OfflineWell, here I am! After seven weeks of devouring this site every single day for six to eighteen hours per day, I am finally starting my journal.
I never saw any of Dean's infomercials, but I did see the last five minutes of The Hansen Report when he was on as a guest. So I ordered the book. I was just ready. Of course, I had been "ready" many times before. Like so many of us, I have purchased thousands of dollars worth of "Get Rich Quick" deals and none of them ever worked. I have participated in dozens of the MLM deals and (sigh) am still dead broke.
But this was just a small investment, and I took the chance! What the heck! I could always learn a little more. I am admittedly, a self development addict! I know enough about MANY things to hold interesting conversations with just about anyone, but I am an expert on nothing.
But that is going to change! I am going to become an expert at REI! I had just gotten my RE license here in CA a few years ago when all heck broke loose and the market collapsed. I worked my tail off for six months or so without making a penny and when I was going to have to invest in more classes or let my license go, I had no more money to invest and let it go. My husband had recently died and I had to go back to work for money. Ugly thought...
When I got Dean's books, I knew enough about RE to see that this one could REALLY work. He gives us ALL the steps!
My three daughters are all grown and gone from home, so I have no distractions there. I do have a full time job, but whatever...
I devoured Dean's books and immediately got on this site, where I have been planted for weeks! I saw that Anita was in Southern CA and tried to contact her, but no luck. Then paydirt! On one of her websites I saw that she was having a probate workshop and signed up! I was SO excited! I made up an excuse to be off from work that night and my daughter got out of her plans so that she could go with me. The night before the workshop, I went back on Anita's site to copy the info and realized it was dated 2009! A year ago! Thank goodness, I didn't make the three hour round trip. But what a bummer!!!
But now a lucky break! I am having to have my knee replaced (well, that part's not so lucky) but I am on temporary disability leave with my job for at least three months! I actually am not planning on going back until after New Year's, but they don't know that yet. Should give me some good time to get things started with REI!
Like Carol said when she started, failure is not an option! It is what I must do! I am closing in on retirement and I have no retirement plan. My job is very physical and I cannot keep doing that! (explains the bum knee) and I cannot have my children having to help me pay my bills! I have been totally independent since the age of 16 and am not planning on that changing.
Today is my birthday! Both in real life and symbolically with my RE journal and my new life as a Real Estate Investor!
I am thrilled to be one of the new Graziosi Investor babies! (I did NOT say babes!) So here's to us and many years together sharing our highs and lows!
Salut!
Karen Griffin
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Hi Karen. I haven't been on this site for a long time and I just discovered your posts. I read the first dozen or so then skipped to the latest entries.
So..........back to the opening question: When did you move to SC? What happened that you made such a dramatic (west to east) move? This is none of my business, I know.... just curious. Was it a hard decision to make?
Would you please share with me what area of the D/G site gave you the most education to help you do what you're doing now? How many deals have you made? And is this now your full time work?.....if you want it to be.
Well thanks for letting me poke my head into your world. Have a very Blessed Christmas Happy Birthday, Jesus And a very prosperous New Year.
Carolyn
I moved to SC in March (my trip is actually documented on this blog). I worked, worked, worked this business in So CA for three years and I worked very hard! I did everything that we were told to do. Whenever I would watch Dean/Matt IC videos or other trainings, every time he would say, "Who is doing___?" I would raise my hand. But I don't care what anyone says, CA is a tough nut to crack! Especially SoCal. I know what I am doing and I was doing it over and over and over.
Since I moved in March, I returned to CA for 1 1/2 months for a hip replacement and have been back and forth every three months or so. I am enjoying being bicoastal.
Before I moved, I was partnering with other DGers in other areas of the country. But I wanted to get into the trenches myself, so did. I moved. I am loving it and it has been good to me.
It wasn't really a difficult decision for me because I love new adventure and I was determined that I would do whatever I had to do to make it happen in REI.
There is no particular area that is more valuable here than another. Just immerse yourself as much as you can. Read all of Dean's books and just do the things he says.
Join REIAs, read and participate on this site. Fill out your profile here fully, so that we know where you are located for networking. Do anything like that that you have full control over. That will build your credibility and your confidence. Read, read, read everything here that you can and other places also. Participate in any additional trainings that you can.
