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Apache is functioning normally

I’m kicking off my first gift guide of the season with the design lover in mind. Self-serving perhaps? I call it strategic. I’m feeling a fresh, refined color palette for the holidays. Instead of decking your halls with the standard red and green, what if you tried a mix of white, gold and touches of warm gray instead?

The look is sophisticated, luxurious and refined. Using lots of white helps spaces feel open and airy – rather than overstuffed and cluttered. Touches of gold feel celebratory and festive. And warm gray tones add a bit of gravitas without being harsh.

I recently scoured Horchow and discovered a treasure trove of goodies at crazy good deals. The site features home decor, tableware, even gifts from some of my favorite lines, like Aerin, Palacek and of course Neiman Marcus (they’re part of the Neiman Marcus family of brands.) Starting tomorrow, you can save up to 40% off during their Finders Savers event.

I’d be thrilled if Santa put any of these pieces in his cart for me!

SHOP THE POST: 1 coasters / 2 vase / 3 pillow / 4 charger / 5 bowl / 6 tray / 7 candle / 8 vases

image 1 / image 2 / image 3

This post is in collaboration with Horchow. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. thanks for supporting partnerships I’m excited about and that have kept our doors open.

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

A good parking space is a blessing, but you might feel your neighbor’s wrath if you don’t practice proper apartment parking etiquette. Whether you have a garage, a lot or even your own private space, it’s important to always honor the right of way and follow these ten commandments of parking etiquette.

The Commandments

    • Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s parking space. If you have designated parking, it’s a no-brainer to park only in your own space and to remind guests to use specified guest parking.
    • Honor thy apartment community’s posted speed limit. Slow down and try not to terrify your neighbors. You have to see them every day.
    • Thou shalt not lie about the ding you put in that guy’s bumper. If you accidentally hit your apartment neighbor’s car, leave a note. You’ll sleep better at night.
    • Uphold your neighbor’s right to carry groceries. Don’t forget that you’re parking in a place where people unload groceries, small children and pets. Keep your car in the lines and give them plenty of room to open their car doors.
    • Do to other drivers as they do unto you. The bottom line is to be nice. If someone waves to you, wave back.
    • But, thou shalt not respond discourteously to unfriendly drivers. Remember, they know where you live.
    • Respect the blind spot. Don’t come screaming around the corners in your parking garage or parking lot. One day there will be a blind spot (and an insurance claim) with your name on it.
    • Never take your neighbor’s name in vain. Parking garages can echo and sometimes walls can be thin — your neighbors can hear everything.
    • Be slow to anger. So your neighbors had a party and their friends parked in your space. If it’s the first time this has happened, let it go. If it’s the 13th time, feel free to call the apartment manager or leave a friendly note.
    • Thou shalt always use the parking brake when parked on an incline. Because that’s how safe apartment parkers (don’t) roll. (We really mean it.)

Apache is functioning normally

When you move into your new apartment, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of decorating, unpacking and getting used to your new environment. However, planning for the future — even for potential problems — is essential. Apartment insurance may seem like an unnecessary additional monthly expense, particularly if you’ve never experienced problems such as break-ins, fire or water damage. It’s enough to make you question if you really even need renter’s insurance.

The answer? Yes, you do.

Why Do I Need Renter’s Insurance?

Though most apartment communities and owners will have their own insurance, it generally only applies to the actual structure and dwelling. That means if there’s a fire or damage, their policy will not cover your personal belongings, leaving you forking out the money for replacements or repairs. Some communities even make having renter’s insurance policy in place a requirement on your lease.

What Exactly Am I Supposed to Purchase?

When it comes to getting yourself set up with basic renter’s insurance, you’ll need to look at two types of coverage:

  • Renter’s Insurance Policy. This protects your belongings in case of fire, theft or damage. There are some things that renter’s insurance may not cover, such as in the case of earthquakes or floods. Discuss any concerns you have with your agent while setting up your policy.
  • Liability Coverage. This protects you against any possible damage caused by negligence on your part. For example, if you accidentally leave your bath running and it overflows, causing damage to your downstairs neighbor’s apartment, you could be held responsible for everything from repair to medical bills. This policy will also help if you are taken to court in relation to that, covering your defense costs.

What Does This Likely Cover?

Though you will have to pay a deductible, which you agree to at the start of your policy, most renter’s insurance policies are likely to cover the following:

The personal property in your house.
This can include everything from your clothes to your computer. Keep in mind, your policy may have limitations on payouts for certain items, such as electronics or jewelry. If you have specific items that you’re concerned about, such as an expensive bike or high-end stereo equipment, you may want to look into getting additional coverage.

“Loss of Use.”
Something happened at your apartment that’s made your space unlivable, such as a fire or severe water damage? That’s deemed as “loss of use” in the insurance trade. This covers you for staying elsewhere such as at a hotel and for living expenses such as food while your apartment is repaired to a liveable standard.

Liability for accidents.
Like the overflowing bathtub that ruins your downstairs neighbor’s ceiling discussed above, liability coverage ensures that you’re protected from any negligence on your part that causes bodily harm or damage. Someone comes into your house, trips on a rug and breaks their leg? Your cat bites the woman next door? All of these can be covered by your liability insurance.

While it may seem annoying to have to shell out for yet another expense on a monthly basis, apartment insurance is certainly more affordable than trying to replace everything yourself if the worst happens.

Apache is functioning normally

After a major life event like bypass surgery, it’s understandable that you’d be in a hurry to buy life insurance as soon as possible. This is often a mistake. Life insurance companies will see your past surgery and this could prevent you from receiving a policy.

To qualify for insurance after a bypass, you need to plan right and fill out a good application. To get you ready, here is a review of the insurance guidelines for after bypass surgery as well as some tips to help you with your application.

When you’re shopping for life insurance protection, there are dozens of different factors that you’ll need to consider. It can be confusing and difficult , especially if you’ve had a bypass surgery in the past.

 

Life Insurance Underwriting after Bypass Surgery

You’ll need to answer several questions about your bypass surgery for your application. You’ll need to answer:

  • What did you have your bypass surgery?
  • Why did you need to have bypass surgery? Was it an elective or emergency procedure?
  • Have you ever had any other types of heart surgeries like a heart valve replacement?
  • Were there any complications after the surgery like internal bleeding, cardiac tamponade, or a stroke?
  • Do you have any other high-risk factors for heart disease like smoking, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure?
  • Do you have a history of heart disease?
  • What medications are you taking because of the bypass surgery?

Common medications for after a stroke include: Clopidogrel, Beta blockers, Nitrates, ACE inhibitors, and Lipids. None of these medications is going to cause you to be declined.

For life insurance underwriting, more information is better. If an underwriter felt your application was incomplete, especially after something major like bypass surgery, there’s a good chance you’d get a poor rating or a denial.

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Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.Ad

Life Insurance Quotes after Bypass Surgery

If you’ve had bypass surgery, it’s very important to delay your life insurance application for some time after your surgery. This is because life insurance companies typically deny applicants that just had bypass surgery; there are too many complications that can come up. It’s best to wait at least 6 months to a year before applying.

When you apply, insurance companies will review the details of your bypass surgery and your health. Your rating would depend on how well the surgery went as well as whether you are taking steps to avoid future heart problems. While each insurance company uses different standards, let’s give you some basic ideas on your classification:

  • Preferred Plus: It’s not possible to get a preferred plus rating after bypass surgery, even if you are healthy and the procedure went well. There is just too high a chance of future heart problems for insurance companies to be willing to give the best rating.
  • Preferred:  Also usually impossible. In very rare cases, