Rental Property Investor · Corvallis, OR · Member since 2018 · 840 posts · 1k+ votes
5 months ago I posted about creating $7000 of additional cash flow in a 4 year period and I also mentioned wanting to hang up my high paying W2 job. Further, a month later I posted about Oregon rental laws in March due to COVID and our Governor announcing an eviction freeze and someone literally stalked me from the east coast and emailed me, sent me a facebook message and threatened me and contacted my employer. For real!! My employer never liked me doing RE deals as it was. Whether a tenant would drop by their rent check or he knew I was flipping a house, he wanted me to be 100% owned by him. This crazy woman did in fact get ahold of him and sent my BP post and she emailed me stating she hated landlords, and she even had a FB page against “Evil landlords during Corona” or something to that nature. In the end, the last 4 months have been strange as I cannot tell you the day it is, but I have kept busy with two house flips, and looking at buying a 3rd. These are strange times, but always remember that what you write remains public and there is no deleting BP posts. In my case, although painful the first week, it ended well for me and I was prepared. The tough part is I never saw a pandemic where government would shut down businesses and colleges, etc and let tenants live rent free. So, I am taking a wonderful new W2 beginning Aug 5th. I hope we all get through this but wanted to share my journey.
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2019 · 304 posts · 462 votes
6y
We live in sad times. People are becoming more afraid to express their true opinions. Say the wrong thing and the Twitter mob will attack you and try to destroy your life. I am hoping we have enough posters on here that are immune to the attacks of these extremists and are willing to stand up to them. If not, it will only get worse. It just amazes me that employers can fire workers just for what they may have posted on the internet. I wonder if there are grounds for a wrongful dismissal suit. We need a few high profile suits that might make employers think twice before going down that road.
@James Wise I was a sales manager of a dealership. Many people had down time and I always exceeded expectations. 95% of calls I took were not RE related but “perception is reality” and jealousy seemed to prevail at times. My job was 100% commission, and I never punched a clock, was not salary, or anything like that i got paid purely by my direct production and my numbers ALWAYS prevailed. Truth is, my owner had talked about selling the last 5 years as many departments were not profitable, but my area of sales and finance was not the issue. And, every year when we did a review I asked what I could improve on and he said “nothing”. I never had a bad review or any bad notation. Covid was my perfect storm and he told me he may hand his keys in and fold and showed me a lot of fear. My post was just the icing on the cake as he never liked me doing RE and the fact I stated I was exiting my W2 in two years, coupled with the fact that COVID fears paralyzed him and his son clearly told me that. That creepy woman did not help me at all and she clearly stalked me over a conversation about Portland announcements about eviction freezes back in march. I have no regrets but I wanted to warn others about what happened to me. I always enjoyed your CLAYTON MORRIS posts btw, and years ago my son talked me off the ledge as I was impressed by their work. Thank you to my son as I would have lost money and that issue would have really interfered at my work, haha.
Crazy......Glad you liked our coverage on Clayton Morris.
@Todd Powell Unfortunately, creativity and persistence are the only traits one needs to possess to wreck someone's life, violence is not necessary. Staying anonymous online helps limit your exposure, however, the driver of the car you accidentally cut off 2 blocks from your home could easily follow you home and make your life a living hell without even knowing your name. It's creativity that is scary... Burner phones only cost about $15 and providing your address to a 911 operator is free, as well as is an "i smell gas" call to the local gas company. A letter written in female handwriting, claiming you are the father of her child could cause distrust in a your marriage. Two or three "fetish" magazines dropped on the street next to your garbage can on garbage day at 5:45 am. (just before your neighbors go for their morning run) could easily have everyone avoiding you at the next block party. The internet absolutely makes performing acts of malice simple. I've been a software developer for a long time, and have worked with many other software developers. Over that time I have heard plenty of stories. It's the stories where the victim does not know that someone is targeting them that are the worst. For all they know, chaos has consumed their life due to a very horrible case of bad luck. It's not possible to prevent someone from going nuts and targeting you. However, you can partition areas of your life to prevent collateral damage. Now I'm just guessing, but you stated your prior boss did not like when a "tenant would drop by their rent check". This leads me to believe your previous job responsibilities were not performed from your home office, as your boss had witnessed this occurring during work hours. At your new position (congrats by the way), keep in mind, it will only be a matter of time before your second job (real estate investing) interferes with your responsibilites at your new job be it for a couple minutes, or a couple hours. Statistically speaking, the more the little interruptions occur, the more likely a big interruption is to occur. So, get a p.o. box, and have tenants drop off their rent checks there . Because if they are ok with dropping of money to you at your job, they sure as hell will be ok with causing a scene when the hot water heater goes out.
