Forward Momentum is a choice...

I'm sitting here in my beautiful backyard contemplating what to write. I have had amazing experiences just in the last week. Let me share some of them with you. First, I went to Denver last weekend to attend their Wealth Summit. Jen Matlock was the instructor and I knew she would give me some golden nuggets, she is smart and willing to share all she knows. I was right, I did receive some golden nuggets. You see, I have an Arizona property we are taking to close. This is the most fun and stressful time of the whole transaction.

It's a timing thing. Taking all the parties involved to do what you expect them to do and put it together perfectly. Like a Thanksgiving dinner...tons of dishes ready to eat at the same time. This process begins once an approval letter is received. Negotiations begin, yes I said negotiations. Our approval letter is for $84,000 to close on or before October 15, 2010. Well, here's the thing...I begin marketing my properties once I receive my approval letter. I'm fast but not that fast. I don't have a doubt the property will get sold, but unless it was a cash offer I couldn't close it simultaneously with my approved price. Yes, I could close it with the bank for $84,000 but that would require having short term financing vs 24 hour funds, which cuts into my profits that I protect viciously! And it would take substantial funds out of my own pocket to make short term financing work. My new offer comes in for $80,000.

I also begin negotiating for an extension with the lender, hoping to give me another 30 days which would put me in a position to use 24 hour funds. Well, after reviewing the conditions of the approval letter I see a clause I can't live with. It's telling me I can't resell it for 30 days or they will consider it "flipping"....which is so far from what "flipping" is all about. If you want to learn more about that, then go to my website http://www.moneymama.biz and sign up for a Wealth Summit. Most would walk away from this deal, why? It's because they don't know what they are doing, scared and not willing to learn. I am renegotiating with the lender to remove that clause. They know I'm an investor, they know I intend to resell this property, they know the Seller/Owner knows my intention etc. Their fear is money will be given to the seller and not to them. Well, the seller isn't getting any money from this transaction so nothing to worry about right?

Where does the bittersweet come in? To market the property and receive greater profit, I must clean it up. A fresh coat of paint is being put on as I type this...not by me but by someone I hired to work for me. The yard is getting cleaned up and the carpets are getting cleaned in the next few days. I have turned the utilities on in my name ALL before it's mine. Why would I do that? I believe that is why most people won't pull the trigger and buy a property. They don't want any risk, they are not willing to do what it takes to build their confidence in learning how to do this. If Real Estate was easy everyone would be doing it.....it's not easy BUT it's simple. I have a calculated risk. Let's look at the worst case scenario...if I didn't close what would I really be out? Only money, but what would I have gained? I would have gained greater confidence in taking a transaction this far. Either way I look at this, I've won!

In reality, I'm not without struggle. I learned to strengthen my emotions. Moving forward with the confidence that the end result will happen just as I planned. Will I have hurdles to overcome? Probably, but I'm emotionally fit to not feel them as much as I use to. I'm happy with my growth, my strengthening experiences its what brought me to this point. That is why I coach others, mentor others and direct others along their path, all because I have been down that road.

I almost forgot! I haven't told you what I'm marketing it for. My sells price is $115,000. My marketing officially begins Oct. 1st. To put this in perspective, the original mortgage was over $200,000 and the Retail value is $119,000-$121,000. I'm priced below market value and buyers are lined up ready to go look. They are simply waiting for the work to be completed. I'm excited to sit down at the closing table....exhilarated to feel the accomplishment of a transaction completed. I Love cashing my check and then, do it all over again. How many hours have I spent on this property? My guess is less than 10 hours total. Not a bad paycheck if I say so myself!!!

Where does that leave us? Real Estate, Real Fun in Real Time....

Go create yourself a fabulous day!

Jody

Tired or Re...tired Yet?

Are you tired of feeling behind? Scared you will not have enough money during your older years? Is your fear of poverty blinding you to a faster and smarter way of building retirement funds?

