All Forum Posts by: Don Johnston

Once again I will be out of town.  Twice in a row.  And Bay Park is where many of my high school friends lived.  I grew up on Tecolote Canyon in Clairemont.

@Linda Weygant Thank you for sharing this experience.  You are helping many others in different ways.  Hopefully the wage garnishment will go smoothly, too.  My daughter is going through her own tenant from hell experience but one big advantage she has is the renters are Navy and her husband is ex-Navy.  Once reported to the tenant's commander, he will face disciplinary action and possible court martial because, besides all the damages, he sublet the house without paying back the money he is paid for off base housing.  The government looks at that as theft.

I am sure at times you are seething inside but thank you for your attitude on this blog and your willingness share so we all can learn.

@Tim G.  Video link works just fine.  Thanks

@Andrew Greer  Sorry for the lack of manners on my part...THANK YOU for opening up your property for this meetup.  I realize it is a win-win proposition but in reality it is a WIN-win situation where we, the spectators, have the bigger WIN not only through the knowledge you share with all of us but the networking with everyone a meetup like this draws out.  Thank you very much.

@Andrew Greer  Any chance for a written synopsis of the project/outline of what you will be talking about..."break down this deal to the bare bones. From acquisition, funding, planning and selling."

Really not wanting to miss this one but family comes first.

Sorry to miss this one.  I will be in Colorado at my daughter's graduation.

@Justin Wilmot  My apologies to you, Justin.  Imagine the "egg on my face" when I realized I had only read to the bottom of the first of 3 pages.  Again, I am sorry for my last post.

@Ryan R.  Fantastic!  What area of North Park?  My nephew has a house on Montclair that he and his dad are rehabbing/remodeling.  It is their personal residence.  I've worked on it, too.  Seen a couple of rehabs done by Fortune Builders in the same area - Boundary to 30th south of University.

Please keep us posted on your progress.

@Ryan R.  Any update?

Tic Toc Tic Toc.  Here it is still another year later and Justin is still promoting his program and in regards to the original question...listen...crickets chirping...and silence.  Let that speak for itself.

@Tim Lindstrom  In a letter writing campaign, it is a multi-letter or letter + multi-phone or email campaign.  It isn't a one and done thing.  It is a relationship building thing.  Each letter/call/email has to have an MWR (Most Wanted Response) that the communication is focused on/geared to.  Letter #1's MWR should be to get a call from the person because you are interested in the area and a house like theirs.

If someone wrote you a letter stating they want to buy your house and they will give you $140K for it, what would your response be?  Mine would be they are trying to scam me out of my house.  At the very minimum it would put me on the defense.

MWR #2 isn't to get a yes answer on your offer because you aren't going to make an offer.  The MWR is to see the house to be able to give a realistic evaluation of the home.  The second place MWR is to at least get referrals or get them thinking of who might be interested and to get their email so you can send them something of value..."How to get the most $$$ for your home when you sell it!"

See how you are building a relationship?  At the same time you can indirectly educate them on why houses in general cannot command the highest price (lack of upgrades, need of repairs, etc.).  Don't "pick on" their house.

You could get lucky and they will ask you what you think their house is worth on that first visit or it may take 3 or more "touches" before it is the right time to make an offer.

Search this site for email campaigns or the like and search it on google.

Too often we only hear that REI is a numbers game...but it is played with real people involved with real needs and wants. Like the story I have heard told about the guy who was motivated to sell but no one could get him to sell until the one buyer sat down with him and listened. What the seller was really concerned about was that his dog was taken care of because he couldn't take him with him. Done deal!

A numbers game played on a relationship level.