You have to LOVE this!!!!!!!!
She is such a great girl and I am so very proud of her... This could be you:-)....
About Me
- Dwan
- I started as a single mom with NO money, NO experience, and NO real estate license. I have been investing in foreclosures for almost 20 years and am considered one of the nations foremost experts on short sales, foreclosures, and just about anything related to real estate investing. My goal is to help you to become a superstar!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Getting Through a Stonewalling Lender
Good Evening Folks,
I am headed to Hawaii and I wanted to make sure I wrote to everyone before I left. We are doing a boot camp there so I will be blogging. I went in April for two weeks and was MIA most of the time:-). Hawaii is one of my favorite places to visit - so peaceful, warm, great beaches, it is wonderful.
We have hired a few people to help us make some major changes - we are moving all our training classes to a state-of-the-art facility in Iowa, we are making a membership site with all kinds of great freebies for those who register, building an entirely new web site, starting a web TV show, offering all sorts of great services like tenant checking, online rental payments, property maintenance, and so much more. Just wait until it is all launched.
Working on all this has kept me really busy. I have been writing letters and making flyer's and posting information and working my butt off. My goal is to provide you with an amazing place to learn online - The Investors Edge University - is taking on a new life.
Once I get everything launched - I will post new information daily. It's a big commitment on my part because I will have to get online no matter what I am doing:-). I'm excited though. I need some structure on my life:-). I lose all structure in the summer when no kids are getting up for school - I sleep in, walk the dogs in the middle of the day, stay up really late, and just get out of control:-). It's a good life.
My youngest, Billy, just got his drivers license today! Another 16 year old on the roads - watch out. No seriously - he is a really good driver. All three of the kids are. It's hard to believe all three of my kids are so grown up. I am excited to have raised one amazing daughter and to have come into Billy and Kris' life when I did and get to be part of their raising as well. It's been a real blessing to have raised three wonderful children.
So, what does all this have to do with real estate investing - nothing. Just felt like saying hi to everyone before my 200 hour flight:-). Have a great evening, spend time with family, turn off the TV, make good use of this beautiful night...
Before I go - I wanted to give you some tips on how to GET THROUGH A STONEWALLING LENDER...
Trying to get through to the right person is difficult at times. Getting that individual to actually answer their phone is even more difficult. That’s why it’s important to get the fax number or e-mail address of the person you will be working with. Many times, their voice mail will tell you not to leave a message more than once in any 24-hour period. That’s how inundated they are. The trick is to do your best to get the rep’s e-mail address.
E-mail is one of the best ways for them to communicate with you. But if you can’t get an e-mail address and phone tag doesn’t work, then fax them repeatedly until you are contacted. They have so many delinquent loans they are dealing with that files are often pushed to the bottom of the pile. Constant communication helps keep your short sale on the top of the pile. We don’t want you to be so pushy that the rep doesn’t like you, but be professionally persistent enough to be taken seriously, even though you are a pain. Have you ever heard that the squeaky wheel gets the oil?
We have faxed the same rep over 200 times in one day … seriously. On one particular day, a rep simply refused to call us back. We had left over 13 messages. We were both very frustrated and were at our wits’ end. We don’t know what came over us, but we decided to fax until we got a call back. We began faxing throughout the day. Finally, at the end of the day, the rep called, yelling, “You faxed me over 200 times today! What is wrong with you?!” We stated that we hadn’t received a confirmation and didn’t realize how many times the fax had gone through. The rep stated that she would never work with us, because we had gotten her in trouble. We reminded her that tomorrow was a new day and we had nothing to do tomorrow except fax her again, and, after a long pause, she took our deal. It was great!
Don't let the bank push you around - stay tough....
BTW - you have to watch the bobble head video I put on my youtube page. It is hysterical:-).
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
I am headed to Hawaii and I wanted to make sure I wrote to everyone before I left. We are doing a boot camp there so I will be blogging. I went in April for two weeks and was MIA most of the time:-). Hawaii is one of my favorite places to visit - so peaceful, warm, great beaches, it is wonderful.
We have hired a few people to help us make some major changes - we are moving all our training classes to a state-of-the-art facility in Iowa, we are making a membership site with all kinds of great freebies for those who register, building an entirely new web site, starting a web TV show, offering all sorts of great services like tenant checking, online rental payments, property maintenance, and so much more. Just wait until it is all launched.
Working on all this has kept me really busy. I have been writing letters and making flyer's and posting information and working my butt off. My goal is to provide you with an amazing place to learn online - The Investors Edge University - is taking on a new life.
Once I get everything launched - I will post new information daily. It's a big commitment on my part because I will have to get online no matter what I am doing:-). I'm excited though. I need some structure on my life:-). I lose all structure in the summer when no kids are getting up for school - I sleep in, walk the dogs in the middle of the day, stay up really late, and just get out of control:-). It's a good life.
My youngest, Billy, just got his drivers license today! Another 16 year old on the roads - watch out. No seriously - he is a really good driver. All three of the kids are. It's hard to believe all three of my kids are so grown up. I am excited to have raised one amazing daughter and to have come into Billy and Kris' life when I did and get to be part of their raising as well. It's been a real blessing to have raised three wonderful children.
So, what does all this have to do with real estate investing - nothing. Just felt like saying hi to everyone before my 200 hour flight:-). Have a great evening, spend time with family, turn off the TV, make good use of this beautiful night...
Before I go - I wanted to give you some tips on how to GET THROUGH A STONEWALLING LENDER...
Trying to get through to the right person is difficult at times. Getting that individual to actually answer their phone is even more difficult. That’s why it’s important to get the fax number or e-mail address of the person you will be working with. Many times, their voice mail will tell you not to leave a message more than once in any 24-hour period. That’s how inundated they are. The trick is to do your best to get the rep’s e-mail address.
E-mail is one of the best ways for them to communicate with you. But if you can’t get an e-mail address and phone tag doesn’t work, then fax them repeatedly until you are contacted. They have so many delinquent loans they are dealing with that files are often pushed to the bottom of the pile. Constant communication helps keep your short sale on the top of the pile. We don’t want you to be so pushy that the rep doesn’t like you, but be professionally persistent enough to be taken seriously, even though you are a pain. Have you ever heard that the squeaky wheel gets the oil?
We have faxed the same rep over 200 times in one day … seriously. On one particular day, a rep simply refused to call us back. We had left over 13 messages. We were both very frustrated and were at our wits’ end. We don’t know what came over us, but we decided to fax until we got a call back. We began faxing throughout the day. Finally, at the end of the day, the rep called, yelling, “You faxed me over 200 times today! What is wrong with you?!” We stated that we hadn’t received a confirmation and didn’t realize how many times the fax had gone through. The rep stated that she would never work with us, because we had gotten her in trouble. We reminded her that tomorrow was a new day and we had nothing to do tomorrow except fax her again, and, after a long pause, she took our deal. It was great!
Don't let the bank push you around - stay tough....
BTW - you have to watch the bobble head video I put on my youtube page. It is hysterical:-).
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
Monday, May 26, 2008
Memorial Day
Hi Folks,
Sorry I have been off a few days...lots to do before we head to Hawaii.
Today is Memorial Day ... Do you know what this day signifies? It is a day to remember all the men and women who have fought for your freedom - freedom to read blogs, watch youtube, attend a seminar openly, be your own boss, marry who you want, for men and women to walk and talk openly, for your right to vote, for everything you should hold dear.
I hear so many people complain about America. I have traveled to over 30 countries - and we ARE blessed! We live in the greatest country in the world. So many people have sacrificed for our rights. I hope all of you take a moment today and say a prayer - not just for the fallen soldiers, but every single person who has fought for you whether you wanted them to or not. So many people came back maimed, mentally destroyed, lost homes in foreclosure, had wives or husbands cheat on them, weren't here to see their babies born, and so much more.
When I hear people complain about America - I get so upset. My thought is - if you don't like it - move out! Most Americans wouldn't last one week in another country. Much of the world is very poor, has little resources, had no technology, or offers little opportunity for you to become a self-made millionaire.
I don't mean to be on a soap box, but most of us really do take for granted what a great life we have. Even with all the foreclosures, the high gas prices, the recession we are supposed to be in - we are still the greatest country in the world. Our country was founded on Christian values and I hope we can remember that - God has truly blessed our country.
I have some great stuff coming up this week, so stay tuned.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
http://www.theieu.com/
Sorry I have been off a few days...lots to do before we head to Hawaii.
Today is Memorial Day ... Do you know what this day signifies? It is a day to remember all the men and women who have fought for your freedom - freedom to read blogs, watch youtube, attend a seminar openly, be your own boss, marry who you want, for men and women to walk and talk openly, for your right to vote, for everything you should hold dear.
I hear so many people complain about America. I have traveled to over 30 countries - and we ARE blessed! We live in the greatest country in the world. So many people have sacrificed for our rights. I hope all of you take a moment today and say a prayer - not just for the fallen soldiers, but every single person who has fought for you whether you wanted them to or not. So many people came back maimed, mentally destroyed, lost homes in foreclosure, had wives or husbands cheat on them, weren't here to see their babies born, and so much more.
When I hear people complain about America - I get so upset. My thought is - if you don't like it - move out! Most Americans wouldn't last one week in another country. Much of the world is very poor, has little resources, had no technology, or offers little opportunity for you to become a self-made millionaire.
