This week I received an email from a client requesting information on several homes that are listed on one of the foreclosure services (foreclosure.com; AOL’s list, etc.)
So I checked the MLS, and found out that all of the houses that my client asked about were already either sold, accepted, or in contract.
But it started me thinking about these services, and what are they really about?
Well, we know what they are all about- making money- by selling lists.
Basically they sell you lists of every foreclosure in the works, by geographical area, but what does that mean? In Staten Island, you would be buying a list of every house where a “notice of pendency of legal action” - lis pendence - has been filed and served against a homeowner who has defaulted in the terms of their mortgage.
For additional money, you can also get the list of dates of the foreclosure sales, or auctions, which take place in the County Court House in a hallway on the first floor. Used to be that the foreclosure auctions were advertised and held on the front steps of the County Court House, 18 Richmond Terrace, St. George, but when homeless people became an issue, they locked all the doors leading to Richmond Terrace, Boro Hall too, the auctions were moved inside, and now the hallway is “Room 18”.
Anyway, some services sell you how to make money by buying foreclosure kits, which generally means approaching someone whose house is in foreclosure and trying to make a great deal for yourself.
Can you imagine? Hi, I’m Alan lasher, and I see that you are about to lose your house, how about I’ll get into the act, and figure out how I can make some money from your misfortune?
Not for me, I don’t have that kind of stomach (although a stomach I do have but that’s another story).
But there are unscrupulous people out there who do prey on people in trouble. Shame on them. But this is not an email about that. Maybe I’ll write about the different foreclosure scams at a later date.
If you’re like me, you’ve always wondered how these list companies get their lists. Well today is your lucky day, I am going to tell you.
And this isn’t just about foreclosures lists it’s also about the people who “report” your credit activity and scores.
So where and how do they get the lists (the data)?
Some towns are online, so the information is gathered by computer geeks online.
Staten Island is not online, although we probably will be soon.
In order to file a law suit of any kind, including the filing of the lis pendence, you have to buy an index number. Every case, every foreclosure has its own distinctive index number.
Once upon a time, there was a set of books exclusively used to list the “lis pendence” at the County Clerks office.
The notice of pendency of an action was used not only to notify the homeowner, but also to notify everyone else in the world, that there was an action pending. “To put people on notice that there is a pending action against the property,” So the lis pendence is filed against the Block and Lot of the property.
Then of course there were also the index number books, that run consecutively, by number. A person that wanted to know about all of the new “foreclosures” could just go to the index book and copy the foreclosures, and/or lis pendence.
They no longer use books. Now they use computers.
Our Richmond County Clerk’s office has two sets of computers. One has the land block and lots on it, and another has the law suits on it. In Richmond County, even though a foreclosure is listed by Block and Lot, because it is an action against the land, the lis pendence, and the law suit, do not appear on the land block and lot computers. It only appears on the litigation computers. Makes no sense to me, but no one asks me.
Anyway, the way it works is that someone has to go to the county clerks office and copy the information.
Years ago, one of the title searchers (the people who search the titles in the county clerks office) was a woman named Rosalie. But Rosalie had another gig. Once a week, Rosalie went to the Civil Court, and copied all of the information (names, addresses’ of the parties including lawyers, amount sued for, etc.), in every new case, including small claims court. What Rosalie used to do is then sell the information, $1 per case, to the credit reporting company (or to a company that sold data to the credit reporting companies).
The way it worked was that they only report the information on the summons, when the case is started. They never bothered going back to find out what happened in the case, and that is why sometimes peoples credit gets screwed up without it being their fault. (We’ve all heard stories about blemish’s on credit reports because of people being sued in frivolous law suits). This has given rise to the credit repair industry, that helps people correct (or repair) the misinformation or incomplete information.
I wonder if they still only pay $1.
But anyway, the point of this story really is that if you’re interested in buying a foreclosure, you don’t need to subscribe to property shark or foreclosure.com; save your money, I’ll give you latest information for free since you are going to use me to buy the property.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Even when we give to charity, we get screwed
Thursday’s advance had a story about the city buying foreclosures. Since I sell foreclosures I was very interested.
• City using federal $$ to buy foreclosed homes
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The city will embark on a $24 million emergency program to salvage foreclosed homes, including on Staten Island, where the mortgage meltdown has had a particularly profound impact
Well it turns out, according to the article, that a "not for profit" is buying the foreclosures, Restored Homes, and they bought two properties on Staten Island.
82 Blackford Avenue was first listed on the MLS on March 17, 2008, as a two-family detached, on a nice block in Port Richmond, for $234,900. The house was a real good price and it was accepted on March 20th, just three days later.
However, a few months later on July 22nd, the house was back on the market, and the price was lowered to $219,900. When it came back on the market, I showed it right away. The house was being used as a one family, but had two sets of utilities. Upstairs had a finished attic in addition to the two bedrooms, so it would have been good as a rental. But, you go down the basement, and someone had poured concrete, so much concrete that you could not stand up. The two boilers were in “wells” because they didn’t pour the concrete into them. Not having a full basement is not terrible, means that no one can live down there, and it can only be used for some storage. No biggie. But it was turning off all of my customers. This is when I realized that although foreclosures are sexy as a concept, the units themselves, the really good deals, aren’t. In fact a lot of the houses are just plain ugly.
But anyway, by August 6th, there was another acceptance.
But on October 6th, the house was back on the market, and the price was now lowered to $174,900.
So on October 6th, I sent out a Lasher’s List showing this house as time to buy, great deal, yada yada yada. By October 6th, I am an old pro at this, and I know when its “time for the vultures” - the customers with a lot of money, who make the all cash offers, who wait until the house has been on the market for a while, been accepted a couple of times had deals that keep dying, and know that there is a problem., and know that the bank is ready to make a deal.
So true to form, on October 7th, I submit an offer for one of my customers, a low ball offer, at $87,500, all cash, close in two weeks, as is.
A few days later when I call to find out about the offer, the broker tells me that there is a question about whether it is a legal one or two, but my offer is a little light, try to get my customer up a little, low 100's should do it.
Then on October 15th, before we resubmit our next offer, the status of the property changed to “HOLD”, and somehow the property had become a one family.
So it turns out that the reason for the hold was that the bank sold it themselves to the NFP, i.e. the City, with federal funds, (our tax dollars), and as usual, once again, we overpaid.