Feeling behind is common. You are most likely someone who is working and has been working most of your life. Working is not bad but working to simply earn a paycheck is the traditional way. How's that working for you? If you have only a few years left, are you starting to feel the panic yet? I know how that feels. I felt so stuck, my back was against the wall. The older I was the less income I made. Jobs were few and far between. I knew I had to find a different way of looking at money. I saw other people living comfortably but was it too late for me? I had a decision to make, learn something different or be satisfied with working till I was 80. Social Security would take care of me for a few years... until it ran out, then what was my option?
Let's dive into what you can do. I started Investing in Real Estate 5 years ago (www.moneymama.biz), other people did why not me? Honestly, my fear of losing everything was paralysing me. Come on, what did I really have to lose? I already was down to nothing? I stepped into the common sense corner and looked at what was available. I knew I wanted more than just learning a Real Estate strategy, I was thirsty for the business side of it. What did I know about how to save on taxes? How did I know I wouldn't be slammed with taxes and be buried alive? Did I want to start buying up property to have them all taken away? That was not my idea of being successful. I have been a loose cannon on tons of new adventures sure but this time, I wanted to be an educated loose cannon! When I started into this new venture, I was clueless. I'm not really proud of that but how else can I say it. I was clueless. I was familiar with the real estate basics but not the business side. I know there are so many people out there just as clueless as I was, that's when I decided to start writing. Writing what I have learned, putting it all out there fears and all. My blog,
www.moneymama.biz is where I post my thoughts. Joining others to take on their life before their retirement years is my passion. Giving others a choice in how they will spend their older years is rewarding... it's their choice if they will spend those years with peace of mind.
You can choose to work less and be paid more once you know how that is done. That can be scary in itself. Learning the unknown but knowing it exists because others have already walked the path of success. There are others out there who are successful in Real Estate Investing with their retirement funds secure. We hear everyday in this economy how scary Real Estate is, how bad the market is etc. For me, this economy is like a big swap meet. Everything is on sale. I buy property low then I sell it low, everyone wins! www.moneymama.biz
Are you ready to learn what it takes to put financial peace of mind back into your life? Take a look at your old way of thinking, start with a new direction. Forward momentum is a choice. As this unknown author states so beautifully, “Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding on to.”

Tired or Retired?

Interesting conversation today I had with my son. I was looking at articles about retirement and got into the Social Security stuff. Retirement is a HUGE deal for me, I’m one of those that never knew how to build for retirement, thinking I had a back up with Social Security but also knew I didn’t want to work till I was 70 to get my full SS payout. I also learned from my Mom’s wealthy friends it’s good to supplement if possible.
I looked up the Depression. I honestly can say I didn’t realize it went on for so long, twelve years? It began in 1929 and officially ended in 1941. Crazy stuff!!! My greatest memory of the depression. Hope was lost during this horrible time. The survival skills learned were more how to stretch the dollar vs learning how the dollar works and grows.
Now we are 3 yrs into our current recession. How much hope has been lost? I believe this recession has hit us like a sunburn. Playing out in the sun all day then come nightfall your skin starts feeling a bit tight but still unaware of a sunburn. Come morning you look hot pink and can hardly move :) It truely has caught most of us unawares! Now we begin the search for something to sooth our current situation.
I’m not getting into this to be depressive but to IMPRESS upon you how most of us feel like we are swimming up stream. I have talked with so many people, those who have earned 6 figures and now out of a job. Their lifestyle took them out of the game. They are downsizing not because they really wanted to but to survive they have to. My neighbor, $750,000 home, beautiful. Paid cash for toys and more toys and thought life is good so he took out a 2nd mortgage to start investing .... no education just a belief he knew what he was doing. His wife stayed home with the kids. They traveled and was living the “dream” However, He has lost it all. Investments did not sell, borrowed money from family members, home is currently in foreclosure. Now renting and living paycheck to paycheck with his wife back to work.
It’s time we define our dreams and have a burning desire to achieve them!!!!
Start with putting together your dream board. Don’t just put pictures of things you want, get your picture along side that item...car, house etc. The most important part of a dream board is to dream. Dreaming is not where you want to live day by day, let it be your path. Dream big, now put those dreams up on the shelf. Those dream are not the here and now but allows the law of abundance to kick in understanding where it’s directed to go. Now get to work, a burning desire is a must. My dream board says “Open the doors, I’ll do the work”. Awesome!!! Now you know where you are going and you will recognize it when you get there!!!

Create yourself a great day!
Jody

The adventure begins

I've started!!! I am not into technology but I have learned so much over the past 3 months. I now officially have an internet business. It's fun but I'm still scared!

Isn't this how we are with most things? Excited for something new but really scared to make it happen? Come to think of it, that was how I felt when I got into Real Estate Investing. Excited I finally found the way in but still so scared it was hard to finalize my first deal.

Well, with real estate I get it! That is why I have decided to become others training wheels to assist them in getting up and running. I work with them on their first deal, walking them through each step. Once they complete the deal they can now turn around and do it again and again!!! That is what drives me. Yes I get compensated because we split the deal, however, watching them see and feel the reality of it really working is the biggest payback. I love what I do.

I guide and direct others to live life in their timeframes and on their terms so they can do more and be more for those they love the most.

I invite you to add a comment on a time you were so excited to start something new but were still scared to pull the trigger. Together we can move forward....forward momentum is a choice!

Have a great week, it's a good life!

Jody