I don't mean to be on a soap box, but most of us really do take for granted what a great life we have. Even with all the foreclosures, the high gas prices, the recession we are supposed to be in - we are still the greatest country in the world. Our country was founded on Christian values and I hope we can remember that - God has truly blessed our country.
I have some great stuff coming up this week, so stay tuned.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
http://www.theieu.com/
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Changes in Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae Lending
Hi Friends,
Good afternoon ... I hope this posting finds you well. Before we get down to business, I have to tell you how excited I am that David Cook won American Idol. If you are reading all my posts, you know I always watch Idol ... what can I say - I do waste time once in a while, I guess:-). I think what excites me is that I see people get to live their dreams. I am living mine and it is the greatest feeling in the world. I teach to help you live yours and I get all weepy watching others live theirs. I was so excited last night I screamed when he won:-).
OK - down to business ... Freddie Mac has made a change to their lending guidelines - they are NOT refinancing properties that have been held in an LLC at any time in the previous six months. What does this mean to us? Nothing really - it just means we have to plan a little better.
Good afternoon ... I hope this posting finds you well. Before we get down to business, I have to tell you how excited I am that David Cook won American Idol. If you are reading all my posts, you know I always watch Idol ... what can I say - I do waste time once in a while, I guess:-). I think what excites me is that I see people get to live their dreams. I am living mine and it is the greatest feeling in the world. I teach to help you live yours and I get all weepy watching others live theirs. I was so excited last night I screamed when he won:-).
OK - down to business ... Freddie Mac has made a change to their lending guidelines - they are NOT refinancing properties that have been held in an LLC at any time in the previous six months. What does this mean to us? Nothing really - it just means we have to plan a little better.
- If you have any properties you plan to keep for long-term, this won't affect you at all.
- If you have a property you want to refinance and it is in an LLC - take it out of the LLC seven months prior, refinance it, and then put it back into the LLC.
- Find a lender who is willing to refinance a property in an LLC - other than Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae.
- Put the property into a Land Trust naming the LLC as your beneficiary.
- Do what we do and take properties "subject to."
We take properties subject to. Once we accumulate several, we make the homeowners payments on time for awhile, and then refinance them all at once using different banks. This way, I am not applying for 10 loans at the same bank. I am applying for 10 loans at 10 different banks. It is much easier to qualify this way. I do all my re-fi's at once and then collect rentals for awhile and do it again. This also gives me lots of different banks or work with when I do need to borrow money.
As lenders, the government or the IRS try to change laws, we have to stay ahead of the game. Most of these new laws in the foreclosure business are in place to prevent homeowners from being taken advantage of. Sadly - there are lots of predators out there. A few bad apples ruin it for the rest of us.
As long as we stay ahead of the game, run our business ethically, and ALWAYS do what is right for the homeowner - we can sleep at night without worry of going out of business.
If you don't already have a Land Trust - I'll give you one. Email me at www.dwan@theieu.com and request a FREE Land Trust. I'll email you the one I use ... FREE!
Don't wait - email today - also ... we are having a scratch and dent sale on some products that came back to us slightly damaged. If you need something, name it in your email, and I'll have Billy call you and see what we have left. We are selling things as low as $149.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
BTW - Fannie Mae hasn't adopted this policy yet, but, most likely, will very soon.
www.theieu.comTuesday, May 20, 2008
Permanent Boot Camp Location
Hi Folks,
I am so excited! We have made the decision to use one of our buildings in Clinton, Iowa as a permanent boot camp location. I know some of you are already saying, "I'm not going to Iowa!" Hey - it's OK...you'll be glad you did.
We really want to help you to become as successful as possible. By holding classes in one location, we can add a bus trip to the classes. In addition, we own rentals there and will be able to offer many new services:
I am so excited! We have made the decision to use one of our buildings in Clinton, Iowa as a permanent boot camp location. I know some of you are already saying, "I'm not going to Iowa!" Hey - it's OK...you'll be glad you did.
We really want to help you to become as successful as possible. By holding classes in one location, we can add a bus trip to the classes. In addition, we own rentals there and will be able to offer many new services:
- State-of-the-art location
- Catered lunches
- Parties on the rooftop
- A bus trip to look at and PURCHASE properties right where we invest
- Monthly property maintenance
- Someone to process rental applications for you
- Handy men you can trust
- MUCH cheaper hotels
- Riverboat gambling
- and much more
We are really excited to make this change and we hope and pray you will support our decision. In this tough market, we feel it will be a major asset for you to be able to invest where we invest. We can't guarantee success, but if you follow what we do - you should have the same results ... rentals that are FULL and CASH FLOWING!
We have done very well in river front towns and want to offer the same to you. We are planning to hold the first class in July. Instead of teaching in Chicago - we are going to try to have the space ready for - The Investors Edge University Training Center.
If you are struggling in this market, please plan to attend a class as soon as possible. Our goal is to teach you how to survive the crashing market and come out on top.
On a sad note...one of my dogs - Ruthie - has had cancer for a while. We had to put her to sleep today. It is a sad day for me, so say a little prayer for me today. Thanks for you support...
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
Monday, May 19, 2008
What To Do if Your Rentals are NOT Producing
Good Afternoon Friends,
I received this response to one of my posts and I want to share it with you...Again - this is why I dedicate so much of my time to teaching. God has given me a gift and a business I can share with others that can change their lives. Thanks for your support. Each time I read a letter like this, I thank God for the blessing of being part of your life and for you being part of mine...
Dear Dwan,
I am a real estate investor who for several years has done very well. I am a buy and hold investor as well and I, too, enjoy sharing and educating along the way. I had purchased rehabbed and then refinanced. This became my income and artificially produced a very high income I became accustomed too. Last year when the lending business changed overnight, my income was gone...who moved my cheese?
Since then, I have gone back to work in the industry I was in prior to becoming a full time investor. I have to say I love the work and the people, and yet I love the freedom being self employed gave to me and my beautiful wife. Unfortunately, I also had a property manager who has been less than 100% ethical. I have a total of 64 properties, of which 19 are building lots. The majority of my rental are with this one PM company. So I received a double whammy wake up. Instead of me getting my 14-15k per month I began getting 1k-2k per month.
I then began a short sale process to sell my properties. The real estate agent took so long to do their job (third one hired to do the short sale) that the properties are now being foreclosed on. I am reading your book, which I received when I attended a seminar in December. It is renewing my strength and confidence. And now with reading your subject to, and using land trusts to take possession of your rentals, this will be the direction I will head.
I am inspired and re-committed to get back to rebuilding my real estate, and your blog, your book and the stories within have been a direct catalyst.
God Bless you and thank you.
Wow! Thanks for the kind words. I do want to offer some advice right now. If you have 64 properties, sell some of them and pay off the others. Say you were able to sell off 50 - use that money to pay the other 14 off completely. This way you'll still have several rentals to start over with.
I realize that the market is down - but - did you know that you can do your OWN short sales. Call the bank, explain that you have 64 properties that are in foreclosure, get the bank to agree to accept a short sale and list them in the MLS - "subject to a short sale." You should get a ton of offers. If other investors by any of them from you, have them give you some cash at the closing. Use the cash to pay off the others or if there are any with equity, sell them in a package to pay off others.
Put them in smaller packages - maybe 6 or 7 in a group. Advertise them on www.craigslist.com. We have had great response buying and selling on craigslist. If they are bundled together, you might get some interest. Folks, if any of you are stuck with unwanted rentals, try this. You'd be surprised what you can come up with when you need to.
Sadly, markets like these can catch people with their pants down - there are hundreds of thousands of investors who got caught up in the pre-construction craze sitting with 1/2 finished properties that now require a payment. It's unfortunate...
The good news is that you can rebuild and be much better off. Did you know that Henry Ford went bankrupt 7 times? Think about this - started a company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... filed bankruptcy; started yet another company ... filed bankruptcy; started yet another company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... now it's getting painful just to read ... filed bankruptcy; started Ford Motor Company and many of you now pay him.
Think about what it must have taken to go bankrupt 7 times! All your friends thinking you are a nut for starting another company, people losing faith in you, you losing faith in yourself...what perseverance it must have taken.
So, when a market like this catches you off-guard, turn lemons into lemonade....
I received this response to one of my posts and I want to share it with you...Again - this is why I dedicate so much of my time to teaching. God has given me a gift and a business I can share with others that can change their lives. Thanks for your support. Each time I read a letter like this, I thank God for the blessing of being part of your life and for you being part of mine...
Dear Dwan,
I am a real estate investor who for several years has done very well. I am a buy and hold investor as well and I, too, enjoy sharing and educating along the way. I had purchased rehabbed and then refinanced. This became my income and artificially produced a very high income I became accustomed too. Last year when the lending business changed overnight, my income was gone...who moved my cheese?
Since then, I have gone back to work in the industry I was in prior to becoming a full time investor. I have to say I love the work and the people, and yet I love the freedom being self employed gave to me and my beautiful wife. Unfortunately, I also had a property manager who has been less than 100% ethical. I have a total of 64 properties, of which 19 are building lots. The majority of my rental are with this one PM company. So I received a double whammy wake up. Instead of me getting my 14-15k per month I began getting 1k-2k per month.
I then began a short sale process to sell my properties. The real estate agent took so long to do their job (third one hired to do the short sale) that the properties are now being foreclosed on. I am reading your book, which I received when I attended a seminar in December. It is renewing my strength and confidence. And now with reading your subject to, and using land trusts to take possession of your rentals, this will be the direction I will head.
