All Forum Posts by: David Dachtera
David Dachtera has started 94 posts and replied 4494 times.
Post: RENATUS SCHOOLING?

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Jason,
You'll have forgive me if this is a bit blunt:
So, your success gives you the right to ride roughshod over anyone whose views differ from yours? You'll forgive me if I disagree with that.
...and yes, that DOES disqualify ANYONE from consideration as a prospective mentor or business partner. "Being rich" grants NO ONE ANY special privileges in that regard. Just ask Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Charlie Sheen, etc. I don't care who anyone is or who they think they are. Yes, you've come a long way. Want to continue going even farther? LOSE THE ATTITUDE, DUDE! (Remember that crack I made earlier about getting out of your own way?)
...and you've got it backwards: I'm not arguing with you, YOU are arguing with ME! I would think you would have more profitable pursuits to focus on than bad-mouthing something you know nothing about (Renatus).
"Until you've made at least enough money to recoup your training costs, perhaps you should be focusing more energy on your own success, and less on us..."
That IS my intention, yes. Again, when the attacks stop, the defensiveness will stop. It's up to YOU! ...not me.
Post: RENATUS SCHOOLING?

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Jay,
"... RE is just not that complicated."
I hear ya.
What you have to watch for is if that leads to complacency and people slack off on their due diligence, let code issues slide (until the inspector calls 'em on it), don't plan for asset protection (until the lawsuit hits and then it's too late), ...
Actually, what we say in our group is, "RE is easy - it's just not simple."
Think of it this way: There's a reason why airline pilots have checklists. Flying is not that hard, it's just not simple. (FAA licensed pilot 1982 - 1995.)
The other trap that's easy to fall into is to forget what you went through to learn what you know. At that point, you are "unconsciously competent" - you are unaware of what you know. You do many things by rote, out of habit or from experience. So, when you go to teach it to someone else, you find that you must rediscover your own learning process, remember the lessons of your past experiences and actually digress into conscious competence and then even into simulated conscious incompetence: "how do(did) I learn this?" Then, "How do I teach this?"
I even run into that in my W2 job: legacy systems development. I've been doing this for 35 years, but how do I explain command lines to a newbie who only knows point-and-click?
Post: RENATUS SCHOOLING?

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Jay,
When USNH (University of Southern New Hampshire), University of Pheonix, or any other school runs an ad in the media, does THEIR message, "ring true"?
...and when you say, "... the vast majority they just blew a pretty nice wad of dough that they probably could not afford", on what research are you basing that? Where can I go to verify your findings and review your studies?
Attack triggers defense.
Post: RENATUS SCHOOLING?

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Jason, Jay, Will, et al,
I can only go by what you have demonstrated to me. Specifically, Jason, you thought the cost of a marketing campaign trivial, then revealed that "trivial" cost to be nearly a year's gross salary for a fairly average wage earner. Further, you challenged me to explain the costs and steps of such a campaign, which I did. Can you tell us ANYTHING to give evidence to your wisdom and expertise, other than your real estate successes? Can you give us insights instead of arguments? ...enlightenment instead of castigation? ...truth instead of guesses?
You are entirely correct to believe what you believe. Does that mean people who believe otherwise are wrong? (BEFORE you answer, go back and re-read your own posts.)
From what I've seen all of you post here, it's clear that you value speculation and conjecture over first-hand experience and real-life proof. (Go ahead - prove me wrong! - using ONLY your own posts in this thread as evidence.)
I have to wonder what that says about all of you as prospective mentors and business partners ...
...and if you believe that I said ANYTHING inappropriate or misrepresented ANYTHING in ANYWAY, don't just tell me about it, write to Bob Snyder and tell him! Need his e-mail address? Mine is in my BP profile. Drop me a private note - I will not hesitate to send you an address where you can reach him directly!
As for Doug and myself, I feel safe saying this: our mentors and group leaders put total emphasis on the positive and on concrete evidence. They challenge us to challenge ourselves. They support us and teach us to be supportive.
What challenges have YOU presented? How have YOU been supportive? Again, go back and re-read your own posts before you answer.
I understand you've not enjoyed this thread (or have you?) - neither have I. Yet, you continue to bring it on yourselves by posting negative, speculative material which demands a response based on truth and personal, first-hand experience to set the record straight. That tells me you MUST enjoy it, or you'd have abandoned it pages ago.
So, just as "Statistics?" was Jason's mantra, mine will have to be "Stop the attacks, and the defensiveness will stop." It's ENTIRELY up to YOU!
Fair enough? What is your choice?
Post: New Member in Joliet, IL

