Posted by Carol on October 11, 1998 at 13:37:58:
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO KARP,
of course.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by MASTER NUMBER
Posted by MASTER NUMBER on October 10, 1998 at 22:42:40:
I HAVE A SINCERE QUESTION FOR THE LOVELY AND OBVIOUSLY INTELLIGENT JP VAUGHN AND THE OBVIOUSLY INTELLIGENT AND KNOWLEDGEABLE JOHN BEHLE, JOE KAISER, LONNIE SCRUGGS AND THE MANY OTHER SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE INVESTORS WHO VISIT THIS WONDERFUL SITE: DO YOU KNOW OF ANY BLACK REAL ESTATE INVESTORS WHO ARE SUCCEEDING OR EVEN INVOLVED IN BUYING AND SELLING MOBILE HOMES, OR BUYING AND SELLING PAPER? IN TERMS OF MOBILE HOME PARKS, I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN ONE AND I HAVE NEVER MET ONE BLACK PERSON WHO LIVES IN ONE. I PURCHASED LONNIE’S BOOKS BUT THE THOUGHT OF ENTERING A MOBILE HOME PARK AND SPEAKING WITH MANAGERS AND MOBILE HOME PARK RESIDENTS,EVEN THOUGH I AM A SUCCESSFUL SALES AND MARKETING PERSON IN MY AREA,MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I AM AT A DISTINCT DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE I WOULD BE SEEN AS SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THAT GROUP.PERHAPS, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WITH THIS PARTICULAR MIND SET BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IF YOU WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN THIS WOULD BE A MAJOR PREOCCUPATION. HOW CAN WE MAKE USE OF ALL THE GREAT KNOWLEDGE THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THIS WONDERFUL PLACE IF THE ACTIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED ARE NOT CREDIBLE TO OWNERS,PARK MANAGERS OR OTHER INVESTORS? FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN THOUGH I DRESS NICE AND HAVE A NICE APPEARANCE, I WOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE GOING UP TO A MOBILE HOME THAT HAS A “FOR SALE SIGN” IN THE WINDOW(REMBEMBER, I’VE NEVER KNOWN OF ONE BLACK PERSON WHO LIVES IN A MOBILE HOME PARK AND THE ONES I’VE DRIVEN THROUGH RECENTLY APPEAR TO BE ALL WHITE.) I WOULD BE FEARFUL THAT MY PRESENCE IN SUCH A PARK WOULD BE MIS-CONSTRUED EVEN THOUGH I DRIVE A BEAUTIFUL,BRAND NEW, 1998 CAR. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS: DO ANY OF YOU KNOW OF ANY BLACK REIS WHO ARE BENEFITING FROM THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE?
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by The Baze
Posted by The Baze on October 11, 1998 at 15:40:18:
You know, I’ve never seen a black person in a MH park either, but then again, I’ve never looked for one. If someone is motivated to sell their home, and you can solve their problem, I have a hard time believing you can’t put something together, regardless of your race, sex, or whatever. Money is green, no matter who gives it to you. Might you encounter someone so prejudiced that they wouldn’t sell their home to a black man. Maybe, but I doubt it. I may be naive (my very liberal sister thinks so) but I don’t believe racism is nearly the problem it was many years ago.
That’s my .02.
Tom Bazley
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by Dirk Roach
Posted by Dirk Roach on October 11, 1998 at 11:09:40:
First off I think the race thing is either here nor there. I am of a minority, and of course have strong feelings in reguards to certain issues because of that, wether they be political or social, however when I’m out at work (finding and selling MH’s), I leave that at home. There is a time and a place.
This last week I was talking to the manager of one of the parks I deal with, (good park good manager), and he told me outright that the finders fees, which he gets from me really help out him and his wife. That they live on around $1000 a month (free roof) but none-the-less a $1000 a month.
Thus these people will work with me.
Also yesterday I drove by a MH deall which we (me and one of my investors) closed this last week. A young couple who are trying to rebuild their credit, and just trying to chug along bought it, and they were planting flowers outside of their new HOME. There were also homemade curtains that had went up in the windows. I said hi and they said hi and I went on with my business (finding somemore deals). But what this told me is that finally this young couple had a HOME. Not just another apartment, not just another place to crash, after working a hard day. I put them into a HOME.
And that’s what your gonna deal with in the MH game. Good working people who, society (at large) dosen’t take that seriously or really just dosen’t care. Hey fill my tank up and check the oil, is what we (the majority) of us say and then we drive off and don’t give it a second thought. That is how they perceive us (people with perhaps a nicer car) or a better paying work.
Lonnie Scruggs calls his Mh’s “Money Pumps”. I agree, a pump is a machine, and with every machine I know of if you take care of it, it’ll take care of you. Remember these are more than just deals, at the heart of this are people. No matter how you look at it. I have found as with anything, you do right by them, they’ll do right by you.