Always be learning and always moving forward. Go at the pace that works for you. Some have the luxury of being able to put a lot of time in, while others have to cut down on sleep and do it on lunch hours. Just make up your mind to make it happen no matter what you have to do.
Establish relationships with other investors on here or elsewhere. That will keep you going when you get frustrated or down. I think this has been the MOST important thing for me!
I now do this full time. At my age, I am not in it to build an empire like Matt and Jen. Just for a better retirement and to travel and do what I want. I have done twenty something deals and they are coming faster and easier all the time.
This isn't work. It is fun! Fun that pays me money! And sometimes very good money!
Best wishes and Merry Christmas!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Glad i FINALLY found your journal karen... I hope to be moving to North Carolina myself come 6 months from now ... KEEP ON PUSHIN'
YESTERDAY'S GONE AND TOMORROW NEVER COMES ~ Dean G.
"JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE!"
Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve. FFA MOTTO
Ben Franklin's Autobiography free audiobook download-
https://librivox.org/the-autobigraphy-of-benjamin-franklin-ed-by-frank-w...
I am not real consistent on my own profile even though I am on this site so often. I guess I figure that what I am doing is probably not real interesting to other people, but I DO love when people come to visit me here. I am glad that you found me here.
If moving to NC is what you want to do, then MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Do whatever it takes! What area are you going to?
I wish you a very Merry Christmas and let's make our luck happen in 2014!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
I read your post they short story about how you started above and it reminded me again of your story. As you know I am in So Cal in San Diego and it is challenging which is why i invested in kc mo and got my 2 wholesale deals there. Now I am going to try some diff strategies in So Cal & change things up a bit.
Happy for you Karen. Some difficulties here in mex city right now, pray for me please!
Tony
Go faster do more! GFDM!
If moving to NC is what you want to do, then MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Do whatever it takes! What area are you going to?
I wish you a very Merry Christmas and let's make our luck happen in 2014!
Karen
Going down to Denver Nc. which is just outside Charlotte/Ashville/Mooresville (Race City USA)
"JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE!"
Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve. FFA MOTTO
Ben Franklin's Autobiography free audiobook download-
https://librivox.org/the-autobigraphy-of-benjamin-franklin-ed-by-frank-w...
Happy for you Karen. Some difficulties here in mex city right now, pray for me please!
I am hoping that 2014 will turn around for you. Also wishing the best for you in MX. Stay safe and have a blessed Christmas.
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Im now thinking about starting a journal on here! We want everyone to know that no matter how hard things are(you know what im talking about)it is possable to do this!
You are such a shinning star thank you for all you do and GOD bless
Aaron
...reading your ENTIRE journal from the very beginning!! WOW! I would like to say that your journey in REI has been a colorful and challenging one to say the least. I am happy to hear of your success and wanted to congratulate you and wish you continued great success in 2014. My journal isn't as exciting or adventure filled (YET) but I am not giving up either. Maybe I will have someone who will "rescue" me...LOL
Best wishes to you in 2014 and continued success in all that you put your hands to. Take care and God bless...
_________________________________
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through HE that loved us..."Romans 8:37
"You can be discouraged by failure - or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember that's where you will find success. On the far side". - Thomas Watson, Sr.
You are such a shinning star thank you for all you do and GOD bless
Aaron
I know exactly what you mean about the difficulties! Every single person is a piece of and an extension of the power of the Universe or God. That means that we have the power to do the impossible (or what we often mistakenly deem to be impossible).
Thank you for the compliment! That means so very much!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Your post infused me with so much inspiration!!! Without the tear jerker that may be in the stars for my personal journal later, I will say this, my Why is SO huge and SO important that just sitting here typing reference to it makes me misty; but I'm with you Karen! Following the steps, never looking back, never giving up and searching for the golden deals to change a person's life AND mine in the process.
Putting earnest money down on my FIRST cash flow property tomorrow morning! Please keep me in your thoughts and well wishes as I will absolutely do the same for you, and if you ever set your sites to the east coast, feel free to PM me! (Got a team that kicks butt!) and we'd love to partner with someone that has a story, courage, and spirit like you!!!
