Newbie Seeking.......Investor Right

My quest to become a 'lifeonaire' through REI has had many ups and downs. I've moved forward and backwards. I've learned alot so far and I truly believe that nothing stands in my way of becoming successful in this business.

In all the real estate related things I've read and been introduced to over the past year or so, there is usually one consistent theme. That is, that everyone wants a buck. I mean I understand that everyone has a plate to fill and that a dollar in their pocket puts them closer to that.

I guess what bothers me most is that it's so difficult to find that investor who isn't looking for that dollar out of my pocket. If you've got a good product then by all means sell away, but my email gets filled up everyday with some random Rickey telling me how I can make a million. I've purchased some great materials and I'm sure there is more good stuff to be seen. It feels like alot of 'investors' who just couldn't hack it actually investing, move into selling some product or service to the next crop of newbies. Tim and I have really been fortunate in what we've invested our money in. One site I haven't been let down by is Steve Cook's, flippinghomes.com. I get no money from them, but I have no reservations in giving my full support to anything he puts out.

Meanwhile, we will continue looking for an investor who wants to give back what they've been fortunate enough to learn to some newbies, just because they love this game of real estate. Does it exist? Stay tuned

TV EZ

So one week has passed and I've got zippy to show for it. I made a few phone calls, but if I'm completely honest with myself I just haven't had the passion this week. I don't know why. Granted most of the time was filled with work related activities, but I had time and didn't even have the desire to move towards something involving REI.

It sucks. It sucks a fat one. I know we can do this, but it's not 'TV Easy'. Isn't everything REI related on TV made to appear so simple a goat could do it? Screw those guys.

I'm cooking dinner for my wife now. I think after we eat I'm going to revist my 2008 goals list and put together my to-do list for this week. I'm going to make up my inspirational thought that I will repeat every morning and every night. I've read and know this is an important step, but there is procrastination towards it. No reason, but fear I guess.

Almost 2 months gone in 08, are you holding yourself accountable for you goals?

A quick break

I had today off and I have tomorrow off. Then Tuesday it's back to the grind for 4 more days. That's a quick turnaround and doesn't leave much room for REI. Tim picked up a free printer that we located on REIplace.com. I'll tell more of it later.

I ran 3 miles today and it felt great. It was tough going, the winds were super strong today and cold. At times it was like I was standing still even though I was trying to run. The wind just kept me at a snail's pace.

Hmmmmm what else in my life gives me that same feeling of trying move forward while seemingly standing still?

I'll add more tomorrow....or actually later today.

Baby Steps

I realized today that it's sometimes easier to focus on the little baby steps you need to take when reaching for goals. I keep having these visions of the difficulty in becoming a full time real estate investor. Wondering how I will ever reach a point of financial freedom where REI is my only main income source. It really clogs your brain and thoughts to think in such far and distant terms.

I focused on the steps Tim and I made yesterday and today instead. I spoke to two investors who are definitely 'big-time'. One I think I could really learn and gain a lot from. He would be great mentor if I could have him work with us. We also met with a seller today overcoming additional fears. It wasn't a slam dunk Steve Cook deal, but it's these baby steps which will help us reach that Real Estate Freedom. That paradise in the sky.

In the same time frame, we were presented with obstacles which if allowed could slow our building momentum considerably. We need to focus on the positive and keep the Law of Attraction in mind.

All that worry and it's just NBD

I will try to convey the great sense of accomplishment I feel from today's work. We overcame fears and moved ahead towards our goal of becoming lifeonaires.

Sounds simple right?...Make a phone call to network in your field. It's a different matter when you are essentially self teaching yourself a skill like Real Estate Investing. Picking up the phone there is this since of overwhelming self-doubt that creeps in. You know what's nice?...having a brother encouraging you to make the calls. We cold called buyers and sellers of properties and rentals in our farm area today. We made a few good contacts, but what we also accomplished was speaking to 2 sellers who we have a decent chance of being able to buy their house.

It can be so unnerving to make that call, but just like 99.9% of everything else in life it's really just NBD....No Big Deal. My mom likes to say NBD alot. It's kind of her answer and response to alot that life throws at her.

What have you been procrastinating on that really is NBD? Do you need some encouragement? Post your comment and maybe Tim or I can give you that extra needed push to start your RE engine up.

Remember NBD.