I am inspired and re-committed to get back to rebuilding my real estate, and your blog, your book and the stories within have been a direct catalyst.
God Bless you and thank you.
Wow! Thanks for the kind words. I do want to offer some advice right now. If you have 64 properties, sell some of them and pay off the others. Say you were able to sell off 50 - use that money to pay the other 14 off completely. This way you'll still have several rentals to start over with.
I realize that the market is down - but - did you know that you can do your OWN short sales. Call the bank, explain that you have 64 properties that are in foreclosure, get the bank to agree to accept a short sale and list them in the MLS - "subject to a short sale." You should get a ton of offers. If other investors by any of them from you, have them give you some cash at the closing. Use the cash to pay off the others or if there are any with equity, sell them in a package to pay off others.
Put them in smaller packages - maybe 6 or 7 in a group. Advertise them on www.craigslist.com. We have had great response buying and selling on craigslist. If they are bundled together, you might get some interest. Folks, if any of you are stuck with unwanted rentals, try this. You'd be surprised what you can come up with when you need to.
Sadly, markets like these can catch people with their pants down - there are hundreds of thousands of investors who got caught up in the pre-construction craze sitting with 1/2 finished properties that now require a payment. It's unfortunate...
The good news is that you can rebuild and be much better off. Did you know that Henry Ford went bankrupt 7 times? Think about this - started a company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... filed bankruptcy; started yet another company ... filed bankruptcy; started yet another company ... filed bankruptcy; started another company ... now it's getting painful just to read ... filed bankruptcy; started Ford Motor Company and many of you now pay him.
Think about what it must have taken to go bankrupt 7 times! All your friends thinking you are a nut for starting another company, people losing faith in you, you losing faith in yourself...what perseverance it must have taken.
So, when a market like this catches you off-guard, turn lemons into lemonade....
- Sell some of your rentals to pay off others.
- Rent to people in the Section 8 program.
- Use the Section 9 program - people with aids.
- Use programs for people with substance abuse.
- Use program for people just getting out of jail.
- Use special needs housing programs - handicapped people.
There are all sorts of programs where the government will PAY you HUGE amounts of rent. All you have to do is search them out and use them. ALL my tenants are from the Section 8 program. My rent is paid by the government and I am getting rent increases every year. Nothing is vacant and none of my rent went down during this housing market.
I like to think of government programs as "recession proof" rentals. There is no person elected into public office who would sign a bill stopping programs for the poor and handicapped. It will never happen.
Folks, this does not have to be the end of the world - change what you are doing and you will come out on top.
Hope this helped some of you. Rentals can make you very wealthy and can also cause you to lose everything. Even if you have lost everything because of rentals - do what I said the other day - use subject to's to rebuild during this market. You will come out on top.
Buy in places like the Midwest. Especially river front towns. Gambling boats are huge and anyplace along a river will soon have a gambling boat - which means more jobs - which means more hotels - which means more jobs - which means new industry will move in - and so it goes...
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Rising Foreclosures and Subject To's
Hi Friends,
The rising foreclosure rate is staggering. I read today that in some counties in Colorado 1 in every 86 homes is in foreclosure. It's so hard to imagine. How can so many people be losing their homes?
I was talking with another educator yesterday and he said there is a Bill on the table right now to outlaw "subject to's" in the entire country. I would hate to see that happen because that is how we take our rentals. Whenever you hear of anything like this - do something about it. We are planning to support a lobbyist who is going to bat for investors nationwide. Sadly, we have no real voice in Washington. As I get more information, I'll let you know what you can do to be part of the solution.
Speaking of subject to properties... this is how we get most of our rentals. We have the homeowners deed the property into a "Land Trust" and then we become the beneficiaries. We have an attorney who is our Trustee. As beneficiaries, we are the owners of the property. Many people don't understand what a land trust is and how it works.
The deed is filed into the name of a land trust - instead of into YOUR name. That deed is filed at the courthouse and the land trust is now the new owner. The actual land trust itself is a document kept by you. In the document it states who is the trustee (the person who represents the land trust) and who is the beneficiary (the owner of the trust and; therefore, the owner of the property). The land trust document is NOT filed. It is kept in your hands. This is why the bank does not realize that the title changed...people are allowed to put their properties into an asset protection entity without calling the "due on sale" clause.
We name the land trust the property address. So, if we were buying a property located at 123 Elm Street. We would name the land trust - The Elm Street Land Trust. The bank assumes that the homeowners put their property into a trust for asset protection. If I named the trust - Bill and Dwan's New Rental - it would raise red flags. The new deed now states that the Elm Street Land Trust is the new owner. The ONLY document filed at the courthouse is the new deed. The actual land trust remains in your possession, naming you as the beneficiary...get it?
By using this method, we are able to take all our rentals without ever raising any questions with the banks. By taking over the homeowners payments, we don't have to qualify for new loans every time we get a new rental. With this crashing market, taking over properties subject to is the best way for you to accumulate wealth without having to use your own money.
I keep telling everyone - if you have the means to keep rentals right now - do it. Properties have never been so cheap. Take a look at my youtube pictures. There is a cute, little white house. We just got a new tenant for $600 a month - moving in June 1. The payment is $233. How crazy is that? It's a great deal for everyone. Part of the reason we are going to start doing boot camps in Iowa is to expose you to some of the amazing deals we are getting.
As more people lose their homes, they will need to rent. You can fill a need as well as help homeowners get a fresh start. What can be better than that?
OK, I have to run. I am doing a live call in 20 minutes...hopefully you will be tuning in.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
The rising foreclosure rate is staggering. I read today that in some counties in Colorado 1 in every 86 homes is in foreclosure. It's so hard to imagine. How can so many people be losing their homes?
I was talking with another educator yesterday and he said there is a Bill on the table right now to outlaw "subject to's" in the entire country. I would hate to see that happen because that is how we take our rentals. Whenever you hear of anything like this - do something about it. We are planning to support a lobbyist who is going to bat for investors nationwide. Sadly, we have no real voice in Washington. As I get more information, I'll let you know what you can do to be part of the solution.
Speaking of subject to properties... this is how we get most of our rentals. We have the homeowners deed the property into a "Land Trust" and then we become the beneficiaries. We have an attorney who is our Trustee. As beneficiaries, we are the owners of the property. Many people don't understand what a land trust is and how it works.
The deed is filed into the name of a land trust - instead of into YOUR name. That deed is filed at the courthouse and the land trust is now the new owner. The actual land trust itself is a document kept by you. In the document it states who is the trustee (the person who represents the land trust) and who is the beneficiary (the owner of the trust and; therefore, the owner of the property). The land trust document is NOT filed. It is kept in your hands. This is why the bank does not realize that the title changed...people are allowed to put their properties into an asset protection entity without calling the "due on sale" clause.
We name the land trust the property address. So, if we were buying a property located at 123 Elm Street. We would name the land trust - The Elm Street Land Trust. The bank assumes that the homeowners put their property into a trust for asset protection. If I named the trust - Bill and Dwan's New Rental - it would raise red flags. The new deed now states that the Elm Street Land Trust is the new owner. The ONLY document filed at the courthouse is the new deed. The actual land trust remains in your possession, naming you as the beneficiary...get it?
By using this method, we are able to take all our rentals without ever raising any questions with the banks. By taking over the homeowners payments, we don't have to qualify for new loans every time we get a new rental. With this crashing market, taking over properties subject to is the best way for you to accumulate wealth without having to use your own money.
I keep telling everyone - if you have the means to keep rentals right now - do it. Properties have never been so cheap. Take a look at my youtube pictures. There is a cute, little white house. We just got a new tenant for $600 a month - moving in June 1. The payment is $233. How crazy is that? It's a great deal for everyone. Part of the reason we are going to start doing boot camps in Iowa is to expose you to some of the amazing deals we are getting.
As more people lose their homes, they will need to rent. You can fill a need as well as help homeowners get a fresh start. What can be better than that?
OK, I have to run. I am doing a live call in 20 minutes...hopefully you will be tuning in.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
Jim Ferebee - $40,000 in ONE day!
You have to love this guy!!!
Dwan, thank you for the opportunity to take these photos with you. It was an absolute Honor to stand beside someone who has changed my life completely when it came to being able to finally do something for myself and quit my job at Ford Motor Company.
I could not have done this without the benefit of having your course and following what you laid out for me to do. You truly have changed my life and I appreciate you forever....I had co-workers saying that I was crazy to leave a job like that. I believe they did not wany me to make it just so they could say I told you so.
Even what I thought was a close friend did not believe that I could do it and was told that I was crazy as hell to think that a bank would discount their loans so that I could come along and make money like that and that I was a dreamer and I need to stay at Ford where I belong. But boy did I prove them wrong......
I have my boss fax number and quite often send them a copy of my checks just to show them it can be done. I feel like McDonalds, "I'm Loving It"
Thanks Dwan!!!!
Sincerely,
Jim Ferebee Jr
Dwan, thank you for the opportunity to take these photos with you. It was an absolute Honor to stand beside someone who has changed my life completely when it came to being able to finally do something for myself and quit my job at Ford Motor Company.
I could not have done this without the benefit of having your course and following what you laid out for me to do. You truly have changed my life and I appreciate you forever....I had co-workers saying that I was crazy to leave a job like that. I believe they did not wany me to make it just so they could say I told you so.
