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The Future is Gaming!

Wow, I just watched part of a 24 hour live gaming session by a gamer who goes by the name of DrLupo on Twitch.tv. If you haven’t heard of Twitch, no worries, you will. Jeff Bezos bought the platform for a ridiculous sum of money but he will make even a larger ridiculous sum of money as it eventually overtakes and consumes all traditional media outlets like broadcast tv, netflix, disney, etc. It’s insane to think about but it will happen.

Why? Because it levels the playing field, literally for everyone. And the coolest part of the thing I just watched – it was all for charity. Over $600k raised in 24 hours for St. Jude’s Children’s hospital. Amazing, wonderful, feel good stuff; people want to be a part of things bigger than themselves. Gaming does that.

Think about it; in the past only Kings had Armies to protect them, fight for them and take over as much of the world as possible. Humans managed to stay survive, become “civilized” and yet two World Wars broke out. Humans managed to find some peace and keep from Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) of the Cold War – so far. But men, and I do mean men as a gender in general, like to fight, like to dominate, and more importantly protect those they love. (Yes, this is extremely sexist but I’m not saying this is a bad trait in men, just that it’s more dominant in men backed by history and statistics.) So get off the soap box; it just is. It’s my blog, I’ll say what I want.

Anyways, individual men or women can no longer raise armies so instead they own professional sport franchises. Only the very rich, who’ve made their billions elsewhere can afford a franchise and there are only a few franchises available. This scarcity increases value. They literally buy the most elite athletes and use them as surrogates in battle; just like the Kings and Queens of olden days. If you don’t agree with that analogy; that’s just the business model.

So why am I suddenly so intrigued by gaming and the whole new empire building? Well, the potential economic gains are ginormous! DrLupo’s live feed was watched by over 60k people at any one time and potentially 48 million! Think about that – a guy in his house, playing video games gets more eyeballs on him than many ‘professional’ sports events. Gaming events are taking over stadiums and 100k in attendance is not unusual. Did I mention he raised over $600k in less than 24 hours?

So now the challenge, at least for me and hopefully others, is to figure out how to use this all for good instead of evil. And why is it so highly male dominated? And how can we use this to benefit education? and space exploration? Yes, my goals are not very transparent but at least they are benevolent.

Thank you DrLupo for choosing good.

More soon as I start this journey.


Top 5 New Investor Questions

top5questions

Here are some of the top five new questions investors or wannabe investors ask about real estate investing:

  1. What Should I do first?
  2. How do I find properties?
  3. I’ve been doing this for two (or 6 or 9 or 12!!) months and I haven’t closed a deal, what am I doing wrong?
  4. Can I really do this if I don’t have much money to start?
  5. How much money can I really make once I get started?

1. What Should I do first?

That’s easy, the first thing you should do is GET STARTED TODAY!  It doesn’t have to be a monumental thing, but just start taking small, actions, every single day.  Start with looking at 5 for sale by owner leads on zillow.com or your local mls (har.com in Houston).  Start a daily journal of your actions, hold yourself accountable to daily action, reward yourself for your actions.  And if you really want to get started today, start your education TODAY!  Check out your local Real Estate Investing Association (REIA) for their free workshops.  In Houston, that is the Realty Investment Community of Houston (www.richclub.org)  Education, education, education, is the key to moving forward.  Learn something today!

2. How do I find properties?

No one said it was going to be easy!  But think about your advantages over every other investor out there; who do you know? where do you live? what types of properties are you even looking for?  Marketing is the key to finding great deals.  Tell everyone you know you are looking to buy properties, start advertising in your local area.  You can use direct mail, Facebook and social media, newspapers, flyers, door hangers, billboards, smoke signals – it all works but you have to get started.  Decide on a budget, decide on an area and get started.  You might be surprised that once you start putting the word out to the universe that you’re looking for properties, you’ll start getting leads.

3. I’ve been doing this for two (or 6 or 9 or 12!!) months and I haven’t closed a deal, what am I doing wrong?

There is nothing wrong with you.  Real estate investing is not easy.  Despite the promises of the late night gurus, overnight success can take years.  Sure you want to quit your job tomorrow but does it make sense to do so? Probably not.  Learning how to find and close great deals takes learning a whole new skill set; deal analysis, negotiation techniques, how to use contracts properly, how to market for and to sell properties, networking to build your team.  No one has it all their first few months so give yourself a break and take an inventory of what you think you are doing right and what you need to learn or partner on to help you move forward.