Where we've been

A quick update of what we've done since my first stab at blogging:

• completed a buisness plan
• finished compiling our master list of every property in our beginning farm area
• ordered 'we buy houses' bandit signs
• ordered 'we buy houses' business cards
• completed our final edit for our direct mail letter
• made 500 copies of direct mail letter
• addressed 5 envelopes for each address from our farm area that we rated a '5' or below based on a visual drive by
• met with a realtor team and gave our vision/biz plan
• mailed approx 400 letters to our farm area
• got 3 calls from those 400....1 week into it....that's less than 1%
• met and decided upon our 2008 goals
• continued to post to craigslist.....usually daily
• made decision to turn off the tv for certain weeks....working up to 100% no tv...so hard
• made a seller's questionarre to reference when leads call in

Wow, kind of sobering. I knew that from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Tim and I slacked off, but when I listed what we've accomplished I hoped it would be more impressive. I looked back over our Weekly To-Do list and the same repeating goals come up again and again. Tim and I realized that one of our big mistakes during the holidays was to let go of our focus on meeting weekly. The effect was that our focus diminished and we allowed other non-productive tasks to creep in.

Making this list tonight has helped me see what procratination results in. We're meeting tomorrow and we have ambitious plans. I'm glad I put this list together tonight, it should have a motivating effect on my day tomorrow.

One of the things we have realized that has kept us focused is putting together a Weekly To-Do list. We do it in a simple Word document format. It's posted on our joint Gmail account. That way we both have access and we can add notes and see what one another has done. It's great when you have a busy day at work and have no time for RE to look online and see what your partner accomplished.

Here's an example of a past list, you can see we both comment (me in red and Tim in blue) and cross stuff off that we complete..........

October 22-28

Timmy:

1. Create Sample Ad for Newspaper Why "create", why not "do" I say create because I am going to run them past you first before we publish.
2. Create Sample Ad for Craigs List Why "create", why not "do"
3. Work on Motivated Sellers Worksheet- List of Questions to Ask
4. Need to switch Bank Account #'s with Ed so we can transfer funds
5. Only TV watched is The Office and Skins' game on Sunday.I didn't tell you of my goal of no tv, so that you would adopt the same goal. I hope if you choose to do this it was because you felt you could benefit from it. I told you about it because of the underlying principals that I'm applying to my lifestyle. This is personally one of my time wasters. Much like checking the forum can be sometimes for me...but that's next weeks goal. If you wanna watch girls gone wild commericals I hope you do and don't hate your 'pard-ner' because you think he doesn't want you to. The main reason I did this was I have a lot to accomplish this week, I am not necessarly going to do this every week, but i really need to accomplish this as a goal this week if i want to get all in need done this week, and it is easier for me because i have TIVo.
6.Listen to the comps webinar once it is posted.
7.Meet w/Eddie and review Bill Guerra's Sellers Book & do practice calls / discuss 2 investor meetings Tim attended

Eddie:

1.Post Ad to Craigslist BIG Tim Dog did this, posting one on Friday and one on Saturday. Now we just need to keep this up
2.Complete painting master bedroom/walk-in closet/vanity room
3.No TV--if completed then on Sunday reward will be watching Redskins game Booyah done and done and done.
4.Assist Tim in completing Sellers Worksheet
5.Practice 3 more times a 'sellers' call...both with Heather and Tim
6.Ask Heather to re-work our direct mail letter and post results
7.Apply my new technique of "customer interaction" had a great case using both older and "new" techniques--must continue
8.Cut grass wow what fun...can't wait for RE riches and outsourcing
9.Listen to the comps webinar once it is posted.
10.Meet w/Timmy and review Bill Guerra's Sellers Book & do practice calls / discuss 2 investor meetings Tim attended
11.Find cheapest envelopes and begin addressing them. Discuss with Timmy possiblity of paying Beth to address some. Figure out how many we can do in an hour and then offer to Beth as every for ex 20 you do we'll pay you $?/hr. Maybe a good way for her to earn extra $. Also can put the double stamps on them. I like this idea, and I am sure extra money she would love.

Additionally, we both have Gmail calendars which we share with each other. This allows us to see each other's work schedules and easily choose days when we can meet next. We both have a calendar that shows a 'What Ed did' or 'What Tim did' for that day. If you haven't become hooked on Gmail and all it's accessories, you have no idea what you're missing.

Writing my accomplishments for all to read has a strange feeling. It really does help keep you focused and driven. I feel a rush of energy to go out and continue to work for that first deal.

Maybe there is something to this blogging thing afterall......

Renewal

I'm back and with a vengence. I've got a ton to update. Tim and I have accomplished alot, but we're still shy of our first deal. I've got lots to share and look forward to giving some insight to obstacles we've overcome and lessons we've learned.
Stay tuned over the next few weeks and watch this blog on a life line come roaring back to life.

Stay focused,

Ed