All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

The large apartment complex where I live has a Military Personal Release clause (per the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act) that allows for early termination of a lease. Since the western end of the Florida Panhandle is home to several military bases, catering to the needs of this tenant base makes good business sense. I know several members of the armed forces are living in the complex because I see them in uniform every day leaving for or returning from work.

I'm one of those wantabe investors from the 2000s who could never throw the switch. I learned a lot from those meetings, but I was scared off by the fast-and-loose practices. The best lesson I learned (the easy way) is when someone insists real estate is the only way to go, that person is either uninformed or a salesman on commission (or a con artist). Club meetings are a two-way street where those with money and those with deals can size each other up. 

In the pre-digital age of yesteryear, people organized in their Rolodex the business cards they accumulated from attending meetings and conferences. When the need arose, they searched their Rolodex for the appropriate contact and called the person on the telephone ("interactive voice"). Then low-cost computers and the Internet changed everything. Back in the 1990s, Bill Gates wrote a book about it ("Business @ the Speed of Thought").

I sold my home on the West coast three years ago because I wanted to retire and move to an area with a lower cost of living. I'm not sure what I want to do where I'm living now (rent or own), but I have the cash parked in a high-yield savings account that pays me to wait while I sort it out. As a renter, I have "location freedom" in that I can change addresses relatively quickly when compared to owning a home that might not sell right away. When the property market tumbles (if it does), I'm in a position to scoop up a bargain. I'm using my time to learn how to identify that bargain when it walks up and introduces itself to me.

I keep a couple of years of living expenses in cash savings (often recommended for retirees) so I don't panic if the stock market sells off. I use my credit cards as debit cards by paying them off whenever I make a purchase. I'm also toe-dipping in crowdfunding. I'll expand my activities in this space if I have a profitable experience over the next couple of years. I consider crowdfunding to be a stepping stone to direct real estate investing.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/rei/self-directed-ira-real-estate/

Have a Plan B ready of moving out (get up to speed by researching the other apartments in the area) in case this neighbor continues with his bizarre ways. If the landlord or police can't stop him for some reason, then maybe it's time to move.

Silicon Valley venture capitalists bet on the jockey more than the horse. Experienced jockeys have an easier time raising capital than the inexperienced ones, but the horses are only promising ponies ("world-class companies in their formative stage"). The VCs have a team ready to step in if the founders prove incapable of doing the job.

The joke is that founders equity is split 60/40 and the only decision left to be made is whether the entrepreneurs or the VCs get the 60%. At the peak of the dot-com bubble, the entrepreneurs (with the ideas) were able to dictate the deals, but most of the time, the VCs (with the money) are the ones in charge.

Bernie Madoff is an example of a seasoned vet who was able to hoodwink a lot of people, including the U.S. Government (SEC). Although several people questioned his performance numbers, it was not until the 2008 financial tide went out that people learned he really was swimming naked.

http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/12/flashback-2001-barrons-questioned-madoffs-returns

I agree the numbers should make or break the deal regardless of the experience of the syndicator. I would also require something beyond the numbers regardless of the experience of the syndicator and that is a thorough vetting of the syndicator's background and character. I want to know I'm dealing with someone who is honest.

Think of Linkedin as your marketing brochure. Marketing yourself successfully means correctly positioning yourself in the minds of your target customers. Employers like to see focus. In the pre-Linkedin days, I could create different resumes and send out the version that was most appropriate for the type of job I was seeking. When everything now on a single Linkedin profile, one has to be creative.

When I was an engineer who wanted to become a technical writer, for example, I had to decide whether I was an engineer who could write or a technical writer who had an engineering background. Both types of professionals have their niche job market. But no one wants to hire someone who is both an engineer and a technical writer because that type of person can't be easily pigeonholed into a category.

Listing hobbies and side hustles in Other Interests adds texture to the job applicant. If the hiring manager is also into real estate, both of you have something in common to talk about. But if the hiring manager believes you're going to be the next Sam Zell (or Donald Trump or whatever) and leave when you become a real estate millionaire, then mentioning your real estate interest is going to be a negative.

Job interviews are a sales call. Some prospects say NO for the oddest reasons and some say YES for the oddest reasons. Just be comfortable accepting whatever the hiring manager decides based on the content of your Linkedin profile.