Moral of the story- use me to buy your foreclosures and you will get a better price.
Moral of the story 2- so that the banks don't get stuck with bad real estate, the government will buy them, and pay full asking price. Reminds me of an old Woody Allen Joke- the only sin in my family growing up was paying retail.
Good Night Irene.
……………………..to be continued
• City using federal $$ to buy foreclosed homes
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The city will embark on a $24 million emergency program to salvage foreclosed homes, including on Staten Island, where the mortgage meltdown has had a particularly profound impact
Well it turns out, according to the article, that a "not for profit" is buying the foreclosures, Restored Homes, and they bought two properties on Staten Island.
82 Blackford Avenue was first listed on the MLS on March 17, 2008, as a two-family detached, on a nice block in Port Richmond, for $234,900. The house was a real good price and it was accepted on March 20th, just three days later.
However, a few months later on July 22nd, the house was back on the market, and the price was lowered to $219,900. When it came back on the market, I showed it right away. The house was being used as a one family, but had two sets of utilities. Upstairs had a finished attic in addition to the two bedrooms, so it would have been good as a rental. But, you go down the basement, and someone had poured concrete, so much concrete that you could not stand up. The two boilers were in “wells” because they didn’t pour the concrete into them. Not having a full basement is not terrible, means that no one can live down there, and it can only be used for some storage. No biggie. But it was turning off all of my customers. This is when I realized that although foreclosures are sexy as a concept, the units themselves, the really good deals, aren’t. In fact a lot of the houses are just plain ugly.
But anyway, by August 6th, there was another acceptance.
But on October 6th, the house was back on the market, and the price was now lowered to $174,900.
So on October 6th, I sent out a Lasher’s List showing this house as time to buy, great deal, yada yada yada. By October 6th, I am an old pro at this, and I know when its “time for the vultures” - the customers with a lot of money, who make the all cash offers, who wait until the house has been on the market for a while, been accepted a couple of times had deals that keep dying, and know that there is a problem., and know that the bank is ready to make a deal.
So true to form, on October 7th, I submit an offer for one of my customers, a low ball offer, at $87,500, all cash, close in two weeks, as is.
A few days later when I call to find out about the offer, the broker tells me that there is a question about whether it is a legal one or two, but my offer is a little light, try to get my customer up a little, low 100's should do it.
Then on October 15th, before we resubmit our next offer, the status of the property changed to “HOLD”, and somehow the property had become a one family.
So it turns out that the reason for the hold was that the bank sold it themselves to the NFP, i.e. the City, with federal funds, (our tax dollars), and as usual, once again, we overpaid.
Moral of the story- use me to buy your foreclosures and you will get a better price.
Moral of the story 2- so that the banks don't get stuck with bad real estate, the government will buy them, and pay full asking price. Reminds me of an old Woody Allen Joke- the only sin in my family growing up was paying retail.
Good Night Irene.
……………………..to be continued
Sunday, January 11, 2009
You cannot buy one gallon of gasoline and pay with exact change
If you’re like me, you’ve always wondered why gasoline costs are an extra .009 cents per gallon.
Well now that I have people who enjoy reading my pontifications, I set out to find out the answer, and share it with you, because I know you are dying to know too.
So I put on my journalist hat (actually it’s a newsboy cap - a newsy) and I drove to my gas station where I generally buy my gas and lotto tickets to try and find out. Unfortunately, what I learned was that the guy didn’t speak enough English for us to discuss it intelligently. (I should have known, since I have to point my thumb up to fill up the tank.) While I thought we were friends, I guess between my poor hearing, his accent, and his limited amount of English, we really only communicate as well as I do with my 15 year old grand daughter).
Anyway, so I went inside to talk to the owner, but what I found out is that no one really knew who the owner is. (Uh oh- here we go again, just like banks and foreclosures).
BUT I was able to get the number of the supplier. So I called up the company that brings the gasoline to the station, and asked them why they charged an extra .9 cents per gallon. They hung up on me (again, just like banks and foreclosures).
I decided that the only way to go was to go ask one of the Big Oil Companies themselves. After a lot of work, I received an email from Chevron who explained that they don’t set the price, but the independent dealers themselves do.
So much for the horse’s mouth.
What I was able to find out was that it seems that in the 1920’s, some marketing genius discovered that people are more likely to buy something that ends in a 9 then in a 0. $1.29 9/10ths per gallon seems so much cheaper than $1.30, especially when the sign is seen from a distance. (Don’t we list houses at $299,000 rather than $300,000? and don’t cars cost $19,999 not $20,000).
So what does it all mean?
I went to the web site for the Energy Information Administration,
and I found out that in October 2008, we processed crude oil into 55.800,000 gallons of gasoline every day. Thus: 55,800,000 x 365 days in a year x .009 cents = $783,303,000.00. So the oil companies make an extra three quarters of a billion dollars a year by charging that extra 9/10ths of a penny per gallon.
Of course these days, ¾ of a Billion Dollars doesn’t sound like a lot of money, like it used to. When I was a kid, a Million dollars was a lot of money, and it was all about becoming a Millionaire. There was a show called the millionaire where the star gave away $1 Million dollars every week to a complete stranger, tax free, but they could never tell anyone where they got the money from. Today they toss around 100’s of Billions of Dollars’ like its nothing. Former Illinois Senator Everet Dirkson once said, when talking about the nations budget “…a billion here and a billion there…. pretty soon your talking about a lot of money.”
More and more I am hearing a new word in news reports- Trillion- I wonder how long before we have our first Trillionaire? (Wow- my spell check program doesn’t recognize trillionaire as a word, it has red-lined it as a mistake, but offers no suggestions for its correct spelling).
Anyway, speaking of gasoline, last summer, before I started Lasher’s List, I went to see David Rampulla, from ferry ads, another marketing genius. This was when gasoline was at $4.00 per gallon, and climbing. He offered me a bet that day that gas would go down to below $1.50 a gallon (although he really meant 1.49 9/10ths). I didn’t believe him, said that the price of gas would never come down below $3.00 but certainly, $2.50, so I agreed to the bet. (By the way, while I was there, he recommended that I offer my services to companies and offices on Staten Island, where I can come in and motivate and pump up the people. Anyone interested in hiring me?). Over the next months, we all know what happened to the price of gas. Where I buy my gas it went as low as $1.32 9/10ths per gallon before it started going up again last week. If you think you need advertising help, you might consider using David; I think he has a crystal ball. (David, I know I owe you the dollar I won’t charge you for the plug).