4. Can I really do this if I don’t have much money to start?

You’re reading this article for FREE, aren’t you?  That’s the great thing about the internet, there is tons of free information.  Unfortunately, information does not always equal knowledge so while you can probably find a Youtube video on how to brain surgery, you probably shouldn’t try it alone!  The good news is that real estate investing is pretty easy to learn and there are tons of folks willing to help both for free and for a price.  This help, like most things, is worth what you pay for it.  As I mentioned, most local REIAs offer free Intro classes (many even will buy you a drink or feed you!).  High ticket Coaching and Mentoring packages can run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  We’ve seen some packages cost more than houses!  Take your time locating an education path and finding a Coach or Mentor who will work on a customized program for you.  Here are some of our Coaching packages so you can start comparing your options.

5. How much money can I really make once I get started?

How much gold can you find panning in Alaska?  Diamond mining? how many fish can you catch in a barrel?  There really is no limit.  It’s a cliche to say, “it’s up to you” but it really goes back to how much do you want to make?  Setting out your financial goals is a key step.  If you don’t know how much you want to make, then it will be hard to hit that target.  Do you want to replace your current income?  do you want to become a millionaire? b/c a million dollars is probably not enough to let you live the truly passive lifestyle most folks seek.  And is it really about the money or the lifestyle?  Money in the bank is security but passive income or a flexible work schedule can be the dream of many.

I love working from home or anywhere with a laptop but being your own Boss can be tough too.  What are your short-term and long-term financial goals?  Get those on paper, put dates next to them and let’s get started!

Contact me today for a free 30 minute Coaching session.


Post Flood Investing

The Houston real estate market has been hot.  Just when everyone thought it was on the verge of peaking Hurricane Harvey stalled over Houston and dumped some 50+ inches of rain.  Areas that had never flooded were sunk.  The hundred year flood plain, heck the 500 and even 1000 year flood plains were exposed for the fraud they were.  In reality, only God knows where any area where flood and in late August, He made believers out of skeptics who believed the insurance tables odds about flooding.  God always wins.  Geologic time has no respect for man’s short memory.  Geologic time reminds us that millions of years is the real basis for rain, not the short time span of 100, 500 or ever a thousand years is nothing.

And yes I’ve had a beer, so the words are flowing as free as the flood waters during Harvey.  🙂

The Houston market is crazy.  Some gurus are running in, trying to scoop up every flooded property in the area.  There are simply too many for any one buyer.  Over a quarter of a million homes were damaged.  How do you know which areas to buy in which to avoid and which to let God reclaim forever.  Only God knows when the next flood event will be.  Only God knows where the market will peak or crash.  So check out our 5 keys to investing in the post-flood Houston market.  Are you ready to take the risk?  Or is it time to head to higher ground?


Selecting a Coach or Mentor

Tips for Hiring a Mentor or Coach

Selecting a mentor or coach to help your real estate investing can give you a huge advantage. But finding one that matches your investing interests and level of knowledge can mean the difference between success and frustration. Here are a few questions to ask yourself and your mentor when evaluating different individuals or companies:

  1. What experience does the Mentor have?

  2. What type of investing does the Mentor specialize in?

  3. Is the Mentor/Coach actively investing?

  4. What geographic areas does the Mentor know about?

  5. What is the expected time/effort/resources I am required to contribute?

  6. How long is the mentoring/coaching program for?

  7. What access do I have to my Mentor?

  8. What is the refund policy?

1. What experience does the Mentor have?

Quite often the best teacher is not the person who has been in the field the longest but the person who can teach the materials at a level the learner can understand. This is why Graduate students are called on to teach for Professors who might be long-time researchers. The Grad students are closer to the beginning students but just far enough ahead to understand the undergraduate students’ needs. An advanced Expert may be too far ahead and make things too complicated and often, not as understanding, when a new learner asks basic questions and just ‘doesn’t get it.’ Great mentors know that they are there for the students and not the other way around.