Congrats on the best days (and deals) of your life!!
Over and Out,
-Eddie M.
www.MoreKeyHoldings.com
Karennnn
Hello, good to see you here. I am hoping and believing for the best for you in 2014. Im also believing for a 100% recovery for your procedure you mentioned above.
Im believing for phenomenal health and overwhelming success for your business. Im expecting for more opportunities, blessings seek you out and over take you.
Im hoping for the right business people come into your life to help you along your incredible REI adventures. To you and your loved ones I wish you the very best that can be offered in 2014 !
*Disclaimer I am not an attorney nor am I offering any professional advice, just some thoughts I am sharing*
Best wishes to you in 2014 and continued success in all that you put your hands to. Take care and God bless...
I am so flattered that you read this whole thing! It has been a fun journey!
Gloria, YOU will have to rescue YOURSELF!!!! That is one thing that when you figure that out and just determine to do it, you will be unstoppable! DO NOT put your future in anyone else's hands!
Best wishes to you also! Go out and make your good luck, Girl! I will be cheering you on!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Putting earnest money down on my FIRST cash flow property tomorrow morning! Please keep me in your thoughts and well wishes as I will absolutely do the same for you, and if you ever set your sites to the east coast, feel free to PM me! (Got a team that kicks butt!) and we'd love to partner with someone that has a story, courage, and spirit like you!!!
Congrats on the best days (and deals) of your life!!
Over and Out,
-Eddie M.
www.MoreKeyHoldings.com
Thank you so much for visiting my journal! I am very humbled when anyone says that I am an inspiration. I still have such a long way to go. But every day, another step forward!
Good luck on getting your first property! Let me know how that goes.
I AM on the East Coast! I relocated to SC last March.
I will be watching your progress and cheering you on!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Hello, good to see you here. I am hoping and believing for the best for you in 2014. Im also believing for a 100% recovery for your procedure you mentioned above.
Im believing for phenomenal health and overwhelming success for your business. Im expecting for more opportunities, blessings seek you out and over take you.
Im hoping for the right business people come into your life to help you along your incredible REI adventures. To you and your loved ones I wish you the very best that can be offered in 2014 !
I am so glad to see you back on this site again! I have missed you and your amazing writing! You are such a talent!
I am sending you the very best wishes for the New Year also. May blessings shower upon you!
Please stay in touch, my friend!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Hello karen just passin by to keep up with you journal and how things have been going for you lately wishing you the best for the new year as well. I am not here much as I use to be here for many reasons but I do manage to stop in from time to time to see how all is doing here from the ones I have received advice from on the site though.
Have A good one and a better 2014
ba
You're absolutely correct about SoCal being a tough nut to crack. No matter what anyone says, it is the most difficult market to do anything in, specially REI.
In LA County alone there are 1,492,000 SFR. You would think there would be plenty for everyone, but it ain't so. You'll only understand this once you've experienced the trenches of SoCal investing.
P.S. - Everything else is immaterial, irrelevant, and unnecessary.
Congrats Karen
Best in 2014 and beyond
Mike
https://tvallc.isrefer.com/go/RehabLite/renvestr/ Free tools
How is it going Karen? I hope all is well with you. I am busier thatn heck. I just want to stop by and say HI!
"Don't tell me I can't, Tell me how I can."
Have A good one and a better 2014
ba
It is always good to see an old friend.
I wish you the best for 2014.
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
In LA County alone there are 1,492,000 SFR. You would think there would be plenty for everyone, but it ain't so. You'll only understand this once you've experienced the trenches of SoCal investing.
I couldn't agree more. Thank you for stopping by.
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Best in 2014 and beyond
We don't see you here much anymore. I miss you. I'm sure you are busy making deals.
Wishing you happiness and much success in 2014.
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
While I post often on other threads on DG, I forget to come to my journal and update here.
2014 has started out very well for me. I closed three deals in January alone. I brought in $6,500 on one, $5,500 on another and $14,900 on the third. All wholesale deals and all assignment fees that I collected upfront when my buyer took over my position on the contract.