…………………………………to be continued
Well now that I have people who enjoy reading my pontifications, I set out to find out the answer, and share it with you, because I know you are dying to know too.
So I put on my journalist hat (actually it’s a newsboy cap - a newsy) and I drove to my gas station where I generally buy my gas and lotto tickets to try and find out. Unfortunately, what I learned was that the guy didn’t speak enough English for us to discuss it intelligently. (I should have known, since I have to point my thumb up to fill up the tank.) While I thought we were friends, I guess between my poor hearing, his accent, and his limited amount of English, we really only communicate as well as I do with my 15 year old grand daughter).
Anyway, so I went inside to talk to the owner, but what I found out is that no one really knew who the owner is. (Uh oh- here we go again, just like banks and foreclosures).
BUT I was able to get the number of the supplier. So I called up the company that brings the gasoline to the station, and asked them why they charged an extra .9 cents per gallon. They hung up on me (again, just like banks and foreclosures).
I decided that the only way to go was to go ask one of the Big Oil Companies themselves. After a lot of work, I received an email from Chevron who explained that they don’t set the price, but the independent dealers themselves do.
So much for the horse’s mouth.
What I was able to find out was that it seems that in the 1920’s, some marketing genius discovered that people are more likely to buy something that ends in a 9 then in a 0. $1.29 9/10ths per gallon seems so much cheaper than $1.30, especially when the sign is seen from a distance. (Don’t we list houses at $299,000 rather than $300,000? and don’t cars cost $19,999 not $20,000).
So what does it all mean?
I went to the web site for the Energy Information Administration,
and I found out that in October 2008, we processed crude oil into 55.800,000 gallons of gasoline every day. Thus: 55,800,000 x 365 days in a year x .009 cents = $783,303,000.00. So the oil companies make an extra three quarters of a billion dollars a year by charging that extra 9/10ths of a penny per gallon.
Of course these days, ¾ of a Billion Dollars doesn’t sound like a lot of money, like it used to. When I was a kid, a Million dollars was a lot of money, and it was all about becoming a Millionaire. There was a show called the millionaire where the star gave away $1 Million dollars every week to a complete stranger, tax free, but they could never tell anyone where they got the money from. Today they toss around 100’s of Billions of Dollars’ like its nothing. Former Illinois Senator Everet Dirkson once said, when talking about the nations budget “…a billion here and a billion there…. pretty soon your talking about a lot of money.”
More and more I am hearing a new word in news reports- Trillion- I wonder how long before we have our first Trillionaire? (Wow- my spell check program doesn’t recognize trillionaire as a word, it has red-lined it as a mistake, but offers no suggestions for its correct spelling).
Anyway, speaking of gasoline, last summer, before I started Lasher’s List, I went to see David Rampulla, from ferry ads, another marketing genius. This was when gasoline was at $4.00 per gallon, and climbing. He offered me a bet that day that gas would go down to below $1.50 a gallon (although he really meant 1.49 9/10ths). I didn’t believe him, said that the price of gas would never come down below $3.00 but certainly, $2.50, so I agreed to the bet. (By the way, while I was there, he recommended that I offer my services to companies and offices on Staten Island, where I can come in and motivate and pump up the people. Anyone interested in hiring me?). Over the next months, we all know what happened to the price of gas. Where I buy my gas it went as low as $1.32 9/10ths per gallon before it started going up again last week. If you think you need advertising help, you might consider using David; I think he has a crystal ball. (David, I know I owe you the dollar I won’t charge you for the plug).
…………………………………to be continued
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Weight Loss Thing
On New Year's Day, the New York Times ran an article which stated that the only way to keep New Year’s Resolutions to lose weight, is to have some sort of a group support network with you. It said otherwise you are doomed to failure by valentine's day.
I am inviting you to join me in a a joint weight loss thing. We can figure out what it is, and what we will do, and how we will do it, as we go along.
The idea is to put it out there, make a statement out loud, that in 2009, regardless of whatever else is going on in the world, I am going to be successful in reaching my personal weight loss and healthy life style goals.
Regardless of how much money you make or have, or however good or bad business may be, you still have to eat. I am proposing a healthy distraction for everyone where the byproduct will be that the members look and feel younger, healthier, and better about themselves, and maybe pick up some good habits, and a friend or two along the way.
In the 80's, people used to say that the person with the most toys wins. Today’s mantra is that what it's really all about is how you feel and look, as you get older.
We can get together periodically (weekly, bi weekly, monthly). We can weigh in or not.
We can talk, email, compare notes, share tips, commiserate on victories and failures.
We can be there for each other.
We can raise money for charity.
It will be good for business.
We will all feel better about ourselves for our efforts.
We can go to fancy restaurants, or not so fancy restaurants, and learn to eat good tasting low calorie meals.
We can have a finite ending date (next New Years (?)) for a final weighing or weigh in.
I can publish totals – which can be done openly, anonymously and/or collectively- or not. (No one will ever be embarrassed in any way, shape or form).
Maybe the local press will write about us.
Maybe a television reality show producer will pick up on the news story and make us into a reality show.
Maybe the show will be so successful that it generates a best seller weight loss book, and we get to appear on Oprah and Regis.
Maybe the book will be so successful that they do a movie, and we make enough money to retire on.
Or maybe we'll just lose some weight and fell better about ourselves, and have a good time while we are at it.
No one ever needs to be embarrassed in any way, shape or form.
What have you got to lose?
..........................to be continued
I am inviting you to join me in a a joint weight loss thing. We can figure out what it is, and what we will do, and how we will do it, as we go along.
The idea is to put it out there, make a statement out loud, that in 2009, regardless of whatever else is going on in the world, I am going to be successful in reaching my personal weight loss and healthy life style goals.
Regardless of how much money you make or have, or however good or bad business may be, you still have to eat. I am proposing a healthy distraction for everyone where the byproduct will be that the members look and feel younger, healthier, and better about themselves, and maybe pick up some good habits, and a friend or two along the way.
In the 80's, people used to say that the person with the most toys wins. Today’s mantra is that what it's really all about is how you feel and look, as you get older.
We can get together periodically (weekly, bi weekly, monthly). We can weigh in or not.
We can talk, email, compare notes, share tips, commiserate on victories and failures.
We can be there for each other.
