OfflineWell, I'm starting this journal to signify my newest endeavors in REI. I've now OFFICIALLY conquered wholesaling and can add that to my list of real estate accomplishments. It took 27 deals that DIDN'T close to get ONE that did.
You can go see all my history and you will learn a lot from my trials and tribulations in REI in my first journal. (http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/43252/...)
The most important thing to remember is that GIVING UP IS **NOT** an option. This business is very cutthroat. There are people that will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat. And, the more money you make, the more people want a piece of it. Hardcore determination, persistence and perseverance are what you will need to make it in REI. This is not a get rich quick scheme, this is a 'work hard to make it and turn yourself into a success through your hard work' to set yourself free course of action. I am not saying this as a discouragement, but rather to be realistic and let you know, yes, this can be done, but no, don't expect it to be easy and for it to be handed to you. EXPECT to fail a lot. Failure means only one thing.... you've gained a lot of experience and are on your way to success. It does NOT mean 'this doesn't work so I'm going to give up'. NO GIVING UP, remove the words from you vocabulary!
Also, I want to share another great resource you may have overlooked. Dean has many wonderful books. 4 of them deal directly with real estate, so you may think they should be your focus, but Dean has one more book that is a MUST read for your success. This book helps develop YOU for success. Dean writes in a such a down to earth and brilliant manner that this is a very fast, but very far reaching into your soul read. Be SURE to read TOTALLY FULFILLED! (more info on the book here: http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/totally-fulfilled/72344/d...)
No matter where you may be on your journey, I recommend that EVERYONE do the '7 levels deep exercise' right here on this site (http://www.deangraziosi.com/emd/videm/7levels) Go do it now, it will be an eyeopening experience and a great action step for you to take.
And now, I will transfer the last couple of entries from my prior journey over to this journal. 
That was a clever thing to do!
Thanks for the positive message! I appreciate it so much!
The heading here is in hopes of bringing searches on this site to your journal.
All I can say is, "YOU GO GIRL!"
Keep it up, stay tenacious, find your "happy place" whenever you need it, accept our prayers and thanks for your inspiration to us all.
-Tina
I just stepped on the scale and have lost 5.3lbs! That makes me happy! I want to lose 10 more by Edge at the VERY least, so I'm really stepping up my exercise and diet now.
Watch out here I come! 
Remember the IN house I own that I told you about earlier; that the current lease purchase buyer wanted to move; well he found someone to buy it as is, and disclosed all the issues with the property to him and he wants to buy it.
Working on a way to make it work for that investor. Otherwise, the lease purchase buyer who no longer wants to live there who is a contractor will do all the labor without charge to get the house to retail saleability. I think I just want to go the option of selling it as is to free up my money for another investment. The new buyer wants to do owner financing, but I'm thinking I'll owner finance part of it and then hook him up with private money bank (that link in my siggy) to fund the rest of the purchase. That way, I will free up a lot of my money that's currently tied up. 
Out of state deals do not always go as planned, but I'm turning the situation around to a positive one.
It is CERTAIN we will SUCCEED!!
It is a REQUIREMENT! Well, not really, but it will be one of the best posts you could read on this site! The link is posted below, but I am first putting my contribution to that post here on my journal so I have it to look back on in my own journey and so that if you don't read the whole thread, you will also hear how I got up off the ground too.
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I want to share with you how I used inspirational dissatisfaction to turn around a deal just a week and a half ago I was ready to resolve as not being able to close. I began wholesaling it and lined up 3 potential buyers so at least I made a small payout on it. Set the backup plan in motion and SO wanted to keep this one, but resolved that I must turn to wholesaling it.
I felt really down about it, really mad at myself for NOT being able to close on a deal that could help turn me around significantly. But then I got on that TOUGH ARMOR that we develop as WARRIORS on our mission to change our lives, change ourselves and change our outcomes. I jumped into another deal immediately on the side to get my mind off of THAT deal that I was certain to lose.
I was able to focus on the new, positive endeavor and completely turn my mind around and go BACK to that deal I previously resolved was certain to not be able to close on and told myself that 'its NOT acceptable' to accept that in 48 hours I will lose the deal, and have to wholesale it. I made up my mind then and there to only think, I'm going to close this deal by April 5th! I remember another deal I lost that would have paid out over $150K, and how at that moment I vowed that NEVER again would I let something like that happen take over my now positive mindset.
I said it to myself at least 20 times and repeated it to myself every couple of minutes. I posted it right in front of where I stand every day where I work on my computer and looked at it and pushed through DETERMINED to close that deal. I posted on FB, I posted on Dean's FB, I posted in a few investment clubs, I asked for advice on how to make my offering more attractive to a potential PML or JV partner. On April 3rd, the day I was required to close by, I had a JV PARTNER who wanted to do the deal with me!!!!! I pleaded to extend the escrow and promised the funds would be coming in but were tied up (they were and had to be unlocked before they could be sent). 2 days later APRIL 5TH all the funds were wired into escrow. 100% of them, closing costs, all of them. (The seller delayed closing until today, but its now CLOSED!)
I let my MIND determine my outcome instead of the way the outcome was looking. If I relied on that, I'd have focused on the grim reality that was staring me in the face. All my PML and HML fell through, they wanted a higher loan amount, they were no longer funding in CA, they had just locked up their money somewhere else, they got scared because it was still too new to them. I GOT UP OFF THE FLOOR and decided to be the CHAMPION that is hidden inside of me, that I only have to ALLOW to shine!
After this deal, I got at LEAST 250 criticisms from the biggest pessimist and skeptic in my life; strong to the point of bringing me to tears on several occasions. But, AGAIN , I got up and wouldn't let that thunder be stolen from me!
Excuses and focusing on what outcomes 'LOOK' like they're going to be will NEVER move anyone ahead. Push through them like Jen did. And like I found the courage to do too! ANYONE can do this!!! But its up to YOU to determine whether you will or won't succeed... If you tell yourself that you are going to have enough money to , for instance, pay your rent this month, and KEEP telling yourself that, you WILL do it if you don't let your mind think about ANYTHING negative. IT WILL HAPPEN with your mindset , and taking all the action you need and letting NO excuse, and NO naysayer (a HUGE obstacle for me) stop you from doing what needs to be done to accomplish it.
It is CERTAIN we will SUCCEED!
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Now, you must go check out http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/everything-else/106657/gr... DO IT! You won't be sorry!
Congratulations Tammy!!!! So happy for you!!!
Cris
great job turning around your property in IN... and your new deal in Ca...as always, your creativity is always making things happen for you! big congrats!
See you soon at the Edge12-wooohooo!!
Valerie
“And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed!” ― Dr. Seuss
"I believe in angels, the kind that heaven sends; I am surrounded by angels, but I call them friends" - Unknown
My journal: http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59110/...
Tammy--call me or email me if interested in wholesaling in Texas. We have lots of cheap properties here and I think if I had you helping me I could finally get something done!
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
Great Job Tammy Be proud of yourself for turning this deal around you are a strong lady and you are right you can do it. I read Jen's link and it hit home for me to Everthing was so true. she has some great idea and so do you!!!!
I hope you win the contest I don't know anyone else that is more desserving. I appreciate ready what you have been doing. I can relate and that gives me hope and desire to continue on my road to success, Thank you Tammy and good luck!! I cannot wait to meet you in 11 days!
"Don't tell me I can't, Tell me how I can."
Tammy, great, great job. When it's in Black and White, can anyone balk at what you're doing?
Nope.
Keep it up.
-Tina
Never, Never, Never Quit, N3Q
"Nothing happens until you place an offer."
"Skip Deal #1, go straight to Deal #2; it's so much easier."
"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." — Peter F. Drucker... so, "Don't sweat the small stuff." -R.Carlson. "The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."~E.Hubbard, The Note Book, 1927...so, Do it for the right reason and "Do it with a headache!" - Dean Graziosi, Weekly Wisdom #176
Can't wait to read about a deal from you soon! NEVER GIVE UP!
Cris
Thanks for stopping by! Well, on the IN property, both the buyers wanted to pay less than I paid, so I may just cut my losses and moved on. Because the house is assessed at over $210K, I'm going to have to come up with a lot of tax on a house that right now is not worth that (even 100% fixed up, I'd say max is $100K. So, I'm working with the county, but they are SO backwards.
