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• North Texas Real Estate Much Healthier than Other Parts of The Country (3)

  • code reduction pixmania: Thanks very much for taking your time to create this very useful infos
  • John: Informative article i admit. I enjoy being a age-old subscriber to your blog Keep it up! i may soon replace my home page with your website.
  • crew neck: wow i agree with your blog i think it good thank you

• The 401K Scam - New Developments You Should be Aware of - The Del Walmsley Radio Show  (4)

  • Dad: Well, your reaction to this plan seems a little over the top. From reading just this its hard to bring all the details into focus because of all the apoplectic prose, the “unbelievable”s, etc; but it sounds like at worst you will have to make a choice when you start to withdraw money from your retirement account, to buy the annuity or not. Yes, it shouldnt be that way, I agree. But I dont agree that it means in the future we won’t have such a choice. We’ve had IRAs for years and no one has been forced to save money in them.
  • Paul: Who is John Galt?
  • Pete: Carlos, How much have you saved on your own since stopping your 401k? Where did that money go? You need to get on a budget not pull money out of your 401k. If a 401k is the only way you can save money, you need to contribute to a 401k with or without a company match. Paying a 40% penalty to withdraw your 401k money is always a bad idea. Just my thoughts, pete

• How 15 Rent Houses Can Retire You Faster than a $1 Million 401k (24)

  • Brian Lee: Will, since you have 60k in equity in the house, have you considered refinancing the house, taking out around $40k; and using that money to buy 4 more houses with hard money loans?
  • Omar: Will, The way I look at it is that if you are going to put the money to work and it is going to give you a ROI that is higher than the interest you are paying on your home, then get a home equity loan on your home and that loan should give you enough to repay your loan plus some more. Just be careful, when you are a beginner you are propably going to make more mistakes than an experienced investor (i.e. you will spend more than necessary on your investment properties), so just keep that in mind. Also, I always “listen” to what my gut tells me (keeping in mind that I have completely lost the fear of investing in RE), so if my gut were to tell me that I want a house that is fully paid for to keep my family in, then I will factor that “feeling” in my decision process. Just think about how much risk you and your family can tolerate.
  • will: yes right now i have bought a house with cash and remodeled it. I live in it now and it is paid for. A realtor told me to list it for 60000 if i want to try and sell it. I am in a pickle on deciding whether i should sell it or rent it out and use the money i have in the bank to buy another house and let the rent from this one pay for it. I would really like some advice with pros and cons with renting or getting the cash and buying.

• Who’s Your Favorite Guru? (3)

  • Arie Archut: Very good post. I’ve found your blog via Google and I’m really glad about the information you provide in your articles. Btw your sites layout is really messed up on the Chrome browser. Would be cool if you could fix that. Anyhow keep up the good work!
  • homepwnerer: You forgot to add John T. Reed. I mostly identify with his and LUinc’s methods of investing. teh_homepwnerer
  • Chuck: I was looking for Del on this list. Why can’t Del be my favorite Guru?

• “Cradle to Grave” Financial Environments - The Del Walmsley Show (1)

  • michael lenard: Del I appreciate your opinions on these matters and could not agree more. What you are saying about the governments actions sadly is true.I don’t know how you feel about bible profesy, but there are many indications that a period of time is coming when government (one particular man?) will actually set out to control every form of commerce right down to how we can buy or sell anything. Without preaching a sermon it is alarming anyway. I hope that you will consider voting this coming session and find the best canidate possible. It may not help much, but it is still one of the best freedoms we have. Thank you so much for your effort to help people become finacially free. Please keep it up.