Rental Property Investor · Corvallis, OR · Member since 2018 · 840 posts · 1k+ votes
6y
@Brandon Phillips this was a OLD school dealership since 1940, 3 generations and they did not have a HR. MANY books could be written about violations and I will just leave that one alone.
Reykjavík, Iceland · Member since 2019 · 49 posts · 13 votes
6y
I'm so sorry about your situation.
It may be a long shot but I'd consider counseling a lawyer to see if you were illegally laid off. I don't know the laws in your country but where I'm from you'd probably not get away with something like this unless it's stated in a contract that business outside of work is considered a breach of the contract.
Congratulation on your new, and hopefully better, job. Keep up the side huzzle!
Rental Property Investor · New York, NY · Member since 2011 · 956 posts · 510 votes
6y
Not really -you got yourself fired by putting the information out there . Best to think about what you’re saying in public and protect yourself . it’s now a world where public info may be used for us or against us. can’t hold someone else responsible for what you did or said.
Not really -you got yourself fired by putting the information out there . Best to think about what you’re saying in public and protect yourself . it’s now a world where public info may be used for us or against us. can’t hold someone else responsible for what you did or said.
Are we responsible for what we put out there? Sure.
Does it mean that anyone should be fired for seeking financial freedom? Absolutely not.
Rental Property Investor · Corvallis, OR · Member since 2018 · 840 posts · 1k+ votes
6y
@Jónas Tryggvi Stefánsson I agree with you to a point. IF you write something on Facebook that is innocent or just an opinion, should you be slandered for it, or let go? What if your content was pure and good and not evil? You are saying that its your fault if this happens to you? I dont care that my RE got me in trouble, but someone across the US coast wants to twist and be malicious due to their agenda? Sorry, not agreeing with you.
Rental Property Investor · Corvallis, OR · Member since 2018 · 840 posts · 1k+ votes
6y
@Marci Stein I am perfectly fine with what I said. This is a RE forum, but when anti landlord people attack and are malicious and without any fault to myself, I disagree with you. So, what if you posted something political in nature on your facebook, you think that someone opposing your private views and NOTHING to do with your job should be able to reach out 3000 miles away and attack you ? Is that what you are saying, I wrote a public statement that was NOT harmful, racist or demeaning, but I need to be careful with what I post? That is what is wrong with our country, its all PC and one person can tear down someone innocent. I hope this doesnt happen to you, but it may help you understand if it does. Again, I would make the same statements today and have zero regrets. I will not hide in a cave or under a rock, am I am a good and compassionate guy. But, who knows, maybe you are part of the anti landlords group as well.
Not really -you got yourself fired by putting the information out there . Best to think about what you’re saying in public and protect yourself . it’s now a world where public info may be used for us or against us. can’t hold someone else responsible for what you did or said.
Are we responsible for what we put out there? Sure.
Does it mean that anyone should be fired for seeking financial freedom? Absolutely not.
This is victim blaming at its finest. But cant be a victim and a responsible . He is not a victim . Get your facts straight !
Rental Property Investor · New York, NY · Member since 2011 · 956 posts · 510 votes
6y
@Todd Powell I know you are fine with what you said and I can understand why . you have taken all responsibility and have not fallen to being a victim . good for you!
Rental Property Investor · Corvallis, OR · Member since 2018 · 840 posts · 1k+ votes
6y
@Marci Stein yes, not a victim, but do you see my question? If you posted on whatever topic with no ill will or intentions, do you really think you can be blamed or would be fault? I think people see things two ways which is fine, but I am curious based on your first post. Sometimes blame deserves to be pointed where it is warranted.
@Jónas Tryggvi Stefánsson I agree with you to a point. IF you write something on Facebook that is innocent or just an opinion, should you be slandered for it, or let go? What if your content was pure and good and not evil? You are saying that its your fault if this happens to you? I dont care that my RE got me in trouble, but someone across the US coast wants to twist and be malicious due to their agenda? Sorry, not agreeing with you.
I think you have misundstood what I said.
I don't think it's okay to fire someone for expressing thoughts or opinions that do not harm or violate contracts made with the employer.
Investor · Skagit County, WA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 807 votes
6y
@Todd Powell Congrats on the new job! I work in construction management and love the field. What type of projects do they do? But you do have me thinking twice about what I write on the internet. Though I also have a boss that invests in real estate and gives me the time so I can work on mine, so I feel very fortunate and glad it exists elsewhere too.
Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2017 · 824 posts · 1k+ votes
6y
I'm a firm believer of "live, and let live".