2. What type of investing does the Mentor specialize in?

If you have decided you want to start Wholesaling properties but your mentor is known for fix and flips or apartment investing, that may not be the best match. Real estate has tons of specialized niches and no one can be an expert in every area. You may also find yourself working in different niches as your interest change. Make sure your mentor understands your interests.

3. Is the Mentor/Coach actively investing?

You’ve probably heard it before, “Those who can do, those who can’t teach.” Many mentors have discovered that telling others what to do, is much easier than doing it themselves. They offer to partner with their students and let the students do all the work while they sit back and make a nice return on mentoring instead of investing! Don’t be afraid to ask your mentor about their most recent deals. Active investors will be up to date with the current market conditions and best types and areas for investing.

4. What geographic areas does the Mentor know about?

We’ve all seen the national TV ads or heard of gurus who come into town to recruit new mentoring students into their programs. Many of them have incredible systems for maximizing or growing your investing business. But many of them have no idea what are the exact laws that have to be followed or how contracts need to be done in Texas. If your Mentor doesn’t know the difference between The Heights and Acres Homes or the Third Ward, you might want to keep asking questions.

5. What is the expected time/effort/resources I am required to contribute?

Unlike a franchise system, hiring a Mentor is not a “done for you” business. You will be required to complete certain tasks, learn specific knowledge and spend time (often, a great deal of time) working on your business. There is a reason McDonalds and Subway franchises are so expensive; it’s a complete business. When you hire a mentor you are not buying a business but hiring a consultant that will help hold you accountable for your success. If you read the fine print of many ads there is small disclaimer saying something to the effect of “Results are not typical” meaning the person doing the testimonial may be one of thousands who bought and participated in the program.

6. How long is the mentoring/coaching program for?

Most programs are for a set amount of time, others have monthly fees. Six months is the minimum amount of time a new person will need to learn enough to establish their business. While you may get lucky and get a deal right away or already have a deal in hand, scaling a business takes time. Just like a college curriculum, you will need time to digest the basics before scaling and moving onto more advanced techniques.

7. What access do I have to my Mentor?

Is one hour a week over the phone worth paying $5000 for six weeks for? It could be if that hour is giving you the missing resources or knowledge to make thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mentors not only have knowledge but access to resources that they should be willing to share with you. The mentoring program should outline how much time, whether the sessions will be in person, over the phone or internet as well as if the sessions will be individual meetings or group sessions. Group sessions will allow you to learn from others and often give you a network to assist you. Individual sessions will focus just on you. Also be sure to ask what turn around time you can expect on email responses, phone calls, deal analysis and if they other staff to assist.

8. What is the refund policy?

No one can predict unexpected family emergencies, job layoffs or medical situations that may interrupt your investing. Or what if you just discover rather quickly that you and your mentor are not the best fit? Be sure to read and understand the program’s refund policy before paying any money. In Texas, there has to be a written Refund Policy, even if the policy says “No refunds.” Just because your circumstances change half way through the program, don’t expect a refund of half your funds. Mentors have already spent a considerable amount of time developing the program and have scheduled in your participation. They have expenses to cover and could have taken on another student in your place. If the refund policy states that you must ask for the refund in writing or mail it to a certain address, make sure you abide by all the conditions stated or you may not be entitled to any refund at all.

Mentoring and Coaching programs can give you a huge jumpstart on your investing goals. I highly recommend working with a mentoring program to help round out your investing education. Unlike classes and special events, a great mentor or coach works with you on an on-going basis and really can take you to a new level of success!


I wrote this guide about three years ago and now I just launched my own Coaching program!  If you think we might be a good fit for you, schedule your free 30 minute evaluation session.  Go to the Coaching Page for more info on our programs.


Is Private lending the only true passive investment?

Many gurus and online ads talk about passive income.  Unlike flipping or owning real estate, private lending is one of the most truly passive investment options.  When you become a private lender, you leave all the active portions to the owner of the property and, in theory, you just sit back and reap a healthy return on your money.  Some private lenders can easily make double digit returns but as your return rate goes up, so does your risk!

What is private lending in real estate?