Basicily I guess what I’m saying if you can give these people a little dignity and treat them right, they won’t care wether you are purple or not.
Personally I could find reasons all day long on why certain people tell me no on offers etc. I’m too young for them to take me seriously, my car is too nice, I’m a minority, whatever. But that puts no money in my pocket. I guess in my life I have been conditioned not to do this. I went to Military school the majority of my life, and believe me your all equal there. I have lived in Boston and Detroit. In the side of town where everything went down, but man could both towns throw a block party.
So don’t look for obsticles, just jump over them when they appear. And they will so don’t be surprised, just knock 'em out.
You know I made a little money on that MH last week, but I gotta tell you seeing that Young couple so very proud with their home, really that is what made that a sweet deal.
Good luck to you,
Dirk Roach
P.S. Watch the caps, it’s hard to read when use use them, like that.
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by J.P. Vaughan
Posted by J.P. Vaughan on October 11, 1998 at 08:49:42:
Ed Wachsman said it all.
A very highly successful real estate investor,
publisher of a newsletter that goes out to over
15,000 a month, and nationally known speaker is
Jeffrey Taylor. He is also known to many thousands
as “Mr. Landlord” because landlording is his specialty.
Jeff is one of the most dynamic real estate speakers
I have ever heard. Jeff is black.
But I don’t think Jeffrey spend much time in his
life making excuses for why he couldn’t do things
or achieve what he wanted in life. I believe he
just got out there, educated himself and moved the
molecules.
I suggest you do the same. Stop making excuses. Yes,
I know racism still runs deep in parts of this society,
but you just have to treat it as another obstacle
to overcome. I’ve faced discrimination in my life,
not because of my color, but because of my sex. Do
you think it was easy to become a woman trial lawyer?
Let me tell you, men with one-tenth of my qualifications
got hired before I did. You just need to keep on moving
on and NEVER lose sight of your dreams and goals.
I suggest you get yourself a copy of “Think and Grow
Rich for the Black Perspective.” Read it 10 times
and make it part of your belief system and life.
Your biggest drawback right now is your own belief
system. You will need to change that, my friend.
By the way, your second biggest drawback is the
1998 brand new car. I suggest you do NOT drive it
while you’re out looking for wobbly boxes.
JP Vaughan
P.S. Jeffrey Taylor happens to be Lonnie Scruggs’
neighbor. I don’t know if he’s ever done a MH deal.
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by Ed Wachsman
Posted by Ed Wachsman on October 11, 1998 at 08:05:47:
What would I do? Just what I do everyday. I know that some people have absolutely unreasonable and unwaivering biases against lots people for lots of different reasons. Some blacks can’t stand darker blacks or blacks of different nationalities, some whites can’t stand blacks, some Irish hate other Irish, the Iraqis decimate the Kurds - it goes on and on. I’ve just learned to accept the irrationality of it all and ignore it and also accept the fact that I am going to lose a small percentage of deals because I am white and another small percentage because I’m J_wish (J.P. your censor is a bit sensitive) and another percentage because I flat out screwed up in my approach. Life happens.
There are a number of very talented and very successful black entrepreneurs (sp?) in my central Ohio marketplace who don’t appear to be troubled by their skin color. I’d like them to get out of the marketplace - not because they of different ethnic origin - but because they are such talented competitors.
My strong suggestion to you is that you go through a ritual of putting all of the reasons you can’t be successful in a trash can and setting the thing on fire! Then start reading this site - every word of it - for the next 3 or 4 months. While your doing that read everything you can on positive mental attitude. Simultaneous with those two ideas, go to every open house and every FSBO (MH and real estate) so that you can you can start learning your market and start getting a feel for values. In other words - get your act in order on your end and then go out and be successful. Even then you will find that maybe one of 20 people will be motivated enough to talk further with and most of those won’t have the equity (or other circumstances) to do a deal with. Then you will find that a certain percentage of the deals you put together will fall apart for reasons absolutely beyond your control. And you know what. Even with all of that - you can still make a helluva living by honest and straightforward with the people you buy from and sell to. Personal circumstances caused me to lose a lot of time this year and I’ll still do well. In the most unlikely event you discover that every MH park manager has “KKK” tatooed on their forehead, there is always SF homes, multi-unit building, paper, etc.
Just remember, every successful person on this site - if they are doing everything right - gets told “NO” many, many times each week or tells someone else “NO” many times each week. 99.9% of the “NO’s” are related to there just not being a meeting of the minds or circumstances that just don’t work for some reason. Rarely, rarely, rarely is it related to ethnicity.
Oh - one more thing. Personal theory of mine - some will definitely disagree. I don’t think it helps to drive new cars and wear fancy clothes when trying to buy below FMV -though it may help in some LO situations.