• Tips for Real Estate Investors who Want a Successful Working Relationship with Contractors (7)

  • Jerry Plake: Natalie - I read your article and thought it was ver well done and comprehensive. You touched on the many aspects of contracting that members need to understand. Cris also did a good job on the radio today (2/2/10) explaining the key points. I printed it off for my personal reference to remind me also how to give our members the best service we possibly can. Jerry Plake/ Start2Finish Please visit our website to find out more about our services and to see before and after photos.
  • Danny Engram: As a contractor,if we find ourselves in that type of position we have reserves of smaller subs that we have worked with in the past that will come through for us. If I put in an estimate for a project,I usually know how we are going to have to man it based on final schedule and negotiations. We are very honest with our clients when they ask questions based on schedule start and completion dates. If you want to start on a Wednesday but we can’t start until Monday,I tell you then we figure it out from there. We also provide a no fail zone. This means that if we fail to complete a project according to the time schedule that we agreed upon then the owner recovers liquidated damages to the tune of 50-100.00 per day that the job goes over schedule. Just another incentive we like to offer to stand out a little bit. Take care,
  • Mark Lee: Typing via iPhone has not been my forte’

• Real Estate Investor Video Podcast Compilation (1)

  • Chris Robinson: This is great.

• Real Estate Investing Links for January 27, 2010 (2)

  • Julie Broad: Thanks for featuring my article!! You’ve got a great list of real estate article here … I was very interested to read the predictions on apartment shortages. Thanks again, Julie
  • kendall kellam: If 19% of apartment loans are 60 days pass due why do you say apartment investing is good?

• How Real Estate Investor Brant Phillips added $33k to his $500k in Equity with House #28 of 30 - Video Case Study (6)

  • Brant: We pay simple interest, generally 7-12% monthly with a 2-5 year balloon…this is a very safe and secure place for people to invest their money…Our private money lenders really enjoy the safety of our deals b/c their is generally a large amount of equity and cash-flow, so they feel secure placing their monies in these type of homes…see our website for some more information: www.HoustonCapitalGroup.com
  • Mitch: How do you pay back your private investors? I would assume they would want all of the cash flow for that amount of a loan. Just curious.
  • Brant: I originally was purchasing with $0 down a couple of years ago when financing was, of course, much easier…however, as seen in the video, I still get 100% financing with some of my private lending partnerships. This is not only a great way to finance properties for myself, but my private money lenders are also very pleased with the returns they are receiving off the loans. Also, there are other creative ways to get $0 down such as: owner finance, subject to and others, so keep pushing until you get the results you are seeking…

• Discussing the Article “How 15 Rent Houses Can Retire You Faster than $1 Million 401(k)” - The Real Estate Investor Radio Show (1)

  • estate agents: Well,good informative article….It’s very helpful who looks for the houses for rent.

• A Step by Step Road Map for Success in a New Decade! (3)

  • Keith: I read Lifestyles’s articles, and I must say that they are great articles, have attended two of their meetings and will certainly be a member. I am an immigrant from the island of St. Lucia (Caribbean) and speculatively build couple house and sold. Likewise purchased undevelop land, sub-divide it and resold. Looking forward to share some of my experiences, because one could make a substantial amounts in exploring other markets.
  • Karen: Great tips for new investors and those wanting to find out more!

• Del Walmsley’s Three Rules of Investing (8)

  • John Joseph: I understand the basics of the ‘Three Rules’. Please explain why the plan is only practiced with residential properties, either single or multi-family. I assume there are issues with expanding this philosophy to other income producing properties, such as commercial or ’special use’ properties, such as mini-storage facilities, etc.

• Estimating and Executing Rehab on a Single-Family Investment Property (12)

  • Lynn Andris: Great article. One of the best things about LU is the win-win mentality in every aspect of our business. Vendors know that they must price their products and services well, communicate clearly and accurately and produce a high quality finished product if they want to build their business among LU members. We, as investors, need to remember to do our part. We need to understand our market, know what we are trying to do with the property, make sound decisions about the deal and communicate our needs clearly. Vendors cannot change directions as we constantly change our minds. We need to be good customers to get good results.
  • Montelongo: Do you have a generic check list (MAP or PLAN OF ACTION) you can share with us? So I wont reivent the weel or wait until the 100 rehab’s to realized i missed something from the beginnig. That would be reallly appreaciated. Thanks, Montelongo
  • Amanda: Great points Shauwn, thank you for your expert advice, this will help me with my future rehab projects.

• Fire Sale: Investing In Distressed Assets (4)

  • Bankruptcy Blog: This is some valuable information, I just finished up my paper for class and think i may need to bookmark or save this for the second class lol. You may have just made me a regular

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - Karen Davis and Chris X in for Del (2)

  • Chris X: Hey Chuck, thanks for you comments. My fault on that one… I apologize. Karen and I actually covered that entire article on my show earlier in the day, and then never even got to it on Del’s show. We received some great phone calls and just ran out of time. Here is the link to the actual article in the Wallstreet Journal. Please listen to my show from earlier that day to hear us discussing it in it’s entirety. http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/01/05/fed-econ omist-housing-is-a-lousy-investment/ Thanks for listening and I’ll make sure in the future we don’t make promises we can’t keep. Chris X
  • Chuck: Don’t waste your time listening to this show. They never get to the article. They never even tell where the article is if you want to go look at it yourself. Although they say they are going to do this, they never do. The majority of this show is wasted on talk about the cold weather and upcoming seminars. No talk about the subject mentioned.

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - Teaching Your Kids to be Financially Literate (1)

  • ivaldes: Great points Del. A little armchair quarterbacking on my part: . The Father is as impulsive as the Daughter (and family). . Easy come, easy go or as you put it: “something-for-nothing-instantaneously-grati fied-diseased-individual.” . Uniquely American emphasis on the appearance world versus internal world. Tragic. The good news is that it could have been fatal and was not.

• David Fisher’s 1st Property Captures $29,000 in Equity! (12)

  • Carlos: Dave, you are a truly inspiration for the rest of us. It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind and all resources to it. Best of luck on all your endeavors. Living the dream!!!
  • Busters: Wow! This is amazing. This really motivates me to do the same for myself. I met Dave and he really made me think about getting involved. He really has some energy and believes in this 100%. I think he can move mountains after talking with him. Thanks RobM.
  • Jz: Great Job!

• Are the Homes in the Most Overpriced Cities in America “Overpriced” or “Underanalyzed?” (2)

  • Lifestyles: Good catch, thank you.
  • Izzy Movin: Are the Homes in the Most Overpriced Cities in America “Overpriced” of “Underanalyzed?” Please explain the quoted statement above. Was there a mistake? Perhaps you should edit? Izzy

• The Real Estate Investor Radio Show - How Having Passive Income Provides “True Independence” (1)

  • Earl: As bad as my money situation is i think i already died. (No I didn’t I’m still working too hard for too little). A few more years and I’ll have my passive income!!!

• How a Real Estate Investor Should Take a Phone Call from a Prospective Tenant (2)

  • Lifestyles: I improved the visibility of the forms a bit. Click on the images to enlarge them.
  • David Daily: It would be nice to get a copy of that form. I can’t even read it. it is too small. I would make a excel spreadsheet if I could read it.

• Karen Davis Takes Real Estate Investing Questions (1)

  • Sadia Sheikh: I am interested in having a residual income. What if I do not have enough money to put down as down payment?

• No Excuses! - Why Doing the Little Things Makes a Huge Difference (5)

  • Shirley: This really spoke to me im volumes for this New Year of starting over at a fresh beginning of just being consistent.
  • Alfonso: (This is not the same Alfonso as the first guy who commented, this is the Alfonso who is a mentor w/ Lifestyles) Jay I just want to say keep your chin up. I wish you the best and I hope that “Can Do” attitude of yours stays strong. Life will kick you around a bit, but all you can do is keep on keeping on. We all look forward to the the day when your comments on this website will include how you pulled yourself up from the bootstraps and have met with much success.
  • Jay: Hi Alfonso, I’m glad I found you. I do not consider myself a victim, but I have had a run of unfortunate circumstances that have left me truly broke and starting from slightly below water level. I was once a successful real estate broker, with 28 agents. When the housing market tanked, so did my business. At the bottom of the market, my wife had some serious medical issues that cost me over $250,000 on top of insurance. I also made a promise to our only child that we would pay for her college education. So here I am, at a cross roads. I can either say, “Poor Me” and feel like a victim, or I can do something about it. At age 47, finding a job isn’t going to cut it. I’d have to work until I’m 90 to have enough to retire on. I’ve had real estate investments and I know the power to bring me back to life that investing has. The only question I have now is, What steps do I need to take to get back into investing, now that I have no money?

• Do’s and Don’ts of Real Estate Investing (8)

  • willie: Great investment ideas!! but to invest in properties near home, well I live in new york, so that idea doesn’t work for me. That why I have to look somewhere else for deals.
  • ben: Good blog. I will bookmark and grab your feed.

• Get to Know Real Estate Investor, Mentor, and Vice President Stephen Davis (13)

  • Margy: I have a house in the Austin area which I would like to downsize and get something smaller since my daughter is out of HS and in college. I’m stuck if I should rent my house out, sell it and then purchase a few properties? I have been listening to you on the am radio for the last month. Your mentoring programs . . . do you actually have a person or a group of individuals that will assist you with purchasing homes or is this strictly you doing it by reading books, listening to cds, and attending meetings? I have 3 shifts I work presently so having a life depending on what shift I am working can be difficult. I have been caught up also with layoffs 3 times as I am in the tech industry. I work at Apple right now so knock on wood they continue to do good but have no cash in the bank other then some 401ks that were also hit hard w/previous layoffs. Looking to invest but don’t know anything other then owning my house which I have for 12 years.

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - Kevin Coyne on Enjoying Wealth “Under the Radar” (2)

  • Lifestyles: It might have been Steve Davis. The weekend shows are not always posted to the website, but you might try the “foundational” shows in the right sidebar here: http://www.lifestylesunlimited.com/category/radio_ shows or, try Steve’s blog page here: http://www.lifestylesunlimited.com/category/radio_ shows/steve_davis
  • ken Morrison: i just stumbled across the show (first time listener) i spent some time looking on this website but cannnot find it…. it was this month, (December 2009)it was a guy who was talking about “goals” and basically gave a big overview about how to build wealth in real estate, and for the first time the lightbulb came on and i realized how much sense what this guys was saying… all i could remember was the website, but is there anyway that you can tell me who was on the air, and if i could get a copy or reference teh podcast?? it was a saturday i believe, late afternoon here in dallas on k-sky…the thing was that it was a very big overview of everything concerning why to set goals and to do it in real estate with passive income and a little of his personal story.. thanks, ken

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - Del Relates the Processes of Skiing and Real Estate Investing  (1)

  • Ryan Bradford: Excellent example, what a great way to to apply a practical, relatable, situation to explain how once you put your plan together, execute the steps, over come the obsticles, pursue your goal with focus intensity, you will relize that by following the path laid by others, you will succeed. Thank you Dell for laying the path, and for mentoring others to follow in your foot prints. My wife and I are truly greatfull.

• The Five Laws of Gold (1)

  • willie morales: Thanks Steve for this article on the 5 laws of gold, especially paying myself first!! to me that is the most important law going.

• Who is In Control of Your Money? (14)

  • Alfonso: Yes, you can participate in what is called a Self Directed IRA. Check out Entrust or Houston Capital Group, or Newman Asset Management on our vendor list (under the category IRA & Real Estate). If you are not a member, then click on the free starter kit for access to the vendor list. It is unlikely that you will be able to use 401(k) funds to invest in real estate because you are constrained to the choices available by your plan administrator. Hope this helps.
  • BHARATWAJ NANANDHAN: Is there a way to use your 401k and retirment funds to invest into real estate. tks

• The Real Estate Investor Radio Show - Positive Versus Negative Mentalities (1)

  • Dr. Ken Williams: Dear Steve, Very good radio program. Again, you have hit the nail on the head. Negative attitudes will destroy those who have them. A person’s attitude will determine his altitude. A positive attitude and outlook on life will lead a person to soar above the crowd. On the other hand a negative attitude will drive a person down to a live a life of mediocrity, or worse. A positive attitude must be actively cultivated and acquired. The default attitude of most people is negative. A negative attitude is the easiest to possess. It requires nothing to obtain. If a person does not fill his heart and mind with influences that are good, positive, noble, pure, praiseworthy, etc, then the negative will flow in unabated. In my opinion, the great thing about Lifestyles is that you not only provide the education necessary for the ordinary person to invest in real estate, but also provide the encouragement, tools, and positive influences that will drive the education to…

• Is This A Good Time to Invest in Real Estate?  (6)

  • Amber FitzPatrick: This really hit home for me. “Demand for rental property is up. The news continues to report that foreclosure rates are still on the rise. The third quarter of 2009 saw record high foreclosure activity record high foreclosure activity. What does that mean to the real estate investor? What it means is that a one time home owner has been forced to become a renter. Those families who have lost their homes to foreclosure still need a place to live. They don’t just disappear, they go into the rental market. This means that thousands of families are in need of clean, functional housing that is provided to them by the real estate investor.”
  • Alfonso: Elijah, cudo’s to you for wanting to take positive steps. When I was 19 I put $500 in the bank then took out a loan for $500 (that was over half a month’s salary for me back then, I was in the USMC). I paid it off in 2 months. Then I got a secured credit card with a $500 limit. That started building my credit. Before I knew it I had great credit, even though I hadn’t made over $15,000 a year when I was in the military and in college. Every financial advisor in America is going to tell you to buy mutual funds. That’s all they know because they aren’t truly financial advisors, they are mutual fund salesmen who have to obtain the title “Financial Advisor” in order to be allowed to sell mutual funds. You’re doing the right thing by exploring different options. Keep educating yourself, there is no real hurry. Keep reading books and you’ll learn a lot. Kick around the Lifestyles Unlimited website, there is a lot if helpful…
  • Elijah Murray: Great article. I am new to the real estate market and am learning as quickly as I can. If I can muster enough for a down payment by April, I would like to either enter a rent to own program (me being the landlord) or buy a small rental property. I’ve been doing a lot of online research, but sadly still cannot find an answer to my query: how do I invest as a teen? I am 18 years old, and know that now is the best time to invest. I have spoken to a few financial advisors (all of whom suggested mutual funds), gone to local real estate meetings, read several books and am setting up a meeting with an agent to see what advice he has to offer. I believe that my biggest obstacle is credit. If I want to be approved for a mortgage, I need an established line of credit (or a cosigner) which I’m not sure I can build quickly enough. I applied to for a couple of credit cards all of which were turned down, most likely due to the market. Going as basic as possible I…

• Why Social Security and Medicare Taxes are “Ignorance Taxes” (3)

  • Tax Guy: I’ve been involved in taxes for longer then I care to acknowledge, both on the private side (all my employed life history!!) and from a legal point of view since passing the bar and pursuing tax law. I’ve put up a lot of advice and rectified a lot of wrongs, and I must say that what you’ve posted makes impeccable sense. Please uphold the good work - the more individuals know the better they’ll be outfitted to handle with the tax man, and that’s what it’s all about.

• What Does a Membership to Lifestyles Unlimited Include? (2)

  • Mike De Bolt: Just found a 27 unit property for~ $650 K. Whe is there not a “Hotline” phone number/web site members could contact to get a “quick” evaluation from to help determine if it’s worth a drive to look at? If it’s as good as it looks, so far, it won’t wait until Monday. This would be a great and real service. Mike

• Real Estate Investing Links for November 18, 2009 (3)

  • Abe ridley: Lots of good info for a “new-b” like me. I just need time to process all this new information. Thanks…
  • Earl: The FHA is the new real estate sub prime lender. Next step is cash back from the government for all home loans not just $8000. for a new home buyer.
  • Bobby: I don’t think the gov’t can do much more to help buyers at this time without starting down the slippery slope that lead us to the current real estate mess.

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - The Modern Version of “The Ant and the Grasshopper” (11)

  • John: Great article! It’s so true. Personal responsibility has become an antiquated idea in today’s society. I’m all for helping those in need, but let’s focus on “teaching people to fish” as opposed to giving them a free handout that simply enables their misbehavior. People should be allowed second chances but that doesn’t mean you should remove all consequences for poor decisions. It’s time for the grasshoppers to pull their own weight and not be a burden on others. John
  • Mark: I should add Del has been known to slam the Republicans too. Personally, I’d be a Republican if they weren’t so liberal.
  • Mark: If you squeal when someone adapts the Ant and the Grasshopper story, you MIGHT just be a grasshopper. If you think let’s slam those bankers because I just know the dems will take better care of us, you MIGHT just be a grasshopper. I’m sure I could think of more but you get the idea with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy.

• Real Estate Investing Links for November 11, 2009 (1)

  • Sarah Spillman: I love it! This is very informative, I couldn’t agree more.

• The Real Estate Investor Radio Show - What is Lifestyles Doing Differently to Produce Dramatic Results? (1)

  • Alfonso Williams: Great points, Steve. I have been a member for a little under a year and I am currently taking the steps to be financially free within thenext 5 years (me and girlfriend). I totally agree with what you’re saying. It’s like getting paid 10.00 an hour vs. 10.00 perhour plus 4 ways to get bonuses. It’s a no brainer.I just closed on my first home (homestead) and will be looking at purchasing my first rental in the next 3-4 months.

• The Real Estate Investor Radio Show - The Scarcity Mentality (1)

  • Bryan Batson: Everything that you said rings so true. It’s theory but an actual way of life for those who want peace, love, joy, health, wealth, and happiness. You can have all of it by applying the principles you just set down. I would not be where I am at today without the help and service of others. In return I’ve had to help and serve those people and others alike. If you want all those qualities in your life, you have to cultivate a sense of love, compassion, and service that comes from within. Sounds kind of counterintuitive to what is taught in schools and on the media but again it’s not a theory. Thanks for the post Steve.

• The Path of Least Resistance (14)

  • Alfonso: Bill, screening a deal can be pretty in depth. It is certainly something we offer to our members, but for non-members it is not a service we offer. It would not be fair to our members if we offer the same degree of mentoring to non-members. I hope you find somebody with experience to assist you. Have a great day.
  • Bill: I have been to one of your seminars and enjoyed it very much. Currently I have a real-estate opportunity that I need help in screening but I can’t remember, does your organization assist with this for members\non-members? Regards, Bill Ranshaw
  • homepwnerer: When your working with a mentor, your using someone that is established, has credibility and experience and has performed. If your making money and are in position to have a financial planner, you need to be using this same approach in that area as well. Don’t work with someone that can get the job done, work with the best at it. Find the broker, planner, mentor that has skin in the game and use him. Don’t just pick a someone based on their title and assume they know what they are talking about. Only difference between a financial planner and you is that they have a certification and you don’t. homepwnerer

• How to Protest Your Property Taxes and Win (37)

  • Andrea Kyle: Dear Trent, as noted above, my hearing was today. They barely looked at my numbers and kept the value the same. Even though I asked for the HB packet before the hearing they never gave me the info you stateed regarding the HB. All I got from them is 7 highest priced sales and when I countered with 7 lower proced sales, they just ignored mine. Then we discussed the unequal section and they invited me to have a “ratio study” done for the area. The TAD is a racket. I want to appeal but I need you as my attorney. can /will you do it?
  • Andrea Kyle: My hearing is tomorrow. Early last week I requested the HB packet from Tarrant CAD. They said the only info they use to determine my home value is recent sales and I was able to get a copy from the TAD website. I did that, but all it is is MY property sale in Feb 08 and seven other sales throughout 2008. #1 Are they holding the HB packet from me? #2 Is it required to be 4 pages with CPA, ISD etc? Also My home was built in 1988, has 1823 sf, and I paid 134500 in Feb 2008. The other properties included range from a. Living area 1544 to 2685 sqft (-279 sf and +862 sf) I do not think it is fair to compare my house to one with 2685 sf like TAD did, so I limited my search for homes +/- 320sf) b. Year built range: 1978-1988 (-10 years) I managed to find 7 more prop sales that were closer to my criteria. C. The lowest SP on TADs valuation is 127500 and the highest is 170000. My search found me prop sales as low as 73000 with most of them being around 112000. #3 It is for my…

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - The Real Reasons Why You’re Not Investing in Real Estate (1)

  • Andy Webster: Perhaps a lot of the folks in San Antonio compared what they’ve been doing for 20 years with what you’ve been doing and saw that they need to take immediate action. I’m taking action and am pleased with the results so far. When one goal is reached another is made. Thanks, Del