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Originally posted by @Brandon Turner:
Hey @David Dachtera thanks for introducing yourself! It's great to have you here! Don't miss The BiggerPockets Podcast - they are great for learning how others are finding success.
Oh - and be sure to set up some Keyword Alerts- especially for "Plainfield" so you'll be notified when people mention it here in the forums.
Thanks again for introducing yourself!
Thanx much, Brandon!
I'm actually in Joliet, but for reasons too weird to explain here, we're served by the Plainfield post office.
Post: RENATUS SCHOOLING?

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
@Will Barnard
The point everyone seems to have missed is that NO ONE is trying to convince ANYONE!!!!
The negative continues to be vehemently asserted.
This necessitates the need to express the positive equally vehemently.
Stop the negativity, and guess what will happen?
Doug Leedy is 100% correct (sorry, Phillip). Those who have invested see the value, and no one can convince us that our first-hand, personal experience didn't happen or was anything less than we experienced it to be. In the same way, of course, those who haven't invested will likely never see any value in doing so, and there's nothing I or anyone else can say to change their minds.
ANYONE who can HONESTLY say they went "from rags to riches" because of information they acquired without SOME kind of payout - money, effort, intellectual property, whatever - deserves, and indeed has, my full and deepest respect and heart-felt congratulations.
Anyone who feels that they need more than that should understand that it IS available. Ignore the negative, focus on the positive and you will find the help and - in time - the success you seek.
Finis
P.S.:
On a lighter note, ...
We had our weekly meeting this evening. In my gig as volunteer, I swear someone told the garbage bags to be fruitful and multiply. I had nine bags to load into my trunk, drive to the far corner of the lot and toss into the dumpster in -2 temperatures with a -11 wind chill. Gotta love Winter in Chicago!
Post: RENATUS SCHOOLING?

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Originally posted by @Mike F.:
Personally, I think if you have to spend more than 100 words defending something, no amount of words will ever defend it.
Speaking from personal experience with Renatus, or just guessing?
I speak from first-hand, personal experience.
Post: Problem Solvers Only - REI Family Dilemma

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Hi, Timothy,
Have you considered short-selling the underwater properties?
I'll ask among my network if anyone has a connection in the Fresno area. Maybe someone will have an idea that will help you.
Post: New Member in Joliet, IL

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
Hello, everyone!
Quick introduction of myself.
Start with my profile - my real estate experience is outlined there, a thumb-nail sketch, really.
A little more about me...
I'm still working a W2 position as a system programmer for legacy mid-frame systems. The bulk of my colleagues have retired, passed on or changed professions. I'm one of, oh maybe, 100 or so folks in the country who can do what I do.
Overall, my real estate experience goes back to 1985. I was out of work most of that year and had my first encounters with the likes of Robert Allen, Dave del Dotto, Al Lowry, Tony Hoffman, and others who have gone beyond, gone away or just gone their own way.
I also have a long history with public speaking. I started singing and reading in church in the 5th grade. I was younger than many, being a November birthday: only 10. Between that, being a church musician, cantor and lector, giving business presentations on the job, giving break-out sessions, seminars and workshops at international symposia and talking to others about my other affiliations, I have some 50 years experience with public speaking. I'm as comfortable with large groups as with 2 or 3 chatting over dinner or drinks.
I lost everything in the crash, my divorce and being out of work for over a year in 2009/2010. So, I'm essentially rebuilding my retirement from scratch. Going to do it one property at a time!
Post: PEX piping...love it or hate it?

- Rental Property Investor
- Rockford, IL
- Posts 4,613
- Votes 2,995
I've not a project needing (re)piping yet, but I'm sure I will eventually. Here in Northern Illinois, the codes pretty much require copper. In other areas, I would think whatever meets code (first) and keeps you on budget (second) is worth looking into.