Private lending lets you become the bank.  For those wanting to borrow the money, it can be a way to fund their investing when banks don’t want to lend on a certain property or project.  As a lender, you have to ask yourself, why doesn’t the bank want to make this loan?  There are many reasons.  Banks tend to be very conservative and are highly regulated.  They also have extremely high operating costs so most will not make loans under $50k on real property.  They also will usually not lend on assets such as distressed properties, manufactured homes and other niche properties.  For borrowers, if you can get a bank loan, that is usually the best rates but sometimes the biggest returns are on highly distressed properties or unusual properties.

For borrowers, if you can get a bank loan, that is usually the best rates but sometimes the biggest returns are on highly distressed properties or unusual properties.  And private lenders can usually move fast; like 2-3 days instead of 45-60 or more days for a traditional bank loan. This gives these borrowers a distinct advantage over other buyers. If you’re trying to stop a foreclosure, speed is of the essence.  Yes, private money can be expensive but if you buy right and factor the costs into your investing, it can actually be cheaper than banks.

A private lender can use their own personal funds or a Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA) to lend to an investor. Just like a bank, they set the terms including interest rate, payment schedule, length of the loan, points, fees and any other terms necessary to make them feel comfortable giving the loan.  In real estate lending, the lender is then given a lien against the property to secure their loan. They have the same rights as any other lender to foreclose or take back a property if the borrower defaults.  Here, the asset is key as many private lenders will only loan up to a certain amount of the asset value; i.e. if the property is valued at $100k, the lender may only want to give up to 70% of the value of the property.

But what is the risk for lenders?

As I mentioned, these can be risky loans for several reasons.  The borrower may not be able to obtain a bank loan because of their credit.  The property may be highly distressed, etc.  The biggest risk is that they would end up with the property if the borrower defaults. That is why private lenders need to decide on their risk factor and what would they do if they had to foreclose.

How passive is it?

Private lending can be extremely passive!  You get the request from an investor, you agree on the terms, you have your documents drawn up by an attorney then send your money to the Title company or closing attorney.  All from your living room! or anywhere in the world.  I’ve done this all by email and online signing services before.  However, many private lenders are much more active in their lending. I know several who insist on inspecting the property, meeting with the borrower, getting appraisals, inspections, full loan packages, etc.  They then keep a close eye on the progress of the rehab and sometimes will only lend in stages or draws.  These are extreme cases and usually only on highly distressed properties that need a great deal of repairs.  But, as I said, these riskier loans can offer the highest returns.

Contact me if you want more info on passive income opportunities in real estate.


Manufactured Home Investing Niche

I recently attend TexCO, the Texas Community Owners event for the manufactured house park owners.  I’m not an owner yet but will be soon.  It was a very informational event and about 95% male; which doesn’t bother me.  I just in general do not enjoy these large networking events.  I skipped the dinner cruise, even though I knew several folks attending; a full day of 200+ people was more than I could handle.

Yes, I know, I could have been making even more great contacts.  Yes, I know, I could have even found my soulmate and future husband – ha!  but I was tired, it was a long day and I already received the value I wanted from the event so I went home.

It was a great event and I highly recommend you look into this niche of investing.  Manufactured homes are an affordable home product for both investors and retail buyers.  The market has never been more in demand and the inventory low. For this group, we are mainly talking about buying parks and not just homes.  Since it is almost impossible to build a manufactured home park in 98% of the US, owners have a product that everyone wants to purchase.  Further, they are hard to finance for most traditional lenders making them even more difficult to purchase.

Why is this such a great niche?  Tons of reason; starting with scarcity.  Plus, I don’t want to be a landlord.  That’s just me; it doesn’t fit my personality.  I don’t want to be responsible for maintaining the safety of someone’s home so manufactured home and RV Parks make sense.  I am only renting them the dirt, the parking space.  I never have to enter their homes or be responsible if they want to live without smoke detectors, two exits, deadbolts, etc.  Parks tend to take on the personality of their owners; so business minded folks who want to run a nice business have nicer parks.  My parks will be nice, safe and offer a great return to my and my investors.

For more info on Building an RV or Mobile Home Park, see my other site: http://buildanrvpark.com/


Site Testing underway

My apologies to those folks who have tried to purchase my eBook and been unsuccessful.  I just hired someone to try to fix the shopping cart and download area of the site.  Please check back in a few days or email me:  dindaATrealestateforintroverts.com and I’ll send you the free Intro copy of the ebook.