Even what I thought was a close friend did not believe that I could do it and was told that I was crazy as hell to think that a bank would discount their loans so that I could come along and make money like that and that I was a dreamer and I need to stay at Ford where I belong. But boy did I prove them wrong......
I have my boss fax number and quite often send them a copy of my checks just to show them it can be done. I feel like McDonalds, "I'm Loving It"
Thanks Dwan!!!!
Sincerely,
Jim Ferebee Jr
$10,000 paycheck
Hi friends,
I just wanted to take a quick minute and post this. I received this email today...
Hi Bill & Dwan & Staff,
I wanted to share with you that I closed my first deal!!! It actually closed while I was still in LA for the Scripts Bootcamp last week. I made $10,000 on it, and a copy of the check is attached. Your classes and materials really made this success possible. Especially the NLP techniques were a big eye opener for me! Besides the concrete things that I learned by taking the bootcamps, what really did it for me is the inspiration and the example of how you guys talk during the bootcamps.
Thank you very much!
I reallyrespect the high level at which you guys teach this business!
Thank You,
Roelof Drenth
Isn't this great!!! What is stopping you!!!
I'l be back a little later with some real estate updates.
Dwan
I just wanted to take a quick minute and post this. I received this email today...
Hi Bill & Dwan & Staff,
I wanted to share with you that I closed my first deal!!! It actually closed while I was still in LA for the Scripts Bootcamp last week. I made $10,000 on it, and a copy of the check is attached. Your classes and materials really made this success possible. Especially the NLP techniques were a big eye opener for me! Besides the concrete things that I learned by taking the bootcamps, what really did it for me is the inspiration and the example of how you guys talk during the bootcamps.
Thank you very much!
I reallyrespect the high level at which you guys teach this business!
Thank You,
Roelof Drenth
Isn't this great!!! What is stopping you!!!
I'l be back a little later with some real estate updates.
Dwan
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Investing in Iowa
Hi Friends,
I wanted to let you know that Bill and I are going to start teaching ALL our boot camps in Clinton, Iowa. You may be asking yourself ... why???
Several reasons - we own a beautiful building there with an amazing space, hotels are cheap, we are tired of dealing with hotels and people who don't do their job ....
Most importantly - we are going to add a bus trip to our classes and take you to properties that you can buy and also show you what we are doing. There are sooo many deals in this small town and it is a safe place to put your investing dollars, especially in this down market.
We want you to be successful and we figure if you invest where we do...you can't go wrong. So, if you are planning on attending a boot camp, Iowa is the place to be:-).
Think about it...if you aren't registered for a class..come. You will love it.
Thanks,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
This is the building you'll be coming to...
I wanted to let you know that Bill and I are going to start teaching ALL our boot camps in Clinton, Iowa. You may be asking yourself ... why???
Several reasons - we own a beautiful building there with an amazing space, hotels are cheap, we are tired of dealing with hotels and people who don't do their job ....
Most importantly - we are going to add a bus trip to our classes and take you to properties that you can buy and also show you what we are doing. There are sooo many deals in this small town and it is a safe place to put your investing dollars, especially in this down market.
We want you to be successful and we figure if you invest where we do...you can't go wrong. So, if you are planning on attending a boot camp, Iowa is the place to be:-).
Think about it...if you aren't registered for a class..come. You will love it.
Thanks,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
This is the building you'll be coming to...
Encouragement and Hope
Hi Friends,
I want to share a comment I received on my blog. This email touched me so much, I cried. A lot of people ask me why I teach. I hear comments like - If you're doing so well in real estate why do you teach, do you still do deals, how long has it been since you did a short sale and stuff like that.
The Bible speaks of gifts. Each of us has a special gift. Some of us know our gift and others haven't discovered it yet. A "gift" can be anything - prophesy, preaching, teaching, making quilts, counseling, playing basketball, teaching someone to read, being a volunteer, being a great parent...anything. It is important for each of you to take some time and find your gift. Once you know what it is, you can use it to the fullest and you'll feel satisfaction using your gift and sharing it with others.
I am blessed to have several gifts from God - I have the gift of hospitality ( I am a great host), the gift of encouragement, the gift of teaching, the gift of discernment, and several others along those lines. Because of that, I love to teach and offer hope to others. I had a very rough start - single mom, no money, no formal education, no car...it was bad.
I have done very well for myself in real estate - and, yes, we still do deals ( I posted two on my youtube account that we just picked up last week) - because of that, I want to encourage others to be successful as well. I am the first person in my entire family (both parents, all my cousins, everyone) to become a millionaire. Not only did I make a million once..I have been blessed enough to make well in excess of that EVERY year. God put in on my heart many years ago to teach and encourage others.
That brings me to this email...please read it and you'll understand why I do what I do...
Dwan, I just luv, luv you; And I want to thank you for this blog. I am going to log in here daily, and use you as my inspiration and motivation for starting to invest in real estate. Dwan, may I share with you, I have had some personal things happen, (I lost a child, and a dad in the same week, and now we are losing our home due to an ARM) I have allowed those things to knock me down, and now I am having trouble shaking it off, getting up and getting going again. I know that when God is ready to change our lives, he sends people into our lives, and that is what happened when I found your Blog. After reading your profile, I promised myself that I am going to log into this Blog everyday, so I can keep my attitude in check, and my motivation level up! I thank you again, for just sharing with us, and blogging so faithfully.You are REAL, and GENUINE, and you give me courage to go out there and get started. May God continue to greatly Bless your family and Business! Looking forward to your daily blogs.
Elisa - Florida
Isn't that amazing? Elisa, I want to thank you for your kind words. It is because of you and other people like you that I teach classes, travel all over the country, post blogs, take the time to coach, and encourage others. I feel like God placed me in your life to make a difference and you have made a difference in mine as well. When someone reads a letter like that, how can they wonder why I teach?
It is a privilege from God for me to help others and to make a difference. People always talk about changing the world, but I think the average person thinks they have to do something huge and larger than life. I make changes one person at a time...that's how God does it...one person at a time. If it's good enough for God, it's good enough for me:-).
I still like the thrill of the deal though, so we still do deals. This year we are focusing on buying and holding, so we won't be flipping that many. In fact, we have kept everything we have gotten our hands on this year. We are getting things so cheap, it's a shame to sell them.
So folks..I want to encourage you to learn this business, become wealthy, help homeowners who really need you, and most importantly - let me help you. I won't let you down...
Ok - it's Tuesday and I have a call and American Idol:-). What can I say...I waste some of my valuable time on TV. I love to see people live their dreams and that is exactly what happens with these kids on Idol. They get a chance to live the dream. Hey, if you happen to tune in - vote for David Cook - he's my favorite...cutie pie:-).
Make it a point to make a difference in the life of someone else today. You'll be glad you did.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
I want to share a comment I received on my blog. This email touched me so much, I cried. A lot of people ask me why I teach. I hear comments like - If you're doing so well in real estate why do you teach, do you still do deals, how long has it been since you did a short sale and stuff like that.
The Bible speaks of gifts. Each of us has a special gift. Some of us know our gift and others haven't discovered it yet. A "gift" can be anything - prophesy, preaching, teaching, making quilts, counseling, playing basketball, teaching someone to read, being a volunteer, being a great parent...anything. It is important for each of you to take some time and find your gift. Once you know what it is, you can use it to the fullest and you'll feel satisfaction using your gift and sharing it with others.
I am blessed to have several gifts from God - I have the gift of hospitality ( I am a great host), the gift of encouragement, the gift of teaching, the gift of discernment, and several others along those lines. Because of that, I love to teach and offer hope to others. I had a very rough start - single mom, no money, no formal education, no car...it was bad.
I have done very well for myself in real estate - and, yes, we still do deals ( I posted two on my youtube account that we just picked up last week) - because of that, I want to encourage others to be successful as well. I am the first person in my entire family (both parents, all my cousins, everyone) to become a millionaire. Not only did I make a million once..I have been blessed enough to make well in excess of that EVERY year. God put in on my heart many years ago to teach and encourage others.
That brings me to this email...please read it and you'll understand why I do what I do...
Dwan, I just luv, luv you; And I want to thank you for this blog. I am going to log in here daily, and use you as my inspiration and motivation for starting to invest in real estate. Dwan, may I share with you, I have had some personal things happen, (I lost a child, and a dad in the same week, and now we are losing our home due to an ARM) I have allowed those things to knock me down, and now I am having trouble shaking it off, getting up and getting going again. I know that when God is ready to change our lives, he sends people into our lives, and that is what happened when I found your Blog. After reading your profile, I promised myself that I am going to log into this Blog everyday, so I can keep my attitude in check, and my motivation level up! I thank you again, for just sharing with us, and blogging so faithfully.You are REAL, and GENUINE, and you give me courage to go out there and get started. May God continue to greatly Bless your family and Business! Looking forward to your daily blogs.
Elisa - Florida
Isn't that amazing? Elisa, I want to thank you for your kind words. It is because of you and other people like you that I teach classes, travel all over the country, post blogs, take the time to coach, and encourage others. I feel like God placed me in your life to make a difference and you have made a difference in mine as well. When someone reads a letter like that, how can they wonder why I teach?
It is a privilege from God for me to help others and to make a difference. People always talk about changing the world, but I think the average person thinks they have to do something huge and larger than life. I make changes one person at a time...that's how God does it...one person at a time. If it's good enough for God, it's good enough for me:-).
I still like the thrill of the deal though, so we still do deals. This year we are focusing on buying and holding, so we won't be flipping that many. In fact, we have kept everything we have gotten our hands on this year. We are getting things so cheap, it's a shame to sell them.
So folks..I want to encourage you to learn this business, become wealthy, help homeowners who really need you, and most importantly - let me help you. I won't let you down...
Ok - it's Tuesday and I have a call and American Idol:-). What can I say...I waste some of my valuable time on TV. I love to see people live their dreams and that is exactly what happens with these kids on Idol. They get a chance to live the dream. Hey, if you happen to tune in - vote for David Cook - he's my favorite...cutie pie:-).
Make it a point to make a difference in the life of someone else today. You'll be glad you did.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.youtube.com/dwanbenttwyford
Monday, May 12, 2008
Finally
Hi Folks,
I can finally get back on!!! My blog got locked and it took me this long to figure out what to do.
Since it is late tonight, I'll get back to posting tomorrow. I have lots to share...
Not only do I have a blog...I have a You Tube account now, too. Am I getting with the program or what???
Check out some great deals and what other students are doing...You'll be glad you did.
Have a Blessed Night,
Dwan
http://www.youtube.com/DwanBentTwyford
I can finally get back on!!! My blog got locked and it took me this long to figure out what to do.
Since it is late tonight, I'll get back to posting tomorrow. I have lots to share...
Not only do I have a blog...I have a You Tube account now, too. Am I getting with the program or what???
Check out some great deals and what other students are doing...You'll be glad you did.
Have a Blessed Night,
Dwan
http://www.youtube.com/DwanBentTwyford
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Life
Hi Folks,
Life sure comes at you fast. Bill's Aunt Bev passed away this past weekend. She was a wonderful, Christian woman. The strange thing is, Bill is now the oldest. We are the next generation of people who will die.
I think we all feel like we have some sort of "safety net" as long as someone older than us is still alive. We are now the oldest! Crazy isn't it???
Which made me think of something I read once and saved...I want to share it with you...
If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.
If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, Well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away. For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything just right.
There will always be another day to say "I love you," and certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do?" But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, and today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today? For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day, that you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear, Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear.
Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay." And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.
Before you walk out your door each morning, be certain you are right with God and those you love. You may never get another chance.
Have A Wonderful Evening,
Life sure comes at you fast. Bill's Aunt Bev passed away this past weekend. She was a wonderful, Christian woman. The strange thing is, Bill is now the oldest. We are the next generation of people who will die.
I think we all feel like we have some sort of "safety net" as long as someone older than us is still alive. We are now the oldest! Crazy isn't it???
Which made me think of something I read once and saved...I want to share it with you...
IF I KNEW
If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.
If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, Well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away. For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything just right.
There will always be another day to say "I love you," and certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do?" But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, and today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today? For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day, that you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear, Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear.
Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay." And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.
Before you walk out your door each morning, be certain you are right with God and those you love. You may never get another chance.
Have A Wonderful Evening,
Dwan
Saturday, April 26, 2008
When the Bank Won't Accept Your Short Sale Information
Hi Friends,
We are in San Diego this weekend. Bill is teaching right now, while I write to you.
I had another great question posted on my blog. People are asking questions about Vegas and comps and short sales.
Folks, Vegas in one of the hardest hit areas. There was soooo much pre-construction and there are so many people upside down right now.
If you are doing short sales and having a hard time getting banks to accept REO sales as comps, ask the bank what comps they would like to see you use? Banks look for comparable sales within the past six months. If that is all there is, they must accept those comps.
If you have my program or have been to a short sale boot camp....you know that we use a "three step" short sale process. My thought is to treat short sales as if you were going to court and presenting a case. The more information you have, the better your chances to win.
We begin with our first offer focusing on the distress of the homeowners and their property. We provide low comps, hardship letters, a cover letter from us, pictures, and whatever else we think will help.
I have never had a problem with a bank using REO comps. I think that if you send the second and third offers, the banks will be more likely to look at your offer as a WHOLE package.
In the second offer, we send the crime reports, a list of the registered sex offenders, pictures of boarded up houses and more.
In our third offer, we show the financial loss to the bank if it does not accept our offer. The third offer is VERY important...it shows the bank exactly what it will lose if our offer is not taken.
I truly believe that if enough effort is put into a short sale, you will get a "yes" 80% of the time.
I find that when a bank is not wanting to accept some portion of my package (like comps)...I push to find out what it will accept. Almost ALL banks do short sales, so there must be some item that will be acceptable. Being pushy is sometimes the key.
Remember, if a bank says no right now to your deal...call back at the beginning of the next quarter. A bank may say no in March, then receive reports of what a bad first quarter it had and then accept your short sale when you call back in April.
Likewise, you may get a no in the beginning of April and call back at the end of the same quarter and get a yes.
Banks are all about numbers and run in quarters. A "no" this quarter could be a "yes" next quarter.
As long as the property hasn't gone to the sheriffs sale, the deal is not over. We call up until the last day to try and talk a bank rep into a yes. Often, homeowners will file bankruptcy just before the sheriffs sale in order to buy more time. Once bankruptcy is filed ... we get back to work.
Are short sales worth all the work? You bet! You can expect to make anywhere from 10% to 20% of the current retail value on each property. That can mean a huge check for you on every deal.
Since our goal is to by properties at 50% of the value, we are willing to put in the extra effort and extra calls to get the deal done.
Remember..the homeowner must always come first. This is their one and only chance to start over - you have a deal around every corner.
We are headed to the airport soon....Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hey... go to church tomorrow and thank God that you live in such a great country and that you have the ability to make a difference in the lives of people every day...just like Jesus does!
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
We are in San Diego this weekend. Bill is teaching right now, while I write to you.
I had another great question posted on my blog. People are asking questions about Vegas and comps and short sales.
Folks, Vegas in one of the hardest hit areas. There was soooo much pre-construction and there are so many people upside down right now.
If you are doing short sales and having a hard time getting banks to accept REO sales as comps, ask the bank what comps they would like to see you use? Banks look for comparable sales within the past six months. If that is all there is, they must accept those comps.
If you have my program or have been to a short sale boot camp....you know that we use a "three step" short sale process. My thought is to treat short sales as if you were going to court and presenting a case. The more information you have, the better your chances to win.
We begin with our first offer focusing on the distress of the homeowners and their property. We provide low comps, hardship letters, a cover letter from us, pictures, and whatever else we think will help.
I have never had a problem with a bank using REO comps. I think that if you send the second and third offers, the banks will be more likely to look at your offer as a WHOLE package.
In the second offer, we send the crime reports, a list of the registered sex offenders, pictures of boarded up houses and more.
In our third offer, we show the financial loss to the bank if it does not accept our offer. The third offer is VERY important...it shows the bank exactly what it will lose if our offer is not taken.
I truly believe that if enough effort is put into a short sale, you will get a "yes" 80% of the time.
I find that when a bank is not wanting to accept some portion of my package (like comps)...I push to find out what it will accept. Almost ALL banks do short sales, so there must be some item that will be acceptable. Being pushy is sometimes the key.
Remember, if a bank says no right now to your deal...call back at the beginning of the next quarter. A bank may say no in March, then receive reports of what a bad first quarter it had and then accept your short sale when you call back in April.
Likewise, you may get a no in the beginning of April and call back at the end of the same quarter and get a yes.
Banks are all about numbers and run in quarters. A "no" this quarter could be a "yes" next quarter.
As long as the property hasn't gone to the sheriffs sale, the deal is not over. We call up until the last day to try and talk a bank rep into a yes. Often, homeowners will file bankruptcy just before the sheriffs sale in order to buy more time. Once bankruptcy is filed ... we get back to work.
Are short sales worth all the work? You bet! You can expect to make anywhere from 10% to 20% of the current retail value on each property. That can mean a huge check for you on every deal.
Since our goal is to by properties at 50% of the value, we are willing to put in the extra effort and extra calls to get the deal done.
Remember..the homeowner must always come first. This is their one and only chance to start over - you have a deal around every corner.
We are headed to the airport soon....Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hey... go to church tomorrow and thank God that you live in such a great country and that you have the ability to make a difference in the lives of people every day...just like Jesus does!
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Buy and Hold?
Good Evening Friends,
I had such a great answer to my blog from yesterday, I decided to write about it...
The questions was...
Am I correct to say that "buy now" and hold only works in a place that doesn't have double digit devaluation going on? Some places have 13% to 17% and even more, in declining house values. A place like Iowa is a better place to "buy and hold?"
My answer...
As I said, Bill and I "buy and hold" in Iowa for several reasons. The main one being that the property values hold, year after year. Even if the property values dropped 5% this year, it wouldn't make a difference in the long run because values typically climb 5% a year....year after year. Every two years, values have climbed 10%. It doesn't take many years to see appreciation on your investment.
We buy and hold for long-term, and we mean...long-term. The Bible says it is a blessing to leave a legacy to your grandchildren. We are buying and holding for us, our kids, and their kids. It is our goal to set our family up in a business that can be passed down through generations. Owning lots of property would be a blessing to us and our families. They don't make any more land, so owning lots of it is our goal.