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by Kevin(OK)
Posted by Kevin(OK) on October 11, 1998 at 07:10:20:
Master #,
Unfortunately, in the world we live in, there are still people who will look no deeper than skin color. I am white. I have a mentor who is white who has bought properties in minority neighborhoods, and he has had guns pulled on him. Be very careful!! If you deal with motivated sellers, and you should be, they are probably already stressed out, and any time someone is stressed out, anything may cause them to snap. Setting up a meeting in a nuetral location, like a coffee shop, might be a good idea.
Good luck!
Kevin(OK)
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by Mark
Posted by Mark on October 11, 1998 at 05:04:39:
Hi, I’m probably a bit sceptical but in Australia we dont have a
large AfroAmerican population. Our poor are third and fourth generation
white Australians. Sucess is in the mind not in the skin.
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by Karen McCall
Posted by Karen McCall on October 11, 1998 at 19:44:49:
You are absolutely right Blaze, and by the way out on the Island here in Fernandian there is very successful African American who owns and sell mobiles in his own park.I know of several VERY VERY successful REI investors in Charleston South Carolina where if prejudice would stop you that would be the place, so I say any race creed or color, all that matters is drive and teachability and to our friend above TURN OFF THE CAPS IT HURTS MY EYES (it is also seen as Shouting).
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by LeBeauTX
Posted by LeBeauTX on October 11, 1998 at 14:16:37:
Oh! He definitely did those caps on purpose.
He said he had a successful career in
sales and marketing. It was his way
of getting somebody’s attention.
JP: Driving 1998 brand new car? - Posted by Jim-WI
Posted by Jim-WI on October 11, 1998 at 13:02:14:
JP,
Forgive my ignorance as I am still a newbie but why would you not suggest driving the car?
Jim-WI
Re: WHAT WOULD YOU DO? - Posted by karp
Posted by karp on October 11, 1998 at 10:51:56:
Absolutly read Think and Grow Rich- a Black Choice.
I got a ton out of thatr book and guess what?
I’m not black. But when I read that book I was a young white
punk and the message remains as poignant regardless of the audience.
Now I am a 31 year old white punk (that hasn’t changed) but I make
a pretty good living and got to quit being an actor and start directing
this movie called my life. Pretty cool.
BTW, I have a book I have been writing now for over 3 years called “Thinkk and Grow Rich-the Final Hope for Generation X”
Expect it on bookstore shelves around…2055…hehe
“When you arrive at your future, will you blame your past?”
Thanks,
karp
aka Karl Hartley
Black M.H. Park Ownes… - Posted by L.A.
Posted by L.A. on October 11, 1998 at 09:18:07:
Believe or not…there are African American mobile home park owners & African American based parks.
Alot more than people suspect !!!
In addition, there a plenty of black real estate investors who write articles for NATIONAL real estate magazines.
Want names: ok here goes…(1) Reggie Brooks
of Los Angles, Ca. (2) Wesley Barney of New York city.
Both of these guys are black & have & still do write articles for “Creative Real Estate Magazine”
As J.P. stated…Jeff Taylor has been out here for sometime.
I can name other names also, but I don’t have the time & this board isn’t meant for free advertising.
I also suggest that you start reading BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine.
Each & every month that publication features more black tycoons in all types of businesses including real estate, than you can count.
Btw…can we say Oprah ?
Here “REAL” wealth is real estate based, not talk show based…the show is her “day job”.
She got rich by investing.
She had to invest in real estate in order to shelter her income !
just my .02
Re: JP: Driving 1998 brand new car? - Posted by LeBeauTX
Posted by LeBeauTX on October 11, 1998 at 14:10:54:
I have heard other investors tell me
it’s best to look like like the sellers
or look “down home”. I have been
told you can wear a tape measure or tool
belt and some dirty jeans. That will make
you look like just a handyman trying to
find a home to fix up. They say it works
real good. When you dress like that,
your mind set kinda changes, too. You
develop a rapport with the sellers. It’s
just like Instant NLP. 
-LeBeauTX
Re: JP: Driving 1998 brand new car? - Posted by J.P. Vaughan
Posted by J.P. Vaughan on October 11, 1998 at 13:40:55:
Jim,
Most people would rather deal with people who are
like them. This is first and foremost a PEOPLE business.
Lonnie deals are the “el cheapo” mobile homes. The
MH sellers, MH park managers and MH buyers are usually
in a lower income bracket. Driving an expensive
new car makes you look too “slick”–too “unlike”
everyone else in that environment. You run the risk
of not being trusted by anyone, or of being resented,
or of not being able to put together a good deal
because everyone thinks you’re Mr. Moneybags.
Not a good way to do business…
JPV