We can raise money for charity.
It will be good for business.
We will all feel better about ourselves for our efforts.
We can go to fancy restaurants, or not so fancy restaurants, and learn to eat good tasting low calorie meals.
We can have a finite ending date (next New Years (?)) for a final weighing or weigh in.
I can publish totals – which can be done openly, anonymously and/or collectively- or not. (No one will ever be embarrassed in any way, shape or form).
Maybe the local press will write about us.
Maybe a television reality show producer will pick up on the news story and make us into a reality show.
Maybe the show will be so successful that it generates a best seller weight loss book, and we get to appear on Oprah and Regis.
Maybe the book will be so successful that they do a movie, and we make enough money to retire on.
Or maybe we'll just lose some weight and fell better about ourselves, and have a good time while we are at it.
No one ever needs to be embarrassed in any way, shape or form.
What have you got to lose?
..........................to be continued
Setting and Reaching Goals
Happy New Year
It’s that most important time of the year. The gift buying part of the season is over; most of us spent time with our families, some of us went skiing, some went to the ocean. Now it’s time for the important stuff.
It’s time to set our goals for the New Year 2009.
Volumes have been written on the importance of goal setting. Zig Ziglar says that only 3% of the people actually take the time to write down their goals, and that not having goals is like shooting a target with a blindfold on. How can you possibly hit a target that you cannot see?
In Alice in Wonderland, Alice sees the Cheshire cat in the tree and asks him which road should she take. The Cheshire cat asks Alice where she wants to go. Alice says- it doesn’t matter, so the Cheshire Cat says that it doesn’t matter which road she takes. If you don’t know where you want to go, you’re probably not going to end up anywhere, (or worse- crisis responsive- dealing with today’s loudest).
There is so much more to say about why goals are important. The dynamics of the sub-conscious mind - writing down goals as a method of programming. But in this case, I will go with less is better. You can write to me for more information, read a book, or wait until the next installment. In the meantime,
Setting and Reaching Goals:
1. Set Clear, Specific, Measurable Goals: Decide exactly what you want in every area of your life (Health, Wealth, Family, Social, Public Service), as tight and specific as you can make it. Clarity is the #1 reason for success; fuzziness is the #1 reason for failure.
2. WRITE THEM DOWN: Take out separate piece of paper for each goal, write down the specific goal, and every idea that you can come up with to reaching that goal.
3. SET A REALISTIC DEADLINE. Write down your ultimate long-term goal; and shorter goals and deadlines along the way: 12 month goal; 3 month goal; weekly goal; and daily goals (habits you want to develop). There are no unrealistic goals, only unrealistic deadlines.
4. Identify OBSTACLES blocking you from reaching your goal. Identify the #1 obstacle. Write it down. Make a plan to removing the obstacle. Make removing the obstacle a priority and work on it every day.
5. Determine what information, knowledge, technology, is needed to reach your goals. Write it down. Figure out what is the one skill, knowledge, or technology that you need to reach your goal. Write it down. Come up with a plan to get that information, technology or knowledge. Write it down.
6. Determine what people, groups, and organizations are needed to reach the goal. Write down every person whose assistance could help or hurt towards reaching the goal. Come up with a plan to reach out to that person, join the organization, take steps every day.
7. Make a plan to obtain the goal. Create a business plan with every conceivable detail that you can imagine, even if it seems silly. Organize it by priority, and then by sequence.
8. Take action on the plan. DO SOMETHING on the plan every day. Review the plan every day, read it out loud, write it and re-write it. Edit it. Update it.
9. Visualize the goal as already achieved, as often as possible. The clearer that you visualize the goal, and with the more detail, and the longer that you can hold on to the thought, the sooner it becomes a reality.
10. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!!!! Take failure off of the table. You are going to be successful, and that is all that there is to it. It might take longer than you hoped, but if you feel stuck, just go back to this form, and rethink wherever you are. But I will repeat it here, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!!!!
To give you an idea, here are some of my goals, with varying amounts of detail as an example.
I am so happy now that I am the #1 Most Successful Real Estate Broker on Staten Island, measured by the amount of sales and listings.
I sell one house per week or 52 houses this year.
I get referrals every day from the people who read my emails, and from the people they pass them along to.
I write the most successful email publication on Staten Island, reaching over 5000 people all who read it.
I earn $1 Million Dollars.
In 2051, I will have lived a meaningful, healthy, enjoyable life for over 100 years.
I run the New York City Marathon.
I serve on several charitable and quasi-governmental boards.
I am wide awake and out of bed by 5:30 am every day, when I eat my breakfast, first of my 5 or 6 meals for the day. I am at the gym by 6:30, almost every day, beating various previous personal bests in my work out.
I wear a 38 regular suit.
And remember, when setting your goals, think big. Don’t let anyone talk you out of setting high goals. Shoot for the stars. “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” Michelangelo
It’s that most important time of the year. The gift buying part of the season is over; most of us spent time with our families, some of us went skiing, some went to the ocean. Now it’s time for the important stuff.
It’s time to set our goals for the New Year 2009.
Volumes have been written on the importance of goal setting. Zig Ziglar says that only 3% of the people actually take the time to write down their goals, and that not having goals is like shooting a target with a blindfold on. How can you possibly hit a target that you cannot see?
In Alice in Wonderland, Alice sees the Cheshire cat in the tree and asks him which road should she take. The Cheshire cat asks Alice where she wants to go. Alice says- it doesn’t matter, so the Cheshire Cat says that it doesn’t matter which road she takes. If you don’t know where you want to go, you’re probably not going to end up anywhere, (or worse- crisis responsive- dealing with today’s loudest).
There is so much more to say about why goals are important. The dynamics of the sub-conscious mind - writing down goals as a method of programming. But in this case, I will go with less is better. You can write to me for more information, read a book, or wait until the next installment. In the meantime,
Setting and Reaching Goals:
1. Set Clear, Specific, Measurable Goals: Decide exactly what you want in every area of your life (Health, Wealth, Family, Social, Public Service), as tight and specific as you can make it. Clarity is the #1 reason for success; fuzziness is the #1 reason for failure.
2. WRITE THEM DOWN: Take out separate piece of paper for each goal, write down the specific goal, and every idea that you can come up with to reaching that goal.