But I'm also a believer in "keep your f*3&(&# head down".
And I'm a firm believer in "you reap what you sow".
I think what's happening here is a solid lesson in it all. There's some crazy people out there who would love nothing better to do than tear down another human being. Some people need to be torn down and they aren't -- the world isn't fair in that way, which is why I invest in real estate in the first place. I'll do my best to make my own luck, so to speak. But I also don't want to be too communicative about it -- If you bullhorn a "look at me" post, it's going to attract some attention, both positive and negative. I personally like congratulating people on their personal successes, but I guess there are wackos out there who think differently.
I, personally, don't believe the post or this individual got you fired. I bet both of those were building blocks to the end. You said it yourself..."My employer never liked me doing RE deals as it was. Whether a tenant would drop by their rent check or he knew I was flipping a house, he wanted me to be 100% owned by him." Well, lets look at what is probable from that statement -- you spent time at your W2 likely talking about hobbies/interests not related to your W2. And then you were conducting business for your non-W2 at your W2. That alone would most certainly get most of us here dropped like a bad habit, or at least reprimanded.
Its entirely possible, Todd, that your manager is just a jealous, petty person. There's plenty of those out there. But I've got to be honest, if I ran a business and paid you to be an employee, and you were conducting your own business during business hours at my place of business, right in front of the manager...I mean...put yourself in his shoes for a minute. I'm paying you to do a job for me, and you're spending time doing something else. Maybe this only happened once, but once is enough to cast doubt for most managers. I don't agree you should have been fired, but I'm also not the owner of that business in what I assume is an at-will employment state. If you run your own business in an at-will employment state, then its up to you to decide how to conduct your business.
I'm also a bit taken aback, respectfully of course, that you commented about the pandemic and how it "caught you off guard". In the same breath, this pandemic which you see as a "challenge to happenings in your professional career", became a "tenants live free" mantra. Nope. Sorry. Not buying it, dude. Goes back to the world not being fair -- you lost your job in a pandemic and so have others. For you to approach it as a personal struggle for you, and a "taking advantage and living free" opportunity for a tenant...no. We're all in this boat together. Sounds a bit selfish on your part, frankly. You're not the only dude struggling. Food for thought.
I think one of the more interesting lessons I've learned in my career is that while its entirely possible external forces impact you negatively, you should be the owner (and ultimately, the responsible party) for what happens to you. You are the ONLY person watching your six. That's a fact, especially in our professional lives. You could be better, faster, stronger, smarter than your manager ($20 says you are, no doubt) and yet, you're the one with the short end of the stick in this particular situation.
You seem like a smart, ambitious guy, and I'm glad you found another job and were hopefully not seriously impacted. Chances are you'll look back on this moment as a blessing in disguise, as others have indicated, where your manager did you a favor cutting you loose. But common sense would dictate you shouldn't have tenants coming by the job to pay you rent, you shouldn't be performing RE work while you're at your W2 (or at least hide it better...use your personal phone/tablet and don't connect to company servers), and always check who you talk non-shop with.
Good luck on your new job...coming right up on the 5th!
5 months ago I posted about creating $7000 of additional cash flow in a 4 year period and I also mentioned wanting to hang up my high paying W2 job. Further, a month later I posted about Oregon rental laws in March due to COVID and our Governor announcing an eviction freeze and someone literally stalked me from the east coast and emailed me, sent me a facebook message and threatened me and contacted my employer. For real!! My employer never liked me doing RE deals as it was. Whether a tenant would drop by their rent check or he knew I was flipping a house, he wanted me to be 100% owned by him. This crazy woman did in fact get ahold of him and sent my BP post and she emailed me stating she hated landlords, and she even had a FB page against “Evil landlords during Corona” or something to that nature. In the end, the last 4 months have been strange as I cannot tell you the day it is, but I have kept busy with two house flips, and looking at buying a 3rd. These are strange times, but always remember that what you write remains public and there is no deleting BP posts. In my case, although painful the first week, it ended well for me and I was prepared. The tough part is I never saw a pandemic where government would shut down businesses and colleges, etc and let tenants live rent free. So, I am taking a wonderful new W2 beginning Aug 5th. I hope we all get through this but wanted to share my journey.
That's why in Europe we are concerned about privacy on the Internet, and there are data protection laws and there is a focus on privacy. This means Facebook, Google, Amazon and the rest of the technological companies should be subject to more strict regulations.
Rental Property Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2015 · 401 posts · 221 votes
6y
This is why many of us don't put our full last name on here. There are a lot of crazy lunatics out there who think housing is a right, yet don't want to build their own house.
