All Forum Posts by: Alvin Sylvain

And, uh, where this written down? Is this like a category on the 1040Investor form?

I'm not going to say whether or not they're a scam, because I can see both sides: on one side, it's an expensive education with no guarantees; on the other side, there are cheaper educations available, and the guarantees are just as good.

But what I find funny is the marketing.

While my carpool buddy and I are driving from Los Angeles to Orange County, we hear on the radio: "Hi, I'm Than Merrill, and I wanted to tell you the Los Angeles market is just ripe for a few motivated individuals to try my special wealth building program ..."

Then I drive down to San Diego to visit my son, and I hear on the radio, "Hi, I'm Than Merrill, and I wanted to tell you the San Diego market is just ripe for a few motivated individuals to try my special wealth building program ..."

Then I drive up to Central California to check out some properties, and I hear on the radio, "Hi, I'm Than Merrill, and I wanted to tell you the Fresno market is just ripe for a few motivated individuals to try my special wealth building program ..."

SO ---

I'm imagining, no matter where I drive, I might hear on the radio, "Hi, I'm Than Merrill, and I wanted to tell you the {INSERT CITY HERE} market is just ripe for a few motivated individuals to try my special wealth building program ..."

I expect some day in the distant future to be on a Mars Lander -- "Hello, this is Houston Control, Houston Control -- we have a message here from a Than Merrill, who wants to tell you the Martian market is just ripe for a few motivated individuals to try his special wealth building program ..."

There is no argument on the principle involved. The question is regarding the practical matters.

Suppose in your example, you knew that if you called the police they'd come by, arrest the perp, then bill you for their services roughly the same as the value as what was being stolen? (the most apropos example to the costs involved with eviction)

Suppose you knew the local police chief was this criminal's brother-in-law, so the chances of him seeing any punishment was between slim and none? So, as they haul the perp way, he waves at you, saying, "See you next week!"

Suppose you live in a jurisdiction where, by the time the police got there, the criminal would be long gone, and then the police would make you sit down and fill out 128 pages of paperwork "for their records"? (again, the time costs involved with eviction, showing up to court when it's the least convenient)

Suppose this was the same guy who robbed you last year, and when you called the police, he tripped on your steps trying to get away, twisted his ankle, then sued you for neglect? (it has happened)

Of course, you can always counter that my examples could only be possible in a Justice System that is Broken.

Yep.

Companies around the nation deal with this kind of thing every day. Somebody will trip on a crack in the sidewalk in front of the business and sue. The business is then faced with the choice of 2, 3 maybe more years of a drawn-out, expensive legal battle, or they can give the a**wipe a few thousands to go away quietly.

Neither choice is a "good" one, but sometimes settling out of court is just simply more expedient.

Will said a**wipe go find somebody else's business to "trip" in front of? Rinse and repeat? Possibly. In some cases, probably; there are shyster lawyers who make a living this way. Legal extortion. But when you are the defendant in such a suit, what can you do? Do you have the Means and the Will to go the "High Road" and teach this shyster a lesson? Or take the "easy way out" because you have neither the means nor the will?

I have a question on this topic. Can you, or can you not, put a mark on the tenant's credit report that they were asked to vacate for non-payment of rent?

"Asked to Vacate" vs. "Evicted", the latter of course involving legal proceedings that are automatically placed on public record.

I'm thinking you can do the "Cash for Keys" and at the same time put out a warning for any future landlord who does any due diligence on prospective tenants, such as checking their credit report.

 Hah! Well, that's a pretty big closet, isn't it? :-)

And besides . . . I'll bet it has a VIEW . . . of the unit next to it . . .