3. SET A REALISTIC DEADLINE. Write down your ultimate long-term goal; and shorter goals and deadlines along the way: 12 month goal; 3 month goal; weekly goal; and daily goals (habits you want to develop). There are no unrealistic goals, only unrealistic deadlines.
4. Identify OBSTACLES blocking you from reaching your goal. Identify the #1 obstacle. Write it down. Make a plan to removing the obstacle. Make removing the obstacle a priority and work on it every day.
5. Determine what information, knowledge, technology, is needed to reach your goals. Write it down. Figure out what is the one skill, knowledge, or technology that you need to reach your goal. Write it down. Come up with a plan to get that information, technology or knowledge. Write it down.
6. Determine what people, groups, and organizations are needed to reach the goal. Write down every person whose assistance could help or hurt towards reaching the goal. Come up with a plan to reach out to that person, join the organization, take steps every day.
7. Make a plan to obtain the goal. Create a business plan with every conceivable detail that you can imagine, even if it seems silly. Organize it by priority, and then by sequence.
8. Take action on the plan. DO SOMETHING on the plan every day. Review the plan every day, read it out loud, write it and re-write it. Edit it. Update it.
9. Visualize the goal as already achieved, as often as possible. The clearer that you visualize the goal, and with the more detail, and the longer that you can hold on to the thought, the sooner it becomes a reality.
10. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!!!! Take failure off of the table. You are going to be successful, and that is all that there is to it. It might take longer than you hoped, but if you feel stuck, just go back to this form, and rethink wherever you are. But I will repeat it here, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!!!!
To give you an idea, here are some of my goals, with varying amounts of detail as an example.
I am so happy now that I am the #1 Most Successful Real Estate Broker on Staten Island, measured by the amount of sales and listings.
I sell one house per week or 52 houses this year.
I get referrals every day from the people who read my emails, and from the people they pass them along to.
I write the most successful email publication on Staten Island, reaching over 5000 people all who read it.
I earn $1 Million Dollars.
In 2051, I will have lived a meaningful, healthy, enjoyable life for over 100 years.
I run the New York City Marathon.
I serve on several charitable and quasi-governmental boards.
I am wide awake and out of bed by 5:30 am every day, when I eat my breakfast, first of my 5 or 6 meals for the day. I am at the gym by 6:30, almost every day, beating various previous personal bests in my work out.
I wear a 38 regular suit.
And remember, when setting your goals, think big. Don’t let anyone talk you out of setting high goals. Shoot for the stars. “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” Michelangelo
Monday, December 15, 2008
So what's the deal with all those email addresses?
Believe it or not, it isn’t easy sending out these emails.
First of course, I have to write them. That’s the easy part. Figuring out what I am going to write about, that’s the hard part. I spend the better part of the week, kicking around ideas, (or hoping that I get an idea) and usually write it on Saturday/Sunday. Once in a while I’ll have the idea set for the following week, like I was going to write about Short Sales today, having written about foreclosures last week, but I’m not in the mood. There is plenty of time after New Years to talk about how to survive these times that are affecting each and every one of us. I have a couple of really nice topics that I’m toying with for next week already.
But anyway, once it’s written, then I have to think about it, let is stew. Go out for a while, do something else, play spider solitaire, eat a meal, drink some Perrier. Then I read it again, then out loud, constantly editing, adding stuff, deleting stuff, until I’m past okay and am happy with what I’ve written.
Then I send it out to a couple of people for their grammatical, spelling, typographical, and editorial assistance and comments. One is my cousin Stuart, in California, and the other is my friend Jon Salmon. Thank you both. They take it very seriously, and are very strict about not letting me say something that could get me into trouble (content wise).
Now we’re back to the hard part again. Sending them out.
When I first started, I thought that I could just send them all out at once. Like an email.
Boy was I wrong.
Doesn’t work like that, at all.
At that time I had about 700 email addresses on my Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 program, so after I wrote my first email, - I clicked on all the names, and it didn’t go through. I got back notices that the emails didn’t reach the intended recipients with a bunch of different error codes that I had no idea what it meant.
I called my computer friend Al Russo, (Paper Solve) and he explained to me that the free services (Gmail, Verizon, AOL, etc.) limit the amount of emails that you can send out at one time.
So I tried sending them from AlanLasher@OurIslandRealEstate.com, a pay account, but that was even worse than the g-mail account. After consulting with our technical guy, and the domains tech support, I discovered that the Our Island Real Estate domain only allows 10 emails to be sent at a time. No wonder it took 9 hours to send out the emails.
So then I took my list and created “distribution lists” on my Outlook account, and kept them under about 50. I organized my list according to various categories, Builders, Trades, CPA’s, Health Care Providers, Bankers, Insurance Brokers, Architects’ & Engineers; my REO customers, etc. (Some of the categories are so large that I had to make multiples, like Lawyers A-G; H-M; N-R; S-Z)
Finally, I thought that I was home, but no, after a few emails, I received emails back, that some of the emails didn’t reach their intended recipients because I had exceeded the daily limit (500 emails per day). I didn’t know that I was limited to 500 emails per day, but I know that now.
I tried going to some of the online mail services, Constant Contact is one that you might hear advertising. Not a bad deal, it doesn’t cost much, they get the emails out, but…………..
I can’t just forward the email listings that I currently send out the way that they are, I have to make them fit into neat little packages that they have set up (templates).
Creating a bunch of email addresses seemed to be the answer. AlanLasherRealty@gmail.com; ALasherRealty@gmail.com; ADLasherRealty@gmail.com; LashersList@gmail.com; AlanLashersList@gmail.com; AlanDLashersList@gmail.com, etc. (pretty clever I say). That’s fine. Each email address can handle 500 emails per day. I have a sheet that I use that contains all of the distribution lists (categories), and I know that I can send just about half the list using one email, and the other half using the second email, (although the list is growing every day, I am up to almost 1200 names), but I don’t send every person every email. Realtors don’t get my foreclosure listings (after all does Macy’s tell Gimbel’s? Does anyone remember Gimbel’s?). (I live in a big old house near where Mr. Gimbel had his big old house, but I guess it wasn’t old when he lived in it).
Everything is fine, but sometimes I send the email’s out too quickly, and guess what- my account gets knocked off the air for 24 hours (can’t send), and I receive error messages, and the emails don’t go through.
Gmail tells me that they work very hard to fight spam. This not only includes spam coming into Gmail, but also spam being sent out from Gmail. Apparently they have filters that look for spam. One of the ways that they do it is looking for large mailings where the recipients are sent to cc/bcc recipients. (Other things that trip the spam filters are links to other sites and the word VIAGRA). So I’ve learned that I cannot send out the next batch, until a few minutes after the prior batch went through.
I called Leore, my graphics guy from the Bar Newsletter days, and it just so happens that he is also in the business of sending out multiple emails to people. He has proposed that I send him the listing, with the wording that I want, etc., and he’ll turn it into a package that can be sent out en masse…..for a fee.
So that’s where it stands right now.
Some of you must be saying, thank you spam control filters, and others are thinking, call Leore, get it going, so you can send us more emails every day.
Which are you?
…………………………to be continued
First of course, I have to write them. That’s the easy part. Figuring out what I am going to write about, that’s the hard part. I spend the better part of the week, kicking around ideas, (or hoping that I get an idea) and usually write it on Saturday/Sunday. Once in a while I’ll have the idea set for the following week, like I was going to write about Short Sales today, having written about foreclosures last week, but I’m not in the mood. There is plenty of time after New Years to talk about how to survive these times that are affecting each and every one of us. I have a couple of really nice topics that I’m toying with for next week already.
But anyway, once it’s written, then I have to think about it, let is stew. Go out for a while, do something else, play spider solitaire, eat a meal, drink some Perrier. Then I read it again, then out loud, constantly editing, adding stuff, deleting stuff, until I’m past okay and am happy with what I’ve written.
Then I send it out to a couple of people for their grammatical, spelling, typographical, and editorial assistance and comments. One is my cousin Stuart, in California, and the other is my friend Jon Salmon. Thank you both. They take it very seriously, and are very strict about not letting me say something that could get me into trouble (content wise).
Now we’re back to the hard part again. Sending them out.
When I first started, I thought that I could just send them all out at once. Like an email.
Boy was I wrong.
Doesn’t work like that, at all.
At that time I had about 700 email addresses on my Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 program, so after I wrote my first email, - I clicked on all the names, and it didn’t go through. I got back notices that the emails didn’t reach the intended recipients with a bunch of different error codes that I had no idea what it meant.
I called my computer friend Al Russo, (Paper Solve) and he explained to me that the free services (Gmail, Verizon, AOL, etc.) limit the amount of emails that you can send out at one time.
So I tried sending them from AlanLasher@OurIslandRealEstate.com, a pay account, but that was even worse than the g-mail account. After consulting with our technical guy, and the domains tech support, I discovered that the Our Island Real Estate domain only allows 10 emails to be sent at a time. No wonder it took 9 hours to send out the emails.
So then I took my list and created “distribution lists” on my Outlook account, and kept them under about 50. I organized my list according to various categories, Builders, Trades, CPA’s, Health Care Providers, Bankers, Insurance Brokers, Architects’ & Engineers; my REO customers, etc. (Some of the categories are so large that I had to make multiples, like Lawyers A-G; H-M; N-R; S-Z)
Finally, I thought that I was home, but no, after a few emails, I received emails back, that some of the emails didn’t reach their intended recipients because I had exceeded the daily limit (500 emails per day). I didn’t know that I was limited to 500 emails per day, but I know that now.
I tried going to some of the online mail services, Constant Contact is one that you might hear advertising. Not a bad deal, it doesn’t cost much, they get the emails out, but…………..
I can’t just forward the email listings that I currently send out the way that they are, I have to make them fit into neat little packages that they have set up (templates).
Creating a bunch of email addresses seemed to be the answer. AlanLasherRealty@gmail.com; ALasherRealty@gmail.com; ADLasherRealty@gmail.com; LashersList@gmail.com; AlanLashersList@gmail.com; AlanDLashersList@gmail.com, etc. (pretty clever I say). That’s fine. Each email address can handle 500 emails per day. I have a sheet that I use that contains all of the distribution lists (categories), and I know that I can send just about half the list using one email, and the other half using the second email, (although the list is growing every day, I am up to almost 1200 names), but I don’t send every person every email. Realtors don’t get my foreclosure listings (after all does Macy’s tell Gimbel’s? Does anyone remember Gimbel’s?). (I live in a big old house near where Mr. Gimbel had his big old house, but I guess it wasn’t old when he lived in it).
Everything is fine, but sometimes I send the email’s out too quickly, and guess what- my account gets knocked off the air for 24 hours (can’t send), and I receive error messages, and the emails don’t go through.
Gmail tells me that they work very hard to fight spam. This not only includes spam coming into Gmail, but also spam being sent out from Gmail. Apparently they have filters that look for spam. One of the ways that they do it is looking for large mailings where the recipients are sent to cc/bcc recipients. (Other things that trip the spam filters are links to other sites and the word VIAGRA). So I’ve learned that I cannot send out the next batch, until a few minutes after the prior batch went through.
I called Leore, my graphics guy from the Bar Newsletter days, and it just so happens that he is also in the business of sending out multiple emails to people. He has proposed that I send him the listing, with the wording that I want, etc., and he’ll turn it into a package that can be sent out en masse…..for a fee.
So that’s where it stands right now.
Some of you must be saying, thank you spam control filters, and others are thinking, call Leore, get it going, so you can send us more emails every day.
Which are you?
…………………………to be continued
Sunday, December 7, 2008
So what's the deal with foreclosures anyway?
Back again.
Before I start to write about foreclosures, let’s understand that there are foreclosures in the foreclosure process, pre-foreclosures (which might involve short sales); active foreclosures: pending legal actions in the courts; post judgment foreclosures awaiting auctions and/or closings, etc. I will write about these another time.
Today I am going to write about the foreclosures where the legal process has been completed. Whoever owns the real estate, owns the real estate but since we really don’t know who really owns the real estate, suffice it to say that the homeowner is no longer the owner.
To get started, I went through every listing in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), listing by listing (all 3000 of them) and printed out the listing’s that were: “bank owned” “REO” “corporate owned” or said “as is buyer to pay Transfer Taxes and Doc Stamps”. When I was finished, (about a year and a half ago) there were about 30 foreclosed properties for sale on Staten Island, in my loose leaf binder.
Today I went through all of the listings in my now much larger loose leaf binder (which by the way, I update as often as several times per day, to get the latest new listings, price changes, acceptances, sales, back on market, etc.), but instead of taking 5 days like the first time, it only took about an hour.
