house. i emailed him Friday, but he could be on vacation. it is that time of year. i have to pay my MLS dues this week, which is worth it for the technology helpline, as well as access to the MLS. i am still going through gluten withdrawal, with terrible swelling in my abdomen, top to bottom, and i have noticed what looks like swelling on the right side of my head. i don't remember my face/head being lopsided before, but it may be that it always has been and i just never noticed. anything is possible. i will give both issues the next 2 weeks to clear up because it all seems to go back to the gluten issue. if it doesn't by then, i will have to see what else is going on. i do have a couple doctor appointments next week and i can talk to either one of them about it too. i have noticed some nausea/dizziness that only lasts for a second or so, but i've had that before too. i don't feel it's anything to be real concerned about at this point, but i will keep an eye on it. i don't want it interfering with my real estate investing ventures, etc. Question: WHY DO YOU CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE THINKS???

Wow - you sure have had alot going on since I last managed to catch up your journal - both personal and RE wise. I am sorry for the loss of your friend to cancer, and for your physical issues you're dealing with too. Your perseverance in the face of all this is really amazing. And you still manage to take the time to post and share with us all! Wishing you the best with everything going on my friend

thanks for stopping in. good to "see" you. how are things going for you? i will check your journal out today. thanks for all the good wishes. i know things will get better; everything is subject to change.

okay, so both my eyes are swollen and i have that hooded look. my right cheekbone may be down a little and possibly the side of my face. my daughter keeps asking if my fat head has gone down any. i have to remind her it's my face, not my head. now if i could just get the ache to go away...i was checking on health insurance again this morning and it looks like an HSA may be the best way to go. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. i heard from the REI club investor about the short sale house. he said he's interested and i'm waiting to confirm a time with him to go see it. he asked a few questions and i was able to answer them quickly. i'm hoping the BPO/asking price doesn't scare him away because that would not be his offer price. i have started a list of things to go over so i can get busy with L/O's. i also need to take the course with the Academy and get my head on straight, which is hard to do when one side of it is swelled up. the bid on the HUD house was not accepted. they accepted a full price offer from an owner/occupant and my clients were in shock. the house needs a lot of work but it is amazing what people will live in and what they don't know about repairs. they have all ready found 4 more houses to look at on Saturday. i've been going through some tough challenges and REI is my way out, yet i have distanced myself from it to a point. part of it is because of my fun health issues and not being able to sit at the computer all day. but.....there is another reason too and i can't quite put my finger on it. it could be because it will allow me to do something i probably have needed to do for a long time and don't want to face. something to think on.....Question: IS THERE SOMETHING REI WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AVOIDING???

I'm sorry to hear that you are swollen and in pain. Boy, this gluten thing is sure giving you a run for your money isn't it? I had no idea people had these kinds of withdrawal symptoms from gluten. I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery and for the pain to go away.

What a surprise about the HUD house. It's great though that your clients have already found 4 more properties to look at

As I've told you already, you have a great sense of humor and I know humor gets us through the challenging times and just makes life a lot more fun I can't tell you how many times I read your posts and just can't stop laughing.

Take care my DG sister,

Lea

you're doing no one, most of all yourself any service by working while you're not in the best physical condition.

its not worth the constant pain you're in. Deals and homes will always be there

thanks for stopping in. i was thinking about you this morning. withdrawing from gluten is like going through drug withdrawal and can cause all kinds of trouble. thanks for your prayers; i need all of those i can get.

my clients have been really good about finding the properties and i just get us in them. they love doing it and then because they are in the mortgage business, they run the comps and all too. they are a pleasure to work with and have kept my work load light with what they can do on their own.

i'm glad you enjoy my posts. sometimes i really wonder about them. i do have a strange sense of humor, but it gets me through.

you take care too, DG sister and we'll talk soon.

thanks for stopping by; it's been a while. i feel like i have taken plenty of breaks and i need to get moving. kind of that "guilt" think, ya know. i actually seem to be doing better each day and thanks to the new formula for my thyroid medicine, i am feeling a strength i have not had in the past. i am watching it though and being careful not to overdo it. thanks for your concern.

i think i am doing a little better each day. i feel a strength underneath all this that i haven't really had before and i think it's due to my doctor making the thyroid formula just for me, instead of using what everyone uses. some of the swelling in my face has gone down, but i can still feel it. i did not ache as much yesterday and i was even able to sleep pretty well. i finalized getting the showing of the short sale house all set up for tomorrow. it's easy to forget setting up a showing with REO's because all the HUD houses don't require any appointment. you just go and get in. only once have i run into another agent showing a HUD property and they weren't there long. i got all my Saturday showings lined up and mapped out. the MLS has a mapping feature which is a big help so i am not running us in circles and back and forth. i can map out a good route and we start at the farthest house and work our way back toward home. i renewed my MLS access for another 3 months and they make it so easy to do it online and print your receipt. now if they would just reduce the price!!! i heard from one of my possible lease/option tenant/buyers yesterday. when i asked her to verify that she wasn't ready to move until next year, i didn't hear back from her. people can be so confusing sometimes. i see no sense in looking for a home for her now if she doesn't want to move until 2011. am i missing something here??? well, i need to go do the lessons on L/O's and sandwich L/O's and see if i can find out about co-op L/O's. i think i have the general idea, but just want the specifics (now why would that word be so hard to spell???). Question: WHY DO YOU LET THINGS/PEOPLE INTERFERE WITH YOUR DREAMS/GOALS???

Glad you are starting to feel a bit better. There really is no stopping you :)Good luck with the Saturday showings and I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes.

Your DG sister,

Lea

You are my REI fairygodmother and you rock. I wish I could say something to make you feel better, I have been praying.

I loved loved speaking to you today....that brainstorming session was what I needed to get my mother running. I felt like I had writer's block in regards to this situation but, I feel much better now. Still alot ahead of me but I know that I am headed in the right directiion. God is walking this thing out with me and for me when I can't do it myself.

I can not wait to meet you in Tulsa it is going to be something awesome. Deals are diffently ahead of us.

thanks for stopping in. how are things going for you and Denny? thanks for the good luck (i can use it) and will let you know how it goes. i just want them to find something; they are so ready!

thanks for stopping in. yes, i enjoyed our talk so much. one thing about me, get me talking about REI and i get on a roll. it's hard to shut me up. i know great things are just ahead for you and your family. won't it be fun meeting in person?

i have to make it quick, but some of you might appreciate that. i got to talk to my DG sister, Erika, yesterday and my DG sister, Lea, today. can't beat that. i am going to show a house tonight at 6pm, the short sale property. at least i plan on being there. i sent an email confirmation to my investor, but have not heard back. it's not far from home so it's no big deal if he doesn't show, but i really think this is a good property for him. i have one story to tell and then i have to get ready to leave. a friend is throwing a baby shower for my daughter, Danelle, on Saturday. the friend was thoughtful enough to send my daughter, Desiree, an invitation and Des's daughter, Kadi, her own invitation. she is 5 years old and it made her feel very special. Kadi asked Des why everyone had to take a shower with Aunt Nellie. Des had a very good way of explaining that it was actually that everyone was "showering" Aunt Nellie with gifts for the baby. a couple days later Kadi asked Des "now who is it that has to take a shower with Aunt Nellie?" the minds of little kids.....Question: WHAT WILL YOU DO TODAY TO TAKE YOU ONE STEP CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL???