Time sure does have a way of flying by!

I spent the last week in the Wisconsin Dells with some of my greatest friends and mentors in real estate and life!  As you know, I am a member of the Titanium coaching program with Steve Cook and Shaun McCloskey.  This past week was our 2nd retreat followed by the very first "Networking Day".  I enjoy getting together with these peers and have moved to a new level of planning for my life.  If you haven't checked out their information on Lifeonaire, I encourage you to do so.  You can see more about the concept at lifeonaire.com   As entrepreneurs, we all really need to have this kind of focus because without it, we are prone to bouncing around in life and doing everything that sounds good.  This program has helped me really define a vision for what I want in life and keep out the things that don't fall in line with that.  Because of that, I am finally committed to selling my other business!  I am scared to let down all the people who have come to depend on me to supply them, but ultimately, that business no longer serves me or my family and our visions for our life.  There is likely a big payday in the six figure range that will be realized over the next year or two in that business, but I simply cannot keep doing it as it distracts me from my true vision.  My true vision is to only work in real estate and continue coaching and helping to grow my students' businesses while making more time for my family.  That being said, I have a wonderful business for sale if anyone out there is looking for another source of income.  It can be operated from anywhere!  Yes that was a shameless promotion, but hey, I committed to selling it by Jan 31st so I have to start looking for a qualified buyer right away :0)

I just spent some time this morning after my Bible study and prayer looking back at the deals that we have done since we started a little over a short year ago.  I was recently asked how many deals we have done, and I honestly didn't know.  After looking this over this morning, I have come to realize that we have had 11 deals since August of last year!!  We have made substantial money AND never held a property for more than a week on the market.  We have sold every single one of them at the first open house or first week of advertising!  I know that can't go on forever, but in this market, I will take those statistics!  The least I have ever made was $5k on a wholesale, and so far, the most we have made is $31k on a rehab.  However, that will change soon as well.  We have 2 right now that we will make more than that on.  It's amazing what a little focus can do!  I have spent the last 13+ years of my life studying real estate and even took a couple of years to be a realtor (in IL) working with investors and flippers to get here.  I was afraid to make my own mark as a flipper for quite awhile, but after finally taking that step and implementing everything I learned from all of these 100's of people in the past, success seemed inevitable!  After finally making that decision and taking that first step, we were able to make $21k on our first flip and have not looked back since!  We made over six figures our very first year :0)

What I would say to anyone reading this blog is this....  If you have been reading and learning and listening and are still afraid to take that next step, just do it!  You will be amazed at how much you know and you will learn everything else as you go.  There is no better way to increase that learning curve that to just get out there and do it.  If there is a REIA club in your area, join and participate.  If there's not, start one!  If you need help or advice with that, call me and I'll help you!  Go there and team up with some people so you can just get started already.  This is a great time to do what we do, and the opportunity is not gone.  The foreclosures will continue and possibly get worse!  This is the time to make the decision to change your path and do something for yourself as well as increase your family's security!  There are many people out there who are willing to help and plenty of people who will partner a deal with you to help you get started.  You just need to make the decision to start and get out there and network yourself!

I am very encouraged as I look forward to the new year, and I hope you are too.  Take some serious time to sit down and plan your next 12 months and then go out and work your plan to do what you have set out to do no matter what.  If you work your own agenda with focus and purpose, you cannot help but get whatever you set out to achieve.

Blessings to you all!