As of today (December 7, 2008) there are 123 active listings for bank owned real estate on the MLS of Staten Island. They consists of:
Condo’s: 9
1 families: 44 detached; 15 semi attached; 15 townhouses;
2 families: 27 detached; 7 semi-attached; 5 townhouses;
3 families: 1 detached
28: $ 79,900- $199,900.
50: $200,000- $299,900
27: $300,000- $399,900
18: $400,000- $725,000
The $79,000 is a detached one family in New Brighton- St. George; and the $725,000 is a detached one family in Pleasant Plaines.
The properties are located all over Staten Island, from St. George to Tottenville, and in most communities in between, but not all.
The bulk of the higher priced units, are on the South Shore, while the bulk of the homes under $300,000 are located on the North Shore and the beach areas (Midland, South, & New Dorp Beach).
No surprises here.
The real question is: are foreclosures good deals?
If you think because you have a lot of cash, and your offer is in cash, no mortgage contingency, close in two days, the bank is going to stop everything and embrace you, you are mistaken, especially if you low ball. The bank representatives’ have said to me- “everyone says that they are going to close in two days. “ Not to say that it doesn’t happen, sometimes these offers are accepted, especially after a couple of deals fall apart over financing.
The properties are being managed, (serviced) by servicing companies. (Remember- no one knows for sure who owns the property). These former mortgage underwriters, are now working in REO departments around the country selling making decisions on properties values based upon “BPO’s” (Broker Price Opinions- which are $50 “drive bys” which they bill the homeowner, and/or the bond owner $100 for). There is no accountability to the owners of the properties. There is only the pressure, as in all businesses to meet some sort of quota. (Even Judges have to “dispose of” a certain amount of cases every period or face the music).
So the question remains: can you get a good deal on a foreclosure?
I send out listings of foreclosures almost every day. This week I sent one out that stated that the particular listing was just about to hit the 6 month mark, and there had never been an acceptance on it. Perhaps this is one that you should look at immediately. (If you would like to receive every listing that I send, please email me).
A client of mine made an offer on a property in Port Richmond, six months ago, for $240,000, which was listed at $265,000 at the time, down from $299,900. I explained that this customer could only pay $240,000, that it was going to be her primary residence, etc. The bank stuck to $245,000. Two weeks later, I was informed that the person who rejected my $240,000 offer is no longer with there, and would my customer like the house for $240,000 (or less). My customer found something else in the meantime. Today the house is listed at $199,900.
Timing is very important to get a good deal. You never know when you submit an offer, whether the quarter is nearly up, whether the REO person just got hammered for not selling enough properties, or whatever other factors are involved.
So once again, can you get a good deal on a foreclosure?
Once the foreclosure is over, and possession obtained, the first thing the servicing company has to do is to get their “sure up and clean up people” in. This crew will drain the water from the pipes, shut the water in the street, and remove the water meter. They will remove the furniture, garbage, etc. Unfortunately many of these contractors that they use, cheat. Rather than gain access by opening up the doors properly, (ala Bobs Locksmith e.g.) and try to avoid damage, they just snap off the locks, usually damaging the front doors, especially metal doors. It is very common to walk into a foreclosure where the front door lock has been flung to the other side of the room. I’ve seen many dented doors. I’ve gone into numerous houses where there were radiators which were broken because someone smacked the corner with a big pipe wrench so that they could drain the system quicker- with no regard to the damage that it causes- ruining radiators, floors, carpets, paint jobs, etc.
Sometimes the servicing company will send in a crew to paint, scrape the floors, fix the plumbing, fix the cabinets, and install new carpeting. Especially in better neighborhoods.
And sometimes by the time even they get into the house, the pipes have already broken, and there is a tremendous amount of water damage, hardwood floors warped beyond recognition, mold. Sometimes the servicing companies are so grossed out that they won’t even remove the carpeting, and I’ve seen mushrooms growing out of carpeting.
And sometimes the house will get listed too cheap, and there will be numerous offers on the first day, often above the asking price. In this case, they either raise the price, or tell everyone that made an offer to submit their highest and best offer, and then the “pro’s” at the servicing company will make a decision. But what they don’t do, is tell everyone interested what the bidding is, so you can intelligently make your offer, creating an auction.
I have been in situations where my customer may have offered all cash, no mortgage contingency, submitted proof of the funds in a bank account, and they go with the person offering more money with 3% down payment. Very often in those situations the house comes back on the market. Sometimes they weigh the likelihood of the buyers being able to obtain financing against a lower all cash offer. But not every time.
Sooooooooo are foreclosures good deals?
Many foreclosures were properties that were the subject of fraudulent straw sales, like I described in one of my prior emails, and may have been abused due to lack of ownership supervision. Many foreclosures have been abandoned, taken over by squatters. Some foreclosures come on the market in beautiful perfect shape.
Yesterday I sent out a listing where only a temporary C of O was issued when the house was built, and it expired in 2000. The house has violations because it had been abandoned, and someone broke in, pulled cabinets off of the wall, and left the place open; and a violation for occupying without a property C of O. While I have not seen that particular house, I have been in many foreclosures that are total disasters, and require a lot of work. But just because a building is in serious disrepair, has zoning problems and/or violations, does not guarantee that you are going to get a good deal. But it could.
Last week I sent out a listing where the building was occupied by tenants in both apartments in a two family, and the sale was subject to their tenancy and their problems. I sent it out Attn: Low Ballers- Someone went to the property spoke to the tenants, and then offered full asking price- and they feel that they got a good deal.
So I guess the answer to the question is: Yes there are good deals to be made. If you are looking for a certain type of property, and one comes on the market that happens to be a foreclosure, you can make yourself a good deal. Although they aren’t giving anything away, and steals are few and far between, in order to get one, you have to act quickly and decisively, and/or be patient. But most importantly, a good deal is one where you feel you got a good deal.
……………………………………to be continued
Before I start to write about foreclosures, let’s understand that there are foreclosures in the foreclosure process, pre-foreclosures (which might involve short sales); active foreclosures: pending legal actions in the courts; post judgment foreclosures awaiting auctions and/or closings, etc. I will write about these another time.
Today I am going to write about the foreclosures where the legal process has been completed. Whoever owns the real estate, owns the real estate but since we really don’t know who really owns the real estate, suffice it to say that the homeowner is no longer the owner.
