Getting Going . . . - Posted by Reif

import · March 28, 1999, 7:57am

Posted by Kellie on March 28, 1999 at 21:01:49:

> Wrong impression with the “sacrifice > family” statement.

Oh, I get ya… My husband has been travelling more often than not for months already though and we are fed up with that! But, I see what you’re saying.

> I am personally not much of a family person. I would > rather have a hammer in my hand than a skillet. And
> FORGET laundry ! If I can’t hire it done, it’s gonna > get worn again ! hehehe…

Ha! If that was what family was about for me, these kids of mine would have been repo’d long ago! I HATE to cook, and do laundry on an “I’m out of underwear” basis. The boys are learning to do their own!

> I just offered an alternative. I get really tired of > people I know complaining …snip… and OH DON’T > FORGET “our show is on tonight, I couldn’t possibly > !”

So true! I agree totally.

> What “they” refuse to understand is this: “if you > keep on the same path you are on, you will get > exactly where you are headed”

Good point.

> NOW, I’m off my soap box for the rest of the night. > My show is on !! The X files !

HEY!!!

Anyway, you make good points, and I don’t have a problem with that kind of thinking. Thanks!

import · March 28, 1999, 7:57am

Getting Going . . . - Posted by Reif

Posted by Reif on March 28, 1999 at 08:57:05:

I’ve got dilemma that I hope some of you might weigh in on.

I’ve been reading this board since December and went to the convention.

I believe I have the ability to make a RE a lucrative and hopefully a full time business.

My problem is this:

I have a pretty good job that I am not ready to leave to make a full go at this (I’m not ready to sleep in my car yet :-).

I have an opportunity to take six weeks (away from home) to attend J.O.B. training that subsequently will allow me to improve my schedule considerably to enable more time to work on my RE biz.

The question is should I do it now, and essentially put off starting to work on the RE biz until July/August, or should I wait until I (hopefully) have a better handle on things and I can maybe do SOME work from out of town (I’d be home two days a week from training).

The last option is to continue to work as I am now and not go to the J.O.B. training at all and try to work through/around my present schedule.

My biggest fear of going now is that I have started to make some contacts and I don’t want to “disappear” for a month and have to start over.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Reif

import · March 30, 1999, 2:48pm

Re: Getting Going . . . - Posted by Baltimore BirdDog

Posted by Baltimore BirdDog on March 30, 1999 at 15:48:31:

Reif,

Carmen hit it right on the head. I’m in the exact same situation. I’ve got a good job, but I’m definitely not on the raise/bonus/promotion track. I treat my job like the temporary position that it is. It’s difficult to say, though, whether you should go through the training without knowing exactly how much extra time it will let you spend on REI.

I’m lucky in that I get to spend a decent amount of time every day on building my real estate machine. If that isn’t the same for you, then I’d recommend buying a beeper or cell phone and sacrificing the six weeks so that you will have time every day to build your RE biz. I don’t know how much free time you’ll have while training, but maybe the six weeks will offer you an excellent opportunity to read/study books and course materials. If you are going to do it, I would do it before you throw the switch on your RE buying machine, unless you think that:

a) you’ll still be able to concentrate on your training while at the center of all the real estate activity and

b) you’ll be able to fit in all your REI, family and friends on the two days that you are home.

Good luck on your path to freedom. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet you at the convention this year. I’ll see you at the next.

-Jeremy

import · March 28, 1999, 7:05pm

Re: Getting Going . . . (long) - Posted by Carmen

Posted by Carmen on March 28, 1999 at 20:05:32:

Let’s see - can we have our cake and eat it too?

I had a similar problem. Here’s how I resolved it.

I have a great job, with people I like to work with, and which is very close to my home. I like what I do a lot, and since it is in finance, I am learning some amazing things that can apply to my future note/mortgage/real estate career. I reached a point where it was either jump in all the way into a “career” or decide that real estate and its future potential were a lot more attractive.

After having run my own business for 3 years, with all that entailed, I was chafing at the slow pace of corporate america, but boy is it nice to have set hours, a steady paycheck and health insurance (never uderestimate the cost of going solo!) This is also the career I had spent 6 years and a lot of moola to prepare for.

My choice, in the end, was for real estate. After making this decision, I had to make some changes - since I now see my job as a short-term, temporary position (I hope my boss doesn’t read this), I have chosen to forego the “raise” and “promotion” route and concentrate my energies and the free time I do have on RE. I have cut back my hours at work, and am no longer in the “promotion track”. I am devoting more time to real estate, and plan to soon be making more at this than at my job, but I need the job to get there - to cover the bills, to get some loans, etc.

So decide where your primary goal lies - if in real estate, and you are sure that you won’t need the job in a couple of years, then concentrate on that. If you plan to stay at the job and do RE part-time, then go to training. Neither is the better answer - you have to decide what is best for you. Remember, though - real estate will always be there. Just because you go away for six weeks (and the time will fly by!) does not mean that you cannot start again! Get a beeper, an answering service, and voila! You’re still in touch. Return messages after training, keep a toe in, and sleep at night.

import · March 28, 1999, 9:19am

Re: Getting Going . . . - Posted by Laure

Posted by Laure on March 28, 1999 at 10:19:17:

The conservative in me says go to training. I started in this business 11 years ago. 1988, and have maintained another full time job all along. There is a certain sense of security in having that pay check, and I don’t regret having kept working. I now have 21 properties, after next week, and am happy with the growth and equity accumulation I have had. I tell you, it is sure nice to have 3 paychecks in the house…hubby, mine and house income. Of course, the rental income beats both of our wages now. The deal is, that we just LOVE our jobs ! Since the first of this year, I would say that I am full time real estate, and part time other job (I own that company too) And I still Love having that paycheck. Sorry guys… Maybe I’ll never be a DECA MILLIONAIRE… but maybe I will ! In the meantime, I am having my cake and eating it too.

Do your deals on the weekends when you are home. Sacrifice family for three months. Have your wife come with you to look at properties. Make it a family affair. ENJOY THE RIDE ! The rewards are worth it.

Laure

import · March 28, 1999, 8:40am

Comfort - Posted by Matt B

Posted by Matt B on March 28, 1999 at 09:40:29:

The best way to never get going in this or any other business you may “want” to get into, is to not get going. When I made the leap into the real estate biz 3 months ago, I was not perfectly prepared. I, only now, have realized how under-prepared I was. However, because of that, I had to learn quick. It sped up the time that I picked up what I needed to know tremendously.

It sure is comfortable going to that “pretty nice” job with that nice, steady paycheck, isn’t it? If that is what makes you happy, then why bother with real estate? There are things that can go wrong. You could get sued. You could lose money. About the worst that could happen at your job is that you get fired or laid off.

What you said about sleeping in your car tells me that you are full of fear. You even said it yourself. Well, let me tell you that there are about a jillion other things on this planet that are scarier than making money doing real estate deals. Here’s something to be afraid of… working all your life to produce money for your boss, retiring at 65, and not being able to pay your bills, since your “retirement plan” didn’t quite cover inflation. Of course, I have seen some pretty old guys working at McDonald’s from time to time. I’m sure that they would hire just about anyone. Then you could be back to getting a nice, steady paycheck and enjoying your nice, comfortable life.

I am not trying to insult you, or tell you that this fear is so uncommon that you must be weird. What I am trying to tell you is to look at how many people have made it. It is a simple matter of taking the correct actions at the correct time. If you don’t have any course material, buy some. Follow the system. The only way to make the system work is to DO IT!!! The point is that it can and has been done again and again by people much less sophisticated than you! (No offense, Karp.)

Here’s something you may want to try that may help get rid of the fear monster. When you make calls or go to see properties, or any other interaction you may have other people, tell yourself that you are just an employee. You have been sent out by the boss who needs you to look at a property for him. You need to get some facts from someone on the phone that the boss needs. My fiance had your problem also. She was paralyzed by fear of not knowing what to say or do and appearing stupid. So I told her to say that she was just the secretary and gathering facts for her boss. When she was asked something that she didn’t have an answer to, she would just tell them that her boss hadn’t given her that detail, and she would have to check with him. She suddenly lost the fear, and didn’t mind asking the “stupid” questions. She learned SO MUCH SO FAST!!!

Finally, I suggest investing in a large red marker and writing the word “ACTION!!!” in big, bold letters on a large piece of paper or posterboard. Put it where it will be the first thing that you see in the morning. When you wake up, get excited when you read that and ask yourself “What ACTION!!! can I take today that will get me closer to my goal of quitting my job and becoming a real estate SUCCESS?”

Your success starts NOW!!! Not at some undetermined date in the future. Take ACTION!!! every day and in no time you’ll be the one bragging about your latest sweet deal, and writing to others who are scared telling them to get their butt in gear and take ACTION!!!

import · March 28, 1999, 1:04pm

Re: Getting Going . . . - Posted by Brandi_TX

Posted by Brandi_TX on March 28, 1999 at 14:04:20:

You Go with your DECA MILLIONAIRE self! Hoo Hoo!
Is that PMA or what? LOL Your energy is very uplifting to me - keep shining.

I have to disagree with only one itty bitty sentence in your post. “Sacrifice family for 3 months.”

Take it from a “workaholic”, if you sacrifice the family for ANY period of time it is too easy to keep sacrificing. This business is way too much of a mental rush to try and shut those feelings off after a certain period of time. Besides, if your family isn’t involved, they have no way of understanding why we are so excited all the time. (Or why we have become insomniacs! LOL)

I have learned from past projects that when I put everything I have into it, while sacrificing my family, I usually get a “wounded” look from the people I love the most. As far as RE is concerned, I am trying to include my hubby as best as I can considering is more than full-time job. It takes some patience to slow down and explain things that are foreign to him (as they were/are to me), but well worth the time. (ie. no more “wounded look”) Also, I have a feeling it is much easier to explain it as you go, than to give them a crash course in 3 months and set yourself up for disappointment when they don’t see immediateley, what you already know.

Just my .02
-Brandi_TX

import · March 28, 1999, 4:13pm

Re: Getting Going . . . - Posted by Kellie

Posted by Kellie on March 28, 1999 at 17:13:12:

This “sacrifice family” kind of turns me off, actually- one of the reasons we are looking into this is so my husband can stop being away from family so much- he’s been home only on weekends for over two months this stretch- no end in sight. We have no interest in continuing this. I hope this isn’t the norm???

import · March 28, 1999, 7:20pm

Re: Getting Going . . . - Posted by Laure

Posted by Laure on March 28, 1999 at 20:20:26:

Wrong impression with the “sacrifice family” statement. What I meant to say was take them with you to accomplish both at the same time. And I was only suggesting for a short time…not forever ! I am personally not much of a family person. I would rather have a hammer in my hand than a skillet. And FORGET laundry ! If I can’t hire it done, it’s gonna get worn again ! hehehe… All kidding aside, he was worried about losing his momentum by going to training. I just offered an alternative. I get really tired of people I know complaining (not here, on line… but around my friends) they have no time to better their lives. I mean, between shopping, and tupperware parties, and birthday parties, and dancing, and drinking, reading magazines, and OH DON’T FORGET “our show is on tonight, I couldn’t possibly !”

What “they” refuse to understand is this: “if you keep on the same path you are on, you will get exactly where you are headed”

And… there is going to be some sacrifice from time to time. My husband gets sick and tired of everything that comes out of my mouth is about a house here, or a contractor, or a vanity, or kitchen cabinets are cheaper over there. But this is ME. Take me or leave me. I am a work-a-holic. I was when he met me, I was when he married me, and I don’t think I’m gonna ever change. I have one person whose happiness is primary in my life. And that is mine. If I don’t take care of myself, then I can’t take care of my family either.

NOW, I’m off my soap box for the rest of the night. My show is on !! The X files !

Laure