If you are in a area that is dropping with double digits...you must learn to short sale. If you can buy properties at 50% of the current value, even if the values drop another 20%, you still own properties below market. If you do a short sale, you would have to secure financing, which is a problem for a lot of folks right now. We have a company we are working with that only charges $500 to fix your credit - I don't want to turn this into a sales pitch, but this really works. If you have late payments, foreclosures, or even a bankruptcy...they can get it off. Take a look at: http://ieu.fixcreditbiz.com
If buying with your credit is not an option ... you'll have to do "Subject To's" - having a homeowner deed their house to you. Once the deed is transferred, the property becomes yours. The homeowners name is still on the mortgage - so make the payments on time. If you make a late payment, you hurt the homeowners credit.
Some states are making "subject to's" illegal because investors are taking advantage of distressed sellers. Check with your local attorney to see if you can do a subject to.
We recently invested in four rentals in Iowa. All four of them are worth $50,000 to $57,000 and we got each one for $30,000 or under. That is not a huge amount of equity, but they rent for $550 or more each. We took over payments and each one cash flows. Our total out of pocket expense was only $2,000. As each one climbs 5% a year in value, it won't take long for them to be worth $100,000 and the payments are under $300 each. They will be huge cash cows.
We always pay a little extra on our rentals to get them paid off as soon as possible. We bought a lot of properties in Florida back when the market was down. As the markets went up, we owned properties at 20% of the value. We sold a few and paid off others and ended up sitting good when the market dropped again.
It is important to plan ahead and watch markets. The hard part is knowing who to listen to. The news stations say not to buy now and I say...buy as much as you can. I have said many times that millionaires are born in times like these. People who understand how to help sellers while getting a good deal themselves will see the fruit of their labor pay off. The people who do it right, will come out on top at the end of all this.
I am doing a four part series of teleconference calls in May called -
Make sure you tune into it. With a little guidance...ALL of you can become super wealthy right now...
Ok...I have to watch American Idol now. I am a fan of David Cook - too cute!
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
I had such a great answer to my blog from yesterday, I decided to write about it...
The questions was...
Am I correct to say that "buy now" and hold only works in a place that doesn't have double digit devaluation going on? Some places have 13% to 17% and even more, in declining house values. A place like Iowa is a better place to "buy and hold?"
My answer...
As I said, Bill and I "buy and hold" in Iowa for several reasons. The main one being that the property values hold, year after year. Even if the property values dropped 5% this year, it wouldn't make a difference in the long run because values typically climb 5% a year....year after year. Every two years, values have climbed 10%. It doesn't take many years to see appreciation on your investment.
We buy and hold for long-term, and we mean...long-term. The Bible says it is a blessing to leave a legacy to your grandchildren. We are buying and holding for us, our kids, and their kids. It is our goal to set our family up in a business that can be passed down through generations. Owning lots of property would be a blessing to us and our families. They don't make any more land, so owning lots of it is our goal.
If you are in a area that is dropping with double digits...you must learn to short sale. If you can buy properties at 50% of the current value, even if the values drop another 20%, you still own properties below market. If you do a short sale, you would have to secure financing, which is a problem for a lot of folks right now. We have a company we are working with that only charges $500 to fix your credit - I don't want to turn this into a sales pitch, but this really works. If you have late payments, foreclosures, or even a bankruptcy...they can get it off. Take a look at: http://ieu.fixcreditbiz.com
If buying with your credit is not an option ... you'll have to do "Subject To's" - having a homeowner deed their house to you. Once the deed is transferred, the property becomes yours. The homeowners name is still on the mortgage - so make the payments on time. If you make a late payment, you hurt the homeowners credit.
Some states are making "subject to's" illegal because investors are taking advantage of distressed sellers. Check with your local attorney to see if you can do a subject to.
We recently invested in four rentals in Iowa. All four of them are worth $50,000 to $57,000 and we got each one for $30,000 or under. That is not a huge amount of equity, but they rent for $550 or more each. We took over payments and each one cash flows. Our total out of pocket expense was only $2,000. As each one climbs 5% a year in value, it won't take long for them to be worth $100,000 and the payments are under $300 each. They will be huge cash cows.
We always pay a little extra on our rentals to get them paid off as soon as possible. We bought a lot of properties in Florida back when the market was down. As the markets went up, we owned properties at 20% of the value. We sold a few and paid off others and ended up sitting good when the market dropped again.
It is important to plan ahead and watch markets. The hard part is knowing who to listen to. The news stations say not to buy now and I say...buy as much as you can. I have said many times that millionaires are born in times like these. People who understand how to help sellers while getting a good deal themselves will see the fruit of their labor pay off. The people who do it right, will come out on top at the end of all this.
I am doing a four part series of teleconference calls in May called -
Surviving The Crashing Market and Coming Out on Top!
Make sure you tune into it. With a little guidance...ALL of you can become super wealthy right now...
Ok...I have to watch American Idol now. I am a fan of David Cook - too cute!
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
Monday, April 21, 2008
Surviving The Crashing Market
Hi Folks,
I trust you have been having a good week. Whew...I don't know how I got so busy, but it has been several days since I posted. Time sure flies!!
I have been busy getting ready to begin doing my own teleconference calls. I am so excited about it. I have done a few now and I LOVE being on the "interviewer" side of the fence. I am so used to being interviewed.
I am doing a series in May - Surviving The Crashing Market and Coming Out on Top! In addition to homeowners, there are so many investors upside down right now, too. At every boot camp we teach at least 10 people come up to me and state that they got involved with pre-construction or bought too many rentals or their own mortgage payment went up or something along those lines. I have spent countless hours privately counseling students.
This prompted me to do a 4 part series in May about options for investors....leases, special needs housing, commercial and much more. It really is going to be great! I hope you'll check out our site and get registered. I promise you won't regret one single minute.
Diesel went to $4.02 yesterday - here in the mountains. Gas is going up, less people will travel this summer, airline tickets will rise....all this will put us into a summer recession. I am not one to predict doom and gloom - in fact I am one of the most positive people you will ever meet - but facts are facts. We, as investors, MUST be prepared for the times ahead.
On the positive side, short sales are easier than ever. If you are in a position to buy and hold - do it. Prices will continue to drop for a few more years and now is the time to really make hay while the sun shines. If you read my blog the other day on Section 8, we take advantage of government programs. Nothing is better than letting Uncle Sam pay for your rentals. This is why we are going to talk about Special Needs Housing during the May series.
I have to run. I have a conference call tonight. Stay tuned for more info on the May series.
Have a Blessed day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
I trust you have been having a good week. Whew...I don't know how I got so busy, but it has been several days since I posted. Time sure flies!!
I have been busy getting ready to begin doing my own teleconference calls. I am so excited about it. I have done a few now and I LOVE being on the "interviewer" side of the fence. I am so used to being interviewed.
I am doing a series in May - Surviving The Crashing Market and Coming Out on Top! In addition to homeowners, there are so many investors upside down right now, too. At every boot camp we teach at least 10 people come up to me and state that they got involved with pre-construction or bought too many rentals or their own mortgage payment went up or something along those lines. I have spent countless hours privately counseling students.
This prompted me to do a 4 part series in May about options for investors....leases, special needs housing, commercial and much more. It really is going to be great! I hope you'll check out our site and get registered. I promise you won't regret one single minute.
Diesel went to $4.02 yesterday - here in the mountains. Gas is going up, less people will travel this summer, airline tickets will rise....all this will put us into a summer recession. I am not one to predict doom and gloom - in fact I am one of the most positive people you will ever meet - but facts are facts. We, as investors, MUST be prepared for the times ahead.
On the positive side, short sales are easier than ever. If you are in a position to buy and hold - do it. Prices will continue to drop for a few more years and now is the time to really make hay while the sun shines. If you read my blog the other day on Section 8, we take advantage of government programs. Nothing is better than letting Uncle Sam pay for your rentals. This is why we are going to talk about Special Needs Housing during the May series.
I have to run. I have a conference call tonight. Stay tuned for more info on the May series.
Have a Blessed day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
More About Where to Invest and Short Sales
Good Evening Friends,
I had questions about what to do if you live in one of the areas where the market is WAY down like Vegas, Phoenix, Miami and so on. As I said yesterday, we invest in the Midwest because values rise slow, but steady. We either wholesale properties or keep them for long-term wealth. If you have the means, long-term holding is a great investment strategy right now. Property values are falling and falling, so you can help someone out of foreclosure while getting a great deal for yourself.
If long-term investing is not up your alley, find a great deal, do a short sale, and then wholesale it for a quick profit. Today, I want to cover more about short sales:
In a nutshell, a “short sale” is negotiating with a mortgage holder to accept less than what is owed as payment in full.
A short sale is my favorite strategy when I find a distressed homeowner who owes the bank close to or more than what the property is worth.
Here’s how it looks: The homeowners owe $200,000 to their first mortgage holder and the payments are in arrears. Their property is worth $200,000 in retail condition. With the proper negotiating strategies, you get the bank to accept $100,000 as payment in full. Therefore, purchasing a $200,000 retail property for 50% of its value. Sweet, huh?
With proper negotiations you can take deals that most investors pass on and turn them into amazing deals. Some of my largest checks have been from deals that had no equity.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding short sales. Many investors state that banks don’t do them or that you can’t get good deals any more. Like I have been saying, I have been doing short sales since 1996, before I even knew they were called short sales and they are great!
The key to successful short sales is to build a great case and a replicatable business. When you get a short sale accepted, do something nice for the bank representative. Take the time to build relationships within the banking industry. Building these relationships will insure your success. At some point, you’ll be able to call the reps and simply make your offers verbally. Once the offers are accepted, the rep will tell you what to send.