To get started, I went through every listing in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), listing by listing (all 3000 of them) and printed out the listing’s that were: “bank owned” “REO” “corporate owned” or said “as is buyer to pay Transfer Taxes and Doc Stamps”. When I was finished, (about a year and a half ago) there were about 30 foreclosed properties for sale on Staten Island, in my loose leaf binder.
Today I went through all of the listings in my now much larger loose leaf binder (which by the way, I update as often as several times per day, to get the latest new listings, price changes, acceptances, sales, back on market, etc.), but instead of taking 5 days like the first time, it only took about an hour.
As of today (December 7, 2008) there are 123 active listings for bank owned real estate on the MLS of Staten Island. They consists of:
Condo’s: 9
1 families: 44 detached; 15 semi attached; 15 townhouses;
2 families: 27 detached; 7 semi-attached; 5 townhouses;
3 families: 1 detached
28: $ 79,900- $199,900.
50: $200,000- $299,900
27: $300,000- $399,900
18: $400,000- $725,000
The $79,000 is a detached one family in New Brighton- St. George; and the $725,000 is a detached one family in Pleasant Plaines.
The properties are located all over Staten Island, from St. George to Tottenville, and in most communities in between, but not all.
The bulk of the higher priced units, are on the South Shore, while the bulk of the homes under $300,000 are located on the North Shore and the beach areas (Midland, South, & New Dorp Beach).
No surprises here.
The real question is: are foreclosures good deals?
If you think because you have a lot of cash, and your offer is in cash, no mortgage contingency, close in two days, the bank is going to stop everything and embrace you, you are mistaken, especially if you low ball. The bank representatives’ have said to me- “everyone says that they are going to close in two days. “ Not to say that it doesn’t happen, sometimes these offers are accepted, especially after a couple of deals fall apart over financing.
The properties are being managed, (serviced) by servicing companies. (Remember- no one knows for sure who owns the property). These former mortgage underwriters, are now working in REO departments around the country selling making decisions on properties values based upon “BPO’s” (Broker Price Opinions- which are $50 “drive bys” which they bill the homeowner, and/or the bond owner $100 for). There is no accountability to the owners of the properties. There is only the pressure, as in all businesses to meet some sort of quota. (Even Judges have to “dispose of” a certain amount of cases every period or face the music).
So the question remains: can you get a good deal on a foreclosure?
I send out listings of foreclosures almost every day. This week I sent one out that stated that the particular listing was just about to hit the 6 month mark, and there had never been an acceptance on it. Perhaps this is one that you should look at immediately. (If you would like to receive every listing that I send, please email me).
A client of mine made an offer on a property in Port Richmond, six months ago, for $240,000, which was listed at $265,000 at the time, down from $299,900. I explained that this customer could only pay $240,000, that it was going to be her primary residence, etc. The bank stuck to $245,000. Two weeks later, I was informed that the person who rejected my $240,000 offer is no longer with there, and would my customer like the house for $240,000 (or less). My customer found something else in the meantime. Today the house is listed at $199,900.
Timing is very important to get a good deal. You never know when you submit an offer, whether the quarter is nearly up, whether the REO person just got hammered for not selling enough properties, or whatever other factors are involved.
So once again, can you get a good deal on a foreclosure?
Once the foreclosure is over, and possession obtained, the first thing the servicing company has to do is to get their “sure up and clean up people” in. This crew will drain the water from the pipes, shut the water in the street, and remove the water meter. They will remove the furniture, garbage, etc. Unfortunately many of these contractors that they use, cheat. Rather than gain access by opening up the doors properly, (ala Bobs Locksmith e.g.) and try to avoid damage, they just snap off the locks, usually damaging the front doors, especially metal doors. It is very common to walk into a foreclosure where the front door lock has been flung to the other side of the room. I’ve seen many dented doors. I’ve gone into numerous houses where there were radiators which were broken because someone smacked the corner with a big pipe wrench so that they could drain the system quicker- with no regard to the damage that it causes- ruining radiators, floors, carpets, paint jobs, etc.
Sometimes the servicing company will send in a crew to paint, scrape the floors, fix the plumbing, fix the cabinets, and install new carpeting. Especially in better neighborhoods.
And sometimes by the time even they get into the house, the pipes have already broken, and there is a tremendous amount of water damage, hardwood floors warped beyond recognition, mold. Sometimes the servicing companies are so grossed out that they won’t even remove the carpeting, and I’ve seen mushrooms growing out of carpeting.
And sometimes the house will get listed too cheap, and there will be numerous offers on the first day, often above the asking price. In this case, they either raise the price, or tell everyone that made an offer to submit their highest and best offer, and then the “pro’s” at the servicing company will make a decision. But what they don’t do, is tell everyone interested what the bidding is, so you can intelligently make your offer, creating an auction.
I have been in situations where my customer may have offered all cash, no mortgage contingency, submitted proof of the funds in a bank account, and they go with the person offering more money with 3% down payment. Very often in those situations the house comes back on the market. Sometimes they weigh the likelihood of the buyers being able to obtain financing against a lower all cash offer. But not every time.
Sooooooooo are foreclosures good deals?
Many foreclosures were properties that were the subject of fraudulent straw sales, like I described in one of my prior emails, and may have been abused due to lack of ownership supervision. Many foreclosures have been abandoned, taken over by squatters. Some foreclosures come on the market in beautiful perfect shape.
Yesterday I sent out a listing where only a temporary C of O was issued when the house was built, and it expired in 2000. The house has violations because it had been abandoned, and someone broke in, pulled cabinets off of the wall, and left the place open; and a violation for occupying without a property C of O. While I have not seen that particular house, I have been in many foreclosures that are total disasters, and require a lot of work. But just because a building is in serious disrepair, has zoning problems and/or violations, does not guarantee that you are going to get a good deal. But it could.
Last week I sent out a listing where the building was occupied by tenants in both apartments in a two family, and the sale was subject to their tenancy and their problems. I sent it out Attn: Low Ballers- Someone went to the property spoke to the tenants, and then offered full asking price- and they feel that they got a good deal.
So I guess the answer to the question is: Yes there are good deals to be made. If you are looking for a certain type of property, and one comes on the market that happens to be a foreclosure, you can make yourself a good deal. Although they aren’t giving anything away, and steals are few and far between, in order to get one, you have to act quickly and decisively, and/or be patient. But most importantly, a good deal is one where you feel you got a good deal.
……………………………………to be continued
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