You want the Update or the Rundown?

Alright, I've been getting some pressure from some 'Anonymous' reader, to update this blog.

The truth is, I've been in a slump. I just was getting a little burnt out. Sick of all the crap. For about a month, I was even wondering if I should become, maybe a doctor... or pro football player... Then I remembered that I hate exerting myself, and I really don't like sick people.

BTW, the deal I talked about in the last post, didn't work out. The numbers didn't work, and I pulled out, forfeiting my deposit. The seller had a ridiculous over-reaction and threatened all kinds of crap. It's just how some crazy people are. (part of the burnt-outness) Life goes on.

This little slump did sort of ruin my momentum. That, and a few other family things that I've been busy with. I've had a hard time getting back in the swing of things. It's just been in the last week or so, that I've been itchy to get back to work.

So, I'm starting to pick up speed again...

I met with a homeowner yesterday, and will look at a short sale with his lender. This could be an ok payday, but not for a few months. I have 2 MLS properties to look at today. Maybe 2 more.

.... ahhhh, I've missed these dumb ol' houses...

I've also been looking at j scott's blog, and it's really making me want to do rehabs. Wholesaling is great, and I'll still do them, but rehabbing looks so fun! Like, when you get all happy when you clean up your desk. (boy, I could have had some amazing before and after desk pictures...)

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Colorado is still The Goal! I have had to get a grip and realize that it might be a little later than sooner. But I AM still going. If it takes 3 years, then that's the way it has to be. (Hopefully not that long, I'll kill myself! jk) See? The irrational obsession is still present...

~JQ

It's a Healthy Fixation, Right?

Fine. I'm obsessed with Colorado. I should change my blog name to Colorado Quest temporarily. Don't get me wrong, I'm also still obsessed with RE, now I just have multiple pre-occupations. I'm suprised I have any friends left.

Right now, I'm taking the CO Real Estate Broker class online. I'm working on a way to get out there to take the exam, while also trying to crash-course learn the market (physically looking at houses). Today I got some sold comps from my realtor pal out there, so that will give me something to chew on til I get MLS access. I HAVE TO LIVE THERE. Did I say that before?

I figure I'll need a good chunk of change to move, for not only the moving expenses, but also in the event I have dry spells like I've had here - seems like I've been wandering in the desert for months!

Oh, by the way, I got a deal under contract here today. (the drought is over!) It's an estate, and it should be an easy sell. So chunk #1 is coming soon! ...crap, I probably just jinxed it.

K, more obsessive talk of CO coming soon...

~JQ

Update After Tripping....

Well, after a week in Colorado, and a subsequent half-a-week in Chicago at the Flip Vip Retreat, I'm having driving withdrawals. We drove over 3000 miles in the last 2 weeks. Whew!
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Colorado Springs. It is The Best. I have visited lots of places, and never did I love it so much I had to live there. I've even been to Colorado before! But I was in Vail and Eagle. It's absolutely beautiful there, but small. And expensive.

I HAVE to live there. I was certain of that even before we got there. (I did a lot of googling) So my secret mission I mentioned before I left, is that I was planning to check out the market and make some contacts to start doing deals there. I didn't want to say anything prematurely, since there was a .0001% chance I wouldn't like it there. :)

What I got done while I was there:

• got list of REOS, looked at about 12 of them to get the pricepoint in my mind compared to my market
• met an investor friendly realtor to submit offers with
• am set to have MLS access with him (small glitch with this*)
• went to reia meeting, asked about neighborhoods, etc.
• talked to someone who invited me to join the online reia group also.

*The MLS glitch is that, as an unlicensed assistant, I have to take an MLS training class for one day, in person. So I may have to go back out to do that. (That would be terrible!!! ) I didn't necessarily want to go RIGHT back ($$$), but I don't want to wait long either.

Anywaze, I am GOING to move to COS. No matter what. By the way, yes my family is in agreement. :) I'm not ditching anyone.
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Chicago. I don't ever want to live there. But, I did have a GREAT time with the VIPS. I'm sure most have seen the pics already over at Steph's, ...ignore my bad hair day.

That group is probably the single biggest factor in the change that has taken place in my life over the last year. I can't say how different my life is. I'm really blessed to be a part of Steve's group.

'scuse me ...I'm getting a little verklempt...
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Here. blahh. I gotta keep plugging along here too, even tho my passion for this market is - this big. I have to try and be a little smart about this. I need cash. I don't want to get myself in a hole out there. So... I'll do whatever it takes. Even if I have to sell my kids.

Kidding. Don't call child services.
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K, enough rambling for today...

~JQ

Colorado!

It is 4am, and we're hitting the road! Wahooo!

We'll be in Colorado on vacation for this next week - I'm so flippin' excited. I'll have my laptop, so if we aren't having waaay too much fun, I'll post during the week sometime. I have a secret mission planned during this trip, which I'll let you in on later....

Ooooo, so mysterious....


~JQ

Busy - yes. Deals - no.

Holy Moley, I didn't realize that it's been 12 days!

I HAVE been working though! It's just that none of it was exciting. And still nothing in the pipeline.

This last week I did get a TON of things done. (It helps that my kid is gone on a missions trip)

Here's a quick recap:

• Looked at a bunch of houses
• Made offers on some
• Having my VA compile list of out-of-state owners
• Found a realtor to make offers - again
• Worked on plan to ramp up the REIA group
• Organized my desk (bigger job than is sounds)
• Lots of misc. errands that have been piling up

I realize that I didn't have one single fun or interesting thing to tell you this time. I just didn't want anyone to think I quit... or died.