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - Designed to Fail: Why Doing What You’re “Supposed to Do” Could Retire You In Poverty (1)

  • Allan Beto Smith: I started listening to your radio show, while I was serving time in Texas prison. Had money to invest and financed a 10 plex venture, in Rockdale, Texas, with my sister, Tisha, serving as managing partner. I was released on October 16th, and I’ m presently wearing an electronic monitor for a 60 day period. I derive a monthy income from my interest in the 10 plex, I’ve got money to invest, some properties to use as collateral, and I want to become a full-time real estate professionl. I purchased a new iPhone and Googled lifestylesunlimited.com. What do you sugesst I do while I’m restricted on this monitor? The only time I can leave my home is between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. A.B.S.

• Kelli Guyton and BG Patel - Sebring Apartments (5)

  • Kelli: Thanks guys! I am grateful everyday!
  • James Pagan: Congratulations and way to go Kelli & BG Patel! Now that’s what I call team work.
  • Amber FitzPatrick: I like how Kelli shares why she made the choices she made. Tile that looks like hardwood, playground for the kids, three color exterior paint scheme, etc. What a feeling to have the seller appreciate of all the hard work you all put into this property in order to turn it around. As always your smiling faces are wonderful to see! Good work to everyone involved!

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - Why Flipping Real Estate Deals Won’t Make You Money (2)

  • Tim: Thank you for sharing your opinion. I have been searching for ways to learn real estate for sometime now. Hav’nt committed to any one concept thou it has cost me. I have learned more from lifestyles with its free radio and meetings and shared opinions than my search combined.
  • Glenn: Thanks Del, for sounding the voice of reason, logic and sanity. I unfortunately learned most of the mistakes you pointed out via trial and error, and yes, I did spend $1495 on a seminar and lost $25,000 on a ‘diseased concept’ deal that turned out to be a dud. Continue with expressing your honest perspecitive.

• Austin vs. San Antonio for Single Family Real Estate Investing (13)

  • homepwnerer: I’m seeing the same that the guys at LU are. High equity capture, 30-40% discounts on purchase price and 100-200 a month cash flow. However, I don’t consider this true cash flow as the debt service is covered but the expenses, management, maintenance, etc.. are still dropping the cash flow to near break even. However.. This is the model that should be followed - if you are breaking even after accounting for maintenance, management, incidentals, debt service, marketing, 1-2x rent loss etc.. your actually doing even better than Del’s business model projects. teh_homepwnerer pwnhomes.com

• It Has to Start Today (4)

  • Richard: Wow! That’s incredible. We joined in March, are in one MF deal, have made offers on a couple of SF deals but are getting very frustrated…

• Understanding How Credit Reporting Works (4)

  • Tracy: Mongo I am a 22 year veteran of the Real Estate business. Credit “Scoring” has changed drastically in my time. it is a very complicated equation however I do know the “concept” and the % that holds the most weight they look at is #1 the amount of credit ALL you creditors are Willing to lend you ie. your available balances or amount of available lines of credit compared to the amount you are actually using ie 4 credit cards with total available credit to you is $40,000 but in any one given month you use $3,000 and pay it off or pay it down. the most weight is given to this. they look at how many other creditors have taken a risk on you AND how responsible you are with actually using it. Installment loans ie Mortgages and cars hold a high regard. Advise always take or request raising the available credit extended to you and don’t use it, your credit score will certainly go up. that’s why not having any cedit or paying off everything and…
  • Jeff Smith: Hey Mongo, 35% = payment history 30% = amount owed 15% = length of history 10% = new credit 10% = type of credit Hope this helps! Jeff
  • Montelongo: Thank you for the information, Do you have any idea how the credit score is calculated based on the items you mention in your article? Thanks Mongo

• Real Estate Investing Links for September 30, 2009 (1)

  • Bob C: I heard someone from your program give out a national website for realestate investors but can’t remember it. It have reia or something like that in it. Could you send the link? Thanks

• Single-family Property Management Fundamentals: “Hassle-Free” Landlording (10)

  • Janiced: Very helpful, strategic, step-by-step instructions. Absolutely loved the insight. I plan to put every bit of it into practice. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

• The Real Estate Investor Radio Show - What Makes Lifestyles Different From Donald Trump and Late Night T.V. (2)

  • Samuel: Thank U soooo much for making it tougher for these information sales predators. ppl need to wake up & see the realities of flipping. There’s NO quick cash in it (like many gurus claim) There ARE COSTS involved in doing it (unlike they want ppl to believe) And it requires salesmanship skills which a few ppl have (and many ppl lack - they never mention this) ppl need to stop fallin for the sweet nothings these late night TV guys promise.
  • willie morales: You are so correct in your statement about Donald Trump and i’m a fan of his, i’ve been to a couple of his bootcamps and regretted paying for that!!he had a three day bootcamp in january of 2008 teaching 3 classes for $30,000!!! i’ve learned more about investing with podcasts like your show and reading books keep up the good work.

• The Case for Real Estate Investing as The Best Vehicle for Financial Freedom (12)

  • Steve: Matt, 1. Yes. However, many of us sell our own property and save massive amounts that way. The bigger cost is tax and that is avoided completely by the 1031 Exchange. 2. Yes. Part of doing business. Shop at least 3 banks and get your best deal. Lines of credit from banks are great too and carry almost no costs by comparison.
  • Matt: I’m a brand new member to LSU, but really enjoyed this article. I’ve been reading as much as possible since I signed up a few days ago. I have two questions: 1) Aren’t realtor fees and closing costs also major factors in capital gains. 2) If you refi to capture equity, don’t you also have refi costs.

• The Del Walmsley Radio Show - Harvard at Risk: Education Does not Guarantee Success (1)

  • Doncar: I spent 6 years in collge (4-year degree) and still haven’t found decent employment 11 years after leaving college. All I get are rejection letters from the better-paying jobs. I wished I found out about real estate investing before finishing high school and avoid college. It would have saved a lot of trouble!

• What’s The Worst That Can Happen? (2)

  • Adam: Could you please include the transcript of the phone’s conversation. Thanks Adam
  • David Fisher (PIG) San Antonio: I was even lucky enough to have Chuy sing “You got a friend in me.” Plus he played the piano!! He is such a great guy! I am so lucky to have met the man, he inspires and motivates me to achieve my full potential with his positive get it done attitude!! David Fisher San Antonio Pig

• A Cure for First-house-itis (3)

  • RogerX: Lifestyles, since you’re using Wordpress 2.7, you can install a search plugin and it should just “Work”. Here’s a link for the Search Everything Plugin. Hopefully that helps. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/search-everyth ing/
  • Lifestyles: Thanks for the feedback, Dan. I’ve got search on my list of to-do’s.
  • Dan: I love the new design, you guys have a lot of valuable content in the past, But the search has been missed, How can I do a search on the website. Thanks Dan

• The Real Estate Investor Radio Show - Unanswered Oppurtunities (1)

  • Chris Robinson: Amen Brother! I hear people all the time say things like… “Bob (made up name) is so Lucky that he was at the right place at the right time. Now he does not have to worry about money anymore” What they don’t realize is that it was Bob’s preparation that enabled him to be at the right place at the right time. That opportunity came to him because he had taken action and was prepared for it when it arrived. He did not just sit on the sidelines and watch it pass him by. Luck happens when Opportunity meets Preparation!

• Welcome to Case Study Night (3)

  • David Fisher (PIG) San Antonio: My name is David Fisher I have been with lifestyles for 5 months. I am presenting my first cast study on Thursday in San Antonio. In just 5 months of joining I have bought and rehabbed a single family house and now I just acquired a 29 unit apartment complex. I just want the people out there sitting on the fence to know this is real!! It works and we are real live people living our dreams and accomplishing them. Lifestyles just opened those 5 short months ago in the San Antonio market and it is a great feeling knowing that it is growing each day and I am lucky to be a part of it. I am hoping to share my story with others and help others do what I am doing myself. All I ask of others is if you read this and are not sure of Lifestyles just come to the case study and see. I thought it was some pyramid scheme. I went to a case study a few months ago. I did not believe the hype I read online or heard on the radio. I went in with an open mind and just…