Can't wait to see you at EDGE too! I should be super excited but I'm a little intimidated with the contest. I almost feel I have to win to show my hubby due to the IN property now; he keeps focusing on my mistakes, but I view them as learning stepping stones; or at least for him to see that my efforts are more valuable than he gives me credit for. He is not going to go. So, this will be the only time in 13 years I am ever without kids for more than a day and half; and that day and half was due to being in the hospital.
See you soon at the Edge12-wooohooo!!
Hi Tammy your another inlightenment in my life, many thanks, Jim
jbischoff
Cris
Tammy, LOL! Yeah! I'm working it!!! (If I wrote about the bumps I've been hitting, it would depress everyone! LOL!! I'm keeping positive and I know that something's just gottagive someday soon!! I HOPE!!
You do inspire a lot of people with what you write and so reading about your recent success made me smile and encouraged me that for as long as I keep on keeping on and using tried and tested techniques, my deals (one that would actually close??? LOL) would come! But enough about me, as for you, Sister, I'm very happy for you!
See you at The Edge 2012!
Cris
WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Its been one heck of an awesome weekend! As you know, the results of the Send Me Away contest were announced.
I had a heartfelt post on here about it but was marked as SPAM after receiving 41 comments and Jeremy got it revived. http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/everything-else/108279/wh...
Thank you everyone, thank you DG family! Thank you DG staff, Thank you DEAN!
Great job and well done. You are setting a good example for others to follow. Sometimes I think we really do not see ourselves as deserving when we truly are deserving. A take away that I had from the event was regarding fear of failure when in fact it is fear of success and what it will mean. We can not help but be a success when we put in the effort as you did and just BELIEVE. ACTION is the key and you took it.
I gave the guy that was trying to get me to join the 20 questions and literally must have spent over 40 hours on the phone with him before giving the go ahead to join the academy. I was looking back at my initial notes on that call and he was talking about how you never pay full price for anything and he went on about this, and so, when he told me the price of the academy, I used that analogy he just used on me to try to get the price down 66% of what he was offering it to me for. After all, he did use it as an example and I immediately put to use the tidbit he had just told me. I would have loved to see the look on his face when I did that. Turns out, that didn't apply to the success academy.
But, he gave me a lot of credit for trying. I joined the SA and went on to do my 5 deals and got my refund anyway so it ended up costing me nothing but the lost interest on the money. 
But I gained SO much more from it!
I am so glad I joined the academy and that Kevin was so persistent with getting me to join even though I didn't have the money at the time. Best investment I've ever made; and definitely has much better information than any of my college courses, both graduate and undergraduate studies ever gave me, because it was all practical and could be used in my life immediately! I just wanted to share this story, because I chuckled when I looked at those initial notes I took talking to Kevin.
I called him today to let him know I won Dean's send me away contest! 
***I accidentally posted this in my original journal, but I think I'll leave it there too, because it was something that was about the beginning of my journey.
since I got back from the EDGE. Catching up isn't fun! Its a great thing to be busy! I'm on my way over to check to see how the rehab is coming along on the house we're doing and making a prospectus for the deal I'm doing with Dean. (DID I REALLY JUST SAY THAT???????) Wow! I am STILL in AWE! I will have some time this weekend to catch up on FB, here and emails. Wheeeeewwww!
Every Day , IN EVERY WAY, I am getting BETTER AND BETTER!!!
Hi Tammy,
It was so nice to meet you at the edge event
Congrats again on winning.
Reading your blogs as been uplifting and encouraging.
Cecil
Today is a new beginning...make something good happen!
but things have literally been crazy since I returned from Edge. My new NC tenant is moving in this weekend, so getting all the paperwork finalized. Rents just keep going up and up in that area. It is rented for $1825/mo. The IN property I'm putting in a new Lease Purchase buyer.
We got a FSBO under contract that we found out they accepted the offer Saturday evening at the Edge; we'd been talking to this couple for about 3 weeks. Got another FSBO I'm working on as well, gotta act quickly on that one as its going to goto auction soon; it was recently postponed.
Also had my bank auto pays DOUBLE pay 2 of my mortgages which was NOT fun to resolve, but got it done.
Also, working on all the EDGE exercises we got and looking for another deal where our rehab is going on. That property is more than 1/2 finished now and should be ready for rent to own by end of this month.
and I wish I could see Dean's blog (#183) because I REALLY need it right now! My husband is on one of his rolls that we need to sell everything and stop investing right now because my bank has made 3 errors this week and paid bill pays on 2 mortgages twice which of course caused stress and problems; and now it didn't transfer funds between accounts as it should.
Mind, NONE of this has to do with real estate, but this is the mentality of my naysayer. Just give up, throw in the towel, sell everything and quit trying. Do you think I'm going to do that? ?( N E V E R !!!!
This is my reality, but you know what I'm doing with that? It just went in one ear and out the other. I am snickering on the inside, because whereas he may think the only option is to just let our house foreclose and walk away from everything, I know the best way to remedy things is what I'm working on now; and FAITH in GOD, and literally the fruit of my efforts is just a few months away. The solution is to go out and do more deals and EARN more money, NOT give up!!!
My hubby isn't a bad person, he's just a very pessimistic and negative person. He would love nothing more than to see me defeated because that would mean he was right; but he's not going to see it EVER again. I've made way too much progress, and while its slow in catching up from the hard money loan we got caught in, and weren't able to take any of our $145K in equity in that house out in cash, the things I'm working on now are slowly but surely turning things around the way they should be. I don't get any credit for any of it from him, but that's ok, because I have had a total reformation of ME, myself and my confidence that was missing for so long!
And where as he is bound to the rules of his J O B that have not given him a raise in 4 years, I am bound by NO boundaries or rules because I work for ME and in a few months time (well, maybe except for my kids wanting to go outside and play and taking off to go color that special picture with them
), he's going to have a wake up bonk on the head because all of sudden we'll start to have money again, despite crazy gas prices and high food costs.
I may not get any credit for anything I do, but nobody can take the accomplishments I've made away from me, EVER again. He may be able to DENY me any victory himself, but that victory is there for me regardless if he accepts it or not.
Every day in EVERY way I am getting BETTER AND BETTER!
IT IS CERTAIN I WILL CONTINUE TO SUCCEED!!!!
I feel happy, I feel healthy, I feel terrific!!
Congratulations Tammy!
Keep on going girl, naysayers are people that can't think outside the box. I commend you for not giving up, keep on moving forward, he will wake up one day and see all that you have accomplished!
"Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." Napoleon Hill
Dawn H
We just successfully essentially increased our net worth by hundreds of thousands of dollars in a matter of 2 months. I will have to update later. I'm not sure how much I can say yet, so I will just say that for right now.
That's exciting news!!
You just keep going...
-Teresa
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
I sure hope your net worth has increased by hundreds of thousands. Good for you and your family. Keep up the good work.
Steve and Veronica
Steve and Veronica's Journal.
http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/58073/...
http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/totally-fulfilled/72344/d...
Don't give up! You've already proven you can do it. Now there's no stopping you.
So happy to see you coming by my journal. It was great to meet both of you at the EDGE; 2 very inspiriting and awesome people!
Donna, yes, I would love to talk more with you as our stories run in similar lines, and coming from behind is sure a tough thing to do!
Hey Keith, I'm down 12 lbs now. What happened to our dinner? Hmm??? At the Edge I'd only lost 3.85% of my weight, and you lost 4.5%, so you WON! I owe you a dinner.
Now I'm at 5.8%! How are you doing with your journey with improving health?
You are a wonderful person! It was great to meet you and want to keep in touch! How is it going with your investing? Thank you btw!
Wow, increases of 6 figures in a few months, that is the way to go. I am so excited for you Tammy. How are you doing with homework from the Edge? So much to do, enough to work on for a long while. But since we don't want to get to the promised land slowly we all have to step it up. Which it looks like you are doing.
You are really inspirational as I know you have been told many times. Looking forward to talking to you soon and following up with Karen (your intern)
Judi
I hope I will be able to post about it. All I can say is yes, networth increase of over $300K-INSTANTLY. Closing tomorrow. Its not what you may think. And I've achieved what CAN NOT be done, 'supposedly'!
I would love to wholesale with you in TX and I'm ready to branch into wholesaling OUTSIDE of SoCal.
I have to step up and just DO IT. No matter what, and I you'd be a wonderful person to work with too! Can you call me next week? I have been on the phone nonstop this week, I'm wondering if I have ears left at all. 
Changing up my strategy of wholesaling my latest property. I think this is one that would be better to wholesale to a retail buyer as is. I'm going to set up a one day auction, see what bids come in, qualify the buyers and GO! Now, I have to go refresh in Dean's book about IEE. My contract is assignable, but its a cash contract, so I'm not sure how to assign to a retail buyer getting a loan.