Thanks and I look forward to doing some deals with you soon!


MLM – Can you really make money on the internet?

Every now and again, wait, no, actually almost every day I receive an email or Facebook ad promising to make me an internet Millionaire!  All I have to do is sign up for the program, pay them x of dollars for them to train me to build a list, grow the list and then sell to them.  The trouble is, how do I build such a list?

And that’s the rub, you have to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to build that list.  Sure, there are lots of different ways to build a good marketing list but it also takes time. These MLM schemes take thousands of leads/email addresses to make that one sell so they can get paid.  It’s all a numbers game, just like real estate.

So yes, it can work, and yes you can be an internet Millionaire from the comfort of your own home but is it for you?  Can you sell to strangers? or set up a system that will?  are you willing to ask friends to buy from you or sign up and refer others?  Well, let’s try it.  here’s my link to the Millionaire Dollar Training Network.  Nothing to buy, just sign up and try it.

Send me your results and I’ll share mine.  Happy watching!


Being alone in a crowd

I’m not fond of big crowds but somehow the larger the crowd the easier it is to stay in your own protective introverted shell.  The sheer numbers make it awkward for anyone to single you out and try to engage you in a conversation.  Sporting events, church, Las Vegas, are all great places to get lost in the crowds.  It’s when I attend smaller events, like REIA meetings of a few hundred or over 20 I particularly dislike.  Some folks thrive in these settings.  They shake your hand, hand you a business card, and find out what you can do for THEM in less than 30 seconds.  Yeah, it doesn’t get much deeper than that.  These type events have their purpose but most introverts to have a few longer conversations to see how both sides can benefit.

I call myself a real estate matchmaker these days.  If we can spend a few minutes talking about real estate, I can probably help you out or lead you to someone or some resource who can.  I spent some time yesterday speaking to some local investors who were new to this area.  They were familiar with other markets but not Texas rules.  That’s fine, I sent them some private lenders for them to connect with and other resources.  I invested in them, and hopefully, in return they will buy properties from me with no delays.

As a Wholesaler, you take a chance with each new buyer that they actually can Close on the property and won’t make outrageous demands on you or the Seller.  Even though you’ve assigned your interest in the contract over to your end Buyer does not stop your part in the transaction.  If they need help with more due diligence or funding, you should be willing to help them.  If there’s a Title issue, you need to assist in getting it resolved.  Staying in the transaction from start to finish is the only way to guarantee your paycheck at Closing so stay in there!


Why you need people who don’t agree with you on your team

No one likes being openly opposed.  Lately I’ve found myself having conversations with people who seemed not capable of following simple logic.  If A = B and B=C, then A=C.  Basic logic right? Not when it comes to humans with opinions and feelings.

I have plenty of “online friends” who have radically different opinions than I on politics, religion, real estate, kids, alien and other conspiracies.  I enjoy reading how passionate they are in their views and sometimes wonder how we ever even became friends.  But I wouldn’t change them for the world.

Every time they say or write something that doesn’t align with my own views, it makes me think.  And there’s nothing introverts enjoy more than thinking.  Did I miss something?  What do they know that I don’t? Why do they have that opinion?  Are they just bat-soup crazy?  I mean I’m the most reasonable person I know so those who oppose me must be wrong. . . well, not always.

I’m not a fan of conflict but I have no problem defending my positions in writing or by talking.  I most enjoy my friends who can help me expand my thinking and sometimes even make me have those coveted “Aha!” moments. If they can do it without belittling me or making me feel like an anomaly, even better.  I try, too, when folks come at me with nonsensical opinions or even incorrect knowledge, to gently guide them to my enlightened view.  It doesn’t always work; some might see it as manipulative but it’s so much better than shouting at each other at the top of our lungs or gathering armies to settle things once and for all.

Yes, I admit I like to quietly influence people to see my preferred way.  “I try to get folks to come to the decision I’ve already made.” Introverts aren’t often seen as having strong opinions.  It’s quiet the opposite.  We just don’t always feel like we have to fight over it but if it is important enough we will stand our ground.

So enjoy your friends and welcome into your quiet world, those who don’t always agree with you.