I have another sweet house under contract for LO and am looking for a TB for it. RE has been slower this month due to weather conditions. Sure, in SC we have nothing compared to the rest of the country, but since we are accustomed to sunshine and soft breezes, cold and ice send us all running to lock our doors and turn up the heat! We hibernate until the thermostat is reading at least 50º again!
I am leaving on Tuesday for a four day networking convention in NOLA for investors and entrepreneurs. Kevin O'Leary, "Mr Wonderful" from Shark Tank is the keynote speaker. Should be an interesting conference. I always find some gold in anything like this that I attend. That is the whole point, right?
Looking forward to The Edge and seeing lots of old friends and meeting new ones!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
3 deals in January alone! You're my idol!!
I'm sure you'll get some good nuggets of gold at the convention in New Orleans. Not a bad place for a convention...lol!
TJ
Teresa
College Station, TX
**********************************************************************************
"Declare that you will prosper despite every difficulty that may come your way. Don't just survive; thrive!"
-Joel Osteen
Knowing the south is not use to this type of weather ...
But i couldnt help but laugh at everyone running scared just cause of a couple inches of snow/ice... I am myself from up north where this is normal during the year...
I couldnt do much anyways... it was deep enough we had the trucks front wheels turned all the way to the left to just go straight being it was deep and slick...
GIT-R-DONE!!! ~ Larry The Cable Guy
"JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE!"
Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve. FFA MOTTO
Ben Franklin's Autobiography free audiobook download-
https://librivox.org/the-autobigraphy-of-benjamin-franklin-ed-by-frank-w...
Hello Kareng Congrats on your success on those 3 deals which you got under your belt.
God is good
I admire your positive attitude a lot, and its so contagious:) You're awesome and my big hero.
TC
Miami Florida
"If you are not doing something that help the universe or God or your family, or YOU, is that something you should still be doing?"-Dean Graziosi
"Each day do one thing to get you closer to your dreams because if you do today what others are not willing to do, then tomorrow you can do those things that others are only dreaming about doing!"- Joe Jurek
Follow me on my road to being a BILLIONAIRE http://bit.ly/1q7aOFX
Go LIKE my official facebook page http://on.fb.me/1qQGO6i
Congrats for the 3 deals.
Wish You Many more.
Bimal
Wish Everybody a great success in their Real Estate Business
Hi Karen,
I just wanted to stop by to say how much I admire your determination to be successful in RE and how you are an inspiration to me. I am married with grown children but am doing this on my own as my husband doesn't want any involvement in it. It's interesting being a woman in this predominately male world of contractors when you are flipping for instance so it is nice to hear from the hard-working women like yourself in this industry.
Keep up the good work and may 2014 continue to be wonderful for you.
Bonnie
TJ
I'm not an idol. I just love what I am doing and refuse to stop pushing. You are the same way.
I DID get some great info in NOLA! I have signed up for a four day boot camp in Boston in July to start learning multi family investing and another four day networking event in Boston in August. Many VERY big money people come to these events looking for deals. The first day we ate lunch with a well known RE atty from San Francisco. He was looking for deals. His family has been investing for 50 years and owns thousands of properties. One of them is the Four Seasons Beverly Hills. I used to go there often when I lived in Beverly. Interesting that now I know the owner. Also shared a table that day with another Israeli investor also looking for multi unit props. Also a cash buyer. There were many, many deals being negotiated all four days in the lobby outside of the meeting room. Very, very cool!
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"
Knowing the south is not use to this type of weather ...
But i couldnt help but laugh at everyone running scared just cause of a couple inches of snow/ice... I am myself from up north where this is normal during the year...
I couldnt do much anyways... it was deep enough we had the trucks front wheels turned all the way to the left to just go straight being it was deep and slick...
GIT-R-DONE!!! ~ Larry The Cable Guy
Thanks for stopping in to say hello!
Thanks goodness things are much better now.
Keep on pushing.
Karen
"You're never too old to be what you were meant to be!"
www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59128/day-for...
"Shining Like a Star & Dancing on Sunshine"
"Shoot for the moon! Even if you fall short, you'll still land among the stars!"