Found out that these poor seller's were lied to so badly in 2003, with seller's (and agents that did nothing to verify for them) telling them the house was 3300 square feet. It is even listed on the TITLE report. I asked them for their appraisal from when they bought the house to see what the appraiser did. See, when we put this under contract, we had them insisting the square footage was 3300. Public records shows 2423, and when the building permits were pulled they showed 2600 square feet. Walking through I could tell it definitely wasn't 3300 square feet. So we measured it. TWICE; to make sure. 2602 square feet is the CORRECT square feet.
Anyhow, found out today that TITLE is showing the 3300 square feet. Now, it does mention this is per MLS information, but these seller's were lead to believe they had a 3300 square foot house and no one bothered to VERIFY it before? I'm curious to see the appraisal. There may be a whole can of worms opened up with this. Will see what the appraisal says and go from there.
Anyhow, I've been diligently wholesaling this contract. It is NOT easy to wholesale an over $800K contract, but the good news is I have about 15 new buyers on my list that could afford this type of deal, yet, many of them are not too educated on how to come up with values; and insist Zillow is the God of all evaluation.
So, here's a perfect opportunity to tell you how Zillow and other online sources are ONLY GUIDES to values. They combine distressed fixers right along with high end rehabs (or whatever is the norm for the area) and use a radius of comps and don't distinguish the properties, and just give you an average. So, its always important to look at a map of your comps, and pictures of comps to pick the most appropriate ones for your subject and work your ARVs from there. I'm not going to go into how to calculate ARVs, but its important to know that online sources will NOT give you an ARV. You unfortunately still have to do the work of selecting appropriate comps. Lesson for the day!
Well, Friday I went and met with Gena and was a guest speaker at a local boots on the ground. I can not tell you how fulfilling it is to be able to encourage others and inspire them. Other people see me as an inspiration, and I just don't always look at myself that way. When people say 'amazing', I automatically think JEN GRAY, MATT LARSON, CAROL STINSON, RINA, ANDREA, RANDY, JAY, MICHAEL and ALI so many others, but I don't tend to think of ME that way. I'm just little ol' me.
. But, if I can inspire someone to make their lives better, I am HAPPY that I am able to do that!
Judi, you know the news, I'm still not sure if I can post that in writing just yet.
But it is SO EXCITING! I did share it at the boots on the ground when I spoke though, and the look on the instructors face was priceless, he was very impressed 
. But I was talking about how there are always ways around any rules and laws legally, and it was an appropriate time to bring it up. And I just want to tell the DG family at least!! Hopefully soon!
God is SOOOOO good to me!!! Very, very blessed!
Every day in EVERY way I am getting better and better!!!
I feel healthy, I feel happy, I feel terrific!
the higher end houses in CA is not easy to do. Still working on it and DETERMINED to succeed! Had a showing today and it was a disaster.
A few more going in this week. All the homes are custom there, so it makes it very hard, and this one the main thing wrong with it is the poor floorplan; that's the fixing it needs, rearranging the floor plan, and it takes a special person with great spacial reasoning (me, I'm off the charts on the IQ test in that area) to see the finished outcome as the property is now. So, this MUST close, I MUST get a buyer, I will NOT let these seller's down, they have trusted me and I don't want to leave them hanging.
Put this house under contract with $10. But, I still want to make sure to come through for my seller's. They have both been tough to deal with to get to the price I have it for, but they have been workable and have built a good rapport and relationship with them.
I have to admit, I'm AFRAID of letting them down, but I have to push past fear to SUCCESS. I WILL NOT LET THESE SELLER'S DOWN!
If you have a buyer that is buying homes over 790K, please contact me because I want to have every avenue crossed so I know I did everything I possibly could. Most buyers just shy away from the high priced custom homes that have a high end option, it takes a special buyer, and I don't seem to have that special buyer on my list. I do have 5 buyers that can buy at this level, but they aren't looking at my numbers to see I've already subtracted holding costs for 6 months AND realtor fees. I'm doing something wrong, there must be a small tweak I need to make like I needed to do in my presentation for my last deal.
I have to figure out the tweak fast. ANY ADVICE? Michael?