The Bad Days!

[Kira Golden]

One of the things I LOVE about real estate investing is how optimistic, creative and cheery everyone is. Generally, you don't get a lot of excuse makers in this business. However, I know we all have really bad days and today I just had one.  I have a fairly high BS threshold. By way of example, I am 8 months pregnant, battling bronchitis and just had a fire and shooting at one of my rehabs, and had the budget come in 1mm over estimate (yes this is the last four days!) Today I hit my limit. Yesterday I booked to have cleaning laddies come clean my house as a treat since I had been sick and let it go, and also since we were having company. Today they were over an hour late. They also came without the documents on licensing and bonding I requested. When I called the office for the third time and someone finally answered I was needless to say... upset. However, I did not yell or say the thing I wanted to say such as, "this cleaning was costing me now thousands per hour in wasting my time". Instead, I tried to find out what they could do to handle the issue. The guy on the other end of the phone literally yelled at me. That was it! I hung up on him and sent his staff home. After I had a min to reflect, I called back asking to speak to an owner. As a business owner myself I would want someone to alert me to a customer service issue so I can handle it and train my staff. Turns out HE WAS THE OWNER!!! AGHHHH. First off, NEVER use DENVER MOUNTAIN MAIDS.  Second, I took this moment to stop and think about all the stuff we have to deal with as real estate investors, the daily stress can be a lot from time to time. However, the stressful moments like finding out the home across the street from my mortgaged 160K house was just bank foreclosed and on the market for 35k are also opportunities. In fact, I bought that 35k house! But only after a day passed and Ill admit I cried. I was scared. I didn't know what was happening to the US market. This was 2009. I not only made it out OK but I made it out thriving. Because where I first experienced fear, I ultimately found my opportunity. 

Real estate investing has BAD DAYS. But EVERYTHING is point of view. When your having a bad day don't pretend everything is fine. It is likely not and pretending it is will only hide the problem. But also, don't think it will be bad forever. Once you freak out, cry, accidentally overreact to your spouse because you are stressed (sorry honey!) take a moment and think. Put your emotions in check and let your brain storm!  You will find that there are solutions to every problem, and every bad day is an opportunity to quit or be forged into the investor you want to be. Yes the benefits are worth it, but make sure you are doing this for the right reasons and that you have balance in your life. For me, it's the occasional help with cleaning that is usually my treat. My husband loves to go hit the rockies with his new Rubicon Unlimited, and ALWAYS remember that if everyone could really do this they would. There are many things that make being a real estate investor great. I know this because even on the bad days I wouldn't do anything else.