My Brain's on Vacation

Alright, I admit it. I haven't been working much lately.

The Fam and I are planning to go to Colorado in 2 weeks, and apparently I'm already there in my mind. I'm sooooo excited to go!

We haven't been on a family vacation, EVER. (Except camping for the weekend.) Unfortunately, my two older kids don't live with me anymore, so - they are screwed. Well, they can dang-well wait 20 years just like the rest of us. ('us' meaning me and Bill)

We are also going to Chicago in 5 weeks for the Flip Vip Trip. That is going to be equally awesome! It's the Family-style retreat, so the Fam's coming to this as well. Suddenly I'm becoming so worldly, don'cha think?

I HAVE been kickin' ass on my bike though. (I did recover from Mt. Death, by the way) I'm biking 40 miles/week. I've reached my goal every week. Wednesday I rode 14 miles in one day. That's like... an Olympic World Record, I think.

I suppose I should get some business going, so I can recover all of the Worldly-Traveling money we'll spend.

I'll focus better, I promise.

~JQ

Someone Kill Me Now

What the HELL was I thinking? Holy crap, my legs are freakin' killing me.

I got a little cocky yesterday, and decided to bike further than normal (I went 13 miles. Average is 7) That would've been fine, but I took the route around town.

This is the hill I took that killed me.



Woops, I meant to insert this one instead. (They look so much alike to me.)



My lungs were bursting, my legs were on fire, and I decided to never take the Hill of Death again.

More on real estate tomorrow, when I can move.


~JQ

Odds & Ends

• I'm on the lookout for another agent. The current one is too much work. He's brand new, and isn't catching on. It'd be quicker for me to submit my own offers, but I don't want to! I'm gonna be stubborn on this. I am going to find that elusive 'Competent-Agent' if it kills me.
  

• I paid off one of my credit cards last week with the paycheck I got last month. At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to, it's hard to give up that money-in-the-bank. But it felt pretty good to knock off another chunk of debt. I've paid off about a third of my debt since January, NOT counting my home mortgage (that'll be phase 2)

• The guy I sold a house to last year, called me to come see the rehab he's doing. I couldn't even recognize the inside! It was awesome! He's not done with the outside, so maybe then I'll ask him he minds me taking some pics when he's done.

• I'm going to get my mailings started by tomorrow. I'm tired of looking at the same 15 houses on the MLS.

• I biked 37 miles last week. (I was shooting for 30, raising that to 35 for this week) I've been combing this with Driving for Dollars. Multi-tasking! I have a little fanny-pack kind of thing on my bike that I keep a pad and pen in, along with my phone.

• I've also decided, that somehow, I'm going to start making 10 offers/week. I don't know if that's a lot for some of you, but it's gonna be tough for me. I was doing 5 before - if that. I'm counting on you guys to yell at me if I drop the ball. :)

• This is a picture of my dog Flip (no, I didn't name her that on purpose, she came that way. It was fate.) She reigns over the back yard, on her throne. Oddly, she's afraid to go in the front yard. She's kind of a pansy.
  

The "E" word

Every time I exercise in the morning, I feel more focused and energized, and even organized, than when I don't.

Ya know, they always tell ya that... but who'da thought it was really true?

I guess I'm realizing that it's not just a good thing to do, but an actual requirement for my business.

I'm sure not everyone knows the history of Me and Exercise. We were not friends, or acquaintances even. I'd a rather gouged my eyes out than exert myself in any way. Working out was just a stupid, painful, pointless thing that people did to 'look cool'. Sure, I had friends who did that sort of thing, but I knew how to 'just say no'.

But now, I've seen the light, (it's still a little dim) and I'm not a hater anymore. I'm far from being one of those Fitness Freaks, I'm kinda in the middle. Well... more like the low-middle.

So, I've found my favorite form of the E-word is biking. Which leads me to my objective (I'm getting kind of tired of the word Goal) of riding 30 miles per week. I know, I know, that's chicken feed. But, remember my past. This is pretty good for me, for now. I plan to raise it 5 miles every week or two, as my legs allow.

~JQ

Changing Gears a Bit, Again

Whoa, I'm gettin' a little behind on my posting...

Since my last post, I've been working on getting my sort-of-new acquisition strategy in place. I'm targeting pre-foreclosures again, (pursuing short sales) and will outsource the parts of it that I 'dislike'. The first thing I outsourced was the aforementioned Mailing-List-Compilation. (Hate that job.) That has been working beautifully! I wish I could find more things for this girl to do. I now have a list of all PreFC filings since Jan 1. It would be great if she could print, stuff, stamp, address, and mail them too. But I think the Phillippine postmark would be confusing...

The other part I'd like to outsource, is the actual negotiations with the bank. I don't love that so much either. I've talked to a guy from our group who does a phenomenal job with short sales, and he may be willing to handle that part for me, and we'd split the profit. THIS WOULD BE AWESOME for me. The main thing I'd have to deal with is the Homeowner, which is sometimes a pain, but I'm pretty good at it. Also the BPO (also sometimes a pain) So all in all, a much better set-up than I had before.

Other than that, I have been working on discipline... I suck a lot at it. I like to have my own way. I'm in awe of people that have structure and routine, and stick to their goals.

That's my new goal: to stick to my goals. That's a good goal, right?

~JQ