Imagine … only having to make a call and, bam, the deal is done. Investors, that day will come. In the mean time, I’ll teach you how to make money along the way.
Don’t let anyone discourage you from becoming a short sale expert. Do what we do and you’ll be very successful. That is what you want, isn’t it?
Read on …
Hi there! This is the third testimonial and it does bear repeating!!! Thanks so much to Dwan for her telebootcamp seminar. I had turned this particular person down twice. No other investor would help him either. He was overleveraged and going to foreclosure. With great delight, I was able to help this person avoid foreclosure, help with his credit and receive a $36,000 too! This was my first short sale! Thank you Dwan! There are so many real estate gurus around. None like Dwan and her staff. Don’t waste your money with High Dollar Real Estate Guru Speakers!!! What you are looking for is High Value Real Estate Teachers … and Dwan will be there when you need her. Other speakers will only be there when they want you to buy something. Thank you so much Dwan!
Johnna Lodge- Georgia
Isn't this a great story? If you have a great story you'd like to share, please post a comment and I'll post it. Thanks for staying tuned each day...
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
I had questions about what to do if you live in one of the areas where the market is WAY down like Vegas, Phoenix, Miami and so on. As I said yesterday, we invest in the Midwest because values rise slow, but steady. We either wholesale properties or keep them for long-term wealth. If you have the means, long-term holding is a great investment strategy right now. Property values are falling and falling, so you can help someone out of foreclosure while getting a great deal for yourself.
If long-term investing is not up your alley, find a great deal, do a short sale, and then wholesale it for a quick profit. Today, I want to cover more about short sales:
In a nutshell, a “short sale” is negotiating with a mortgage holder to accept less than what is owed as payment in full.
A short sale is my favorite strategy when I find a distressed homeowner who owes the bank close to or more than what the property is worth.
Here’s how it looks: The homeowners owe $200,000 to their first mortgage holder and the payments are in arrears. Their property is worth $200,000 in retail condition. With the proper negotiating strategies, you get the bank to accept $100,000 as payment in full. Therefore, purchasing a $200,000 retail property for 50% of its value. Sweet, huh?
With proper negotiations you can take deals that most investors pass on and turn them into amazing deals. Some of my largest checks have been from deals that had no equity.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding short sales. Many investors state that banks don’t do them or that you can’t get good deals any more. Like I have been saying, I have been doing short sales since 1996, before I even knew they were called short sales and they are great!
The key to successful short sales is to build a great case and a replicatable business. When you get a short sale accepted, do something nice for the bank representative. Take the time to build relationships within the banking industry. Building these relationships will insure your success. At some point, you’ll be able to call the reps and simply make your offers verbally. Once the offers are accepted, the rep will tell you what to send.
Imagine … only having to make a call and, bam, the deal is done. Investors, that day will come. In the mean time, I’ll teach you how to make money along the way.
Don’t let anyone discourage you from becoming a short sale expert. Do what we do and you’ll be very successful. That is what you want, isn’t it?
Read on …
Hi there! This is the third testimonial and it does bear repeating!!! Thanks so much to Dwan for her telebootcamp seminar. I had turned this particular person down twice. No other investor would help him either. He was overleveraged and going to foreclosure. With great delight, I was able to help this person avoid foreclosure, help with his credit and receive a $36,000 too! This was my first short sale! Thank you Dwan! There are so many real estate gurus around. None like Dwan and her staff. Don’t waste your money with High Dollar Real Estate Guru Speakers!!! What you are looking for is High Value Real Estate Teachers … and Dwan will be there when you need her. Other speakers will only be there when they want you to buy something. Thank you so much Dwan!
Johnna Lodge- Georgia
Isn't this a great story? If you have a great story you'd like to share, please post a comment and I'll post it. Thanks for staying tuned each day...
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
Monday, April 14, 2008
Where To Invest
Good Evening Friends,
Do you ever feel that Mondays get away from you? I spent the entire day on the computer and feel like I didn't get anything done. I did get a flip video today, so I should be able to post video soon. When Bill and I look at houses, we are going to put the videos up so that you can see what we are looking at.
We are currently buying in Iowa, Florida, Texas, and Colorado. We have people in place in all locations to help us when we need it. We like Iowa, because the property values are stable. They don't go way up and they never go way down. If you are looking for stable rental properties, invest in the Midwest. In Iowa, the values go up, maybe 5% a year. Over a 20 or 30 year span, it's huge.
I find that people are always looking for the "get rich quick" areas. Those same areas are at the bottom of the investing pit right now. Did you know that Miami, Florida has 5 years of inventory? 5 years!! That means that if every house listed today sold one per day, it would take 5 years for all of them to sell. If you remember, a few years ago, Miami was one of the hottest pre-construction areas around. Vegas is down, Phoenix is down. The Midwest is stable.
I don't know about you, but Bill and I buy for long-term so we look for areas where the values continue to climb a little bit each year. We have houses we paid $30,000 for that rent for $600 a month. It's crazy! We love it...
We also take advantage of the government programs like Section 8. It's my personal favorite...
The program is funded by the government requiring its approval of the rental property. The renter must also qualify to belong in this program. Many of these renters already receive some type of government aid. This program has guidelines for both the tenant and the landlord to follow in order to implement Section 8 into the rentals. Keep in mind that government programs are constantly changing and you must find out what qualifies your property for any of these programs.
This is guaranteed income from the government each month because that's who is paying the rent. The government pays all or a portion of the renter's payment each month directly to you and in some cases pays all of the rent.
You can find out if these programs are available in your area by contacting your county or city housing authority. They will mail you brochures outlining how this program works as well as their guidelines.
Personally, I love Section 8. Most of my tenants are on the Section 8 program. The key to being a successful Section 8 landlord is to screen tenants. I show up unannounced and ask to see the property. I also do one other thing: I call the landlords they had TWO places ago. They may be horrible tenants and the current landlords want them out. These landlords will tell you how great the tenants are and how they hate to see them leave. If you call the landlords before the current place, they will tell you the truth. The tenants are out of their property and as fellow landlords, they don’t want to see your place trashed.
Each tenant on the Section 8 program is assigned to a counselor. These counselors know the entire rental history of the tenants. The bad thing is that they are not allowed to give out derogatory information. I met with a counselor once for a heart-to-heart to determine what I can and can’t ask. Although the counselors can’t say the tenants trashed the last house, they can answer questions about the tenants rental history.
In this crashing market, now is the best time ever to buy and hold. I know some of you can't afford to buy because of credit issues. If that is the case, consider taking properties "subject to." the current homeowner deeds the house to you and you become the new owner. Before you consider a "subject to:, make sure it is legal in your area. I'll talk more about it later. It is how I accumulate most of my rentals.
Ok...I'm off to sleep. I'll talk with you tomorrow.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
Do you ever feel that Mondays get away from you? I spent the entire day on the computer and feel like I didn't get anything done. I did get a flip video today, so I should be able to post video soon. When Bill and I look at houses, we are going to put the videos up so that you can see what we are looking at.
We are currently buying in Iowa, Florida, Texas, and Colorado. We have people in place in all locations to help us when we need it. We like Iowa, because the property values are stable. They don't go way up and they never go way down. If you are looking for stable rental properties, invest in the Midwest. In Iowa, the values go up, maybe 5% a year. Over a 20 or 30 year span, it's huge.
I find that people are always looking for the "get rich quick" areas. Those same areas are at the bottom of the investing pit right now. Did you know that Miami, Florida has 5 years of inventory? 5 years!! That means that if every house listed today sold one per day, it would take 5 years for all of them to sell. If you remember, a few years ago, Miami was one of the hottest pre-construction areas around. Vegas is down, Phoenix is down. The Midwest is stable.
I don't know about you, but Bill and I buy for long-term so we look for areas where the values continue to climb a little bit each year. We have houses we paid $30,000 for that rent for $600 a month. It's crazy! We love it...
We also take advantage of the government programs like Section 8. It's my personal favorite...
The program is funded by the government requiring its approval of the rental property. The renter must also qualify to belong in this program. Many of these renters already receive some type of government aid. This program has guidelines for both the tenant and the landlord to follow in order to implement Section 8 into the rentals. Keep in mind that government programs are constantly changing and you must find out what qualifies your property for any of these programs.
This is guaranteed income from the government each month because that's who is paying the rent. The government pays all or a portion of the renter's payment each month directly to you and in some cases pays all of the rent.
You can find out if these programs are available in your area by contacting your county or city housing authority. They will mail you brochures outlining how this program works as well as their guidelines.
Personally, I love Section 8. Most of my tenants are on the Section 8 program. The key to being a successful Section 8 landlord is to screen tenants. I show up unannounced and ask to see the property. I also do one other thing: I call the landlords they had TWO places ago. They may be horrible tenants and the current landlords want them out. These landlords will tell you how great the tenants are and how they hate to see them leave. If you call the landlords before the current place, they will tell you the truth. The tenants are out of their property and as fellow landlords, they don’t want to see your place trashed.
Each tenant on the Section 8 program is assigned to a counselor. These counselors know the entire rental history of the tenants. The bad thing is that they are not allowed to give out derogatory information. I met with a counselor once for a heart-to-heart to determine what I can and can’t ask. Although the counselors can’t say the tenants trashed the last house, they can answer questions about the tenants rental history.
In this crashing market, now is the best time ever to buy and hold. I know some of you can't afford to buy because of credit issues. If that is the case, consider taking properties "subject to." the current homeowner deeds the house to you and you become the new owner. Before you consider a "subject to:, make sure it is legal in your area. I'll talk more about it later. It is how I accumulate most of my rentals.
Ok...I'm off to sleep. I'll talk with you tomorrow.
Have a Blessed Day,
Dwan
www.theieu.com
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The Five Equities of Life
Good Afternoon Friends,
We are excited to be home from our trip. It's good to sleep in my own bed again. I also missed my puppies. Bill bought me to Great Pyrenees for Christmas. They are getting soooo big. We took them for a walk today and I was completely out of breath. Living at 9,200 feet sure makes a difference:-). It's time to get back in shape. I have gotten a little on the lazy side the past few months.
I feel it is really important to have balance in our lives. I have what I like to call the "Five Equities of Life" that I do my best to keep balanced. We have had too many vacations lately and one of my equities needs work - physical health:-).
In order for you to become a successful investor, you MUST set goals. Make sure your goals include ALL five equities....
We are excited to be home from our trip. It's good to sleep in my own bed again. I also missed my puppies. Bill bought me to Great Pyrenees for Christmas. They are getting soooo big. We took them for a walk today and I was completely out of breath. Living at 9,200 feet sure makes a difference:-). It's time to get back in shape. I have gotten a little on the lazy side the past few months.
I feel it is really important to have balance in our lives. I have what I like to call the "Five Equities of Life" that I do my best to keep balanced. We have had too many vacations lately and one of my equities needs work - physical health:-).
In order for you to become a successful investor, you MUST set goals. Make sure your goals include ALL five equities....
Family
Spiritual
Physical Health
Mental Health
Financial
Spiritual
Physical Health
Mental Health
Financial
The five equities of life are what make us who we are. It is important to keep balance with all of these:
- If your spiritual life is great, but your physical life is a mess - you will find it more difficult to reach your goals.
- If your family life is a mess, but your financial life is great - you won’t enjoy the money.
- If you have old baggage hanging around - get rid of it today!
- If you are depressed over your lack of money - change your mind-set now.
- I realize that this sounds easier than it actually is; however, you can do it. You have to make the effort to have balance. It doesn’t just happen. Schedule time for the gym, your children, church, spouses etc.
Strive to keep all areas of your life balanced. Run your life as if it were a business, starting with one week at a time.
- Monday - walk for 15 minutes
- Tuesday - attend a short money making seminar
- Wednesday - call your parents or family
- Thursday - spend one hour reading a self-improvement book
- Friday - take your kids to a movie
- Saturday - walk for a half hour
- Sunday - go to church
People fail because they try to do everything at one time. They decide to join the gym, quit smoking, diet and spend time with family - all at the same time. You set yourself up for failure this way. Just make a small change each day. After 21 days, that small change will become a habit. After another 21 days, it will become a LIFESTYLE.
We all have the same excuses for why we fail: We are too tired, we work too many hours, we can’t fit anything else into our lifestyle and schedule. Folks, you are the ONLY person holding yourself back. Trust me, balance is tough when you are juggling so many things at once - I have become a master at balance! I use schedules for everything from time with my family and friends to time off to relax. It is easy to do. Most of you schedule your day at work, but at night, it becomes a free-for-all. Organization is key to your success.
I recently asked students in my boot camp just how many of them want to make $500,000 this year. Every hand went up. Then I asked them how many have written goals and a plan to get there...and all of the hands went down. Without a written plan, how do you possibly expect to become successful?
Here is an example: If you want to make $500,000 this year...you must plan to speak with X number of homeowners each month. Out of that number, you must plan to put together X number of deals. Out of those deals, you must plan to make X amount per deal.
If you put this in writing and stick to it, you will be able to achieve it. Why settle for $500,000 per year - there is no reason you cannot make a MILLION dollars in the next 12 months!
I'm going to give you a little homework - write short term goals (maybe just three months at a time), include all five equities, and keep me posted on your success. I look forward to hearing about them.
My immediate goal....get back to exercising!
Have a wonderful day.....
Dwan - http://www.theieu.com/
Monday, April 7, 2008
Random Acts of Kindness
Hi Friends,
We are coming to the end of our trip to Maui. We have been here for nine days. I must say, it has really been relaxing. Bill and I went to church yesterday and learned about a program that gives out groceries to the needy.
I think when anyone thinks of the Hawaiian Islands, they think of warm weather, people having money, a great place to visit, resort life. I don't think anyone ever thinks of what the rest of the island goes through. This small resort church is part of an organization that goes into local communities and gives out bags of groceries twice a week. They give out over 60,000 bags a week! It's hard to imagine that that many people need help. Once you get off the "resort path," there are many poor people here. Folks have a hard time making it because everything costs so much.
For example:
We had to send a fax several days ago - $45
We had to get our signatures notarized - $85 - I was floored by that cost!!!
A very small coke is $4
We played golf at a top course - $500
A bottle of water - $6
It is very expensive here. It got me to thinking....every place we ALL live has people who struggle, not only in Hawaii, because of the high cost of living.
As investors, I think most of us live in nice places, our friends live in nice places, we have a car, we have nice clothes, and we don't really give much thought to the poor. Sure, we feed the hungry through programs on TV, but what do you personally do to help out?
Some of us give money to the people on the street corners, but are they really poor? I saw a show in TV recently and some of those "homeless" people make over $800 a week. They are not homeless, this is their job. So the few bad ones ruin it for the ones who really need help.
So....what can we really do to help? I'm not sure, but I know we need to do something. We can't always assume that "someone else" will do it. We are the "someone else's" of the world.
As investors, we make money from helping homeowners in foreclosure...I feel we need to personally do more. Maybe go downtown where the homeless hang out and personally give food, donate time to the homeless shelter, find a family in your community who needs help and offer to help - maybe fix a porch for an elderly widow, buy someone storm windows in the winter, find a house with no air conditioning and buy a window unit and leave it on the porch, help someone who needs surgery and has no insurance. Stop into an auto repair shop and look at the poorest looking car and pay for the repairs. Pay for someones new tires. Put a bag of groceries on a doorstep.
The Bible says that we will be blessed by what we do in private. No one needs to know your good deeds. Knowing that it pleases God should be reward enough.
Bill and I have done so many anonymous things for our community. We don't want people to know it was us because we don't want them to feel indebted to us. By contacting a local church, you could find folks right in your community who need YOUR help. You can make such a difference in the lives of the folks who live in your community.
Let's all practice random acts of kindness and see what happens... It would make this a wonderful world.
So....what does today's post have to do with real estate investing? Nothing. It has to do with the first step...making a difference in the lives of others.
Let me know what you have done by posting some of your good deeds here...anonymously, of course:-).
Have a blessed day...
Dwan
http://www.theieu.com/
We are coming to the end of our trip to Maui. We have been here for nine days. I must say, it has really been relaxing. Bill and I went to church yesterday and learned about a program that gives out groceries to the needy.
I think when anyone thinks of the Hawaiian Islands, they think of warm weather, people having money, a great place to visit, resort life. I don't think anyone ever thinks of what the rest of the island goes through. This small resort church is part of an organization that goes into local communities and gives out bags of groceries twice a week. They give out over 60,000 bags a week! It's hard to imagine that that many people need help. Once you get off the "resort path," there are many poor people here. Folks have a hard time making it because everything costs so much.
For example:
We had to send a fax several days ago - $45
We had to get our signatures notarized - $85 - I was floored by that cost!!!
A very small coke is $4
We played golf at a top course - $500
A bottle of water - $6
It is very expensive here. It got me to thinking....every place we ALL live has people who struggle, not only in Hawaii, because of the high cost of living.
As investors, I think most of us live in nice places, our friends live in nice places, we have a car, we have nice clothes, and we don't really give much thought to the poor. Sure, we feed the hungry through programs on TV, but what do you personally do to help out?
Some of us give money to the people on the street corners, but are they really poor? I saw a show in TV recently and some of those "homeless" people make over $800 a week. They are not homeless, this is their job. So the few bad ones ruin it for the ones who really need help.
So....what can we really do to help? I'm not sure, but I know we need to do something. We can't always assume that "someone else" will do it. We are the "someone else's" of the world.
As investors, we make money from helping homeowners in foreclosure...I feel we need to personally do more. Maybe go downtown where the homeless hang out and personally give food, donate time to the homeless shelter, find a family in your community who needs help and offer to help - maybe fix a porch for an elderly widow, buy someone storm windows in the winter, find a house with no air conditioning and buy a window unit and leave it on the porch, help someone who needs surgery and has no insurance. Stop into an auto repair shop and look at the poorest looking car and pay for the repairs. Pay for someones new tires. Put a bag of groceries on a doorstep.
The Bible says that we will be blessed by what we do in private. No one needs to know your good deeds. Knowing that it pleases God should be reward enough.
Bill and I have done so many anonymous things for our community. We don't want people to know it was us because we don't want them to feel indebted to us. By contacting a local church, you could find folks right in your community who need YOUR help. You can make such a difference in the lives of the folks who live in your community.
Let's all practice random acts of kindness and see what happens... It would make this a wonderful world.
So....what does today's post have to do with real estate investing? Nothing. It has to do with the first step...making a difference in the lives of others.
Let me know what you have done by posting some of your good deeds here...anonymously, of course:-).
Have a blessed day...
Dwan
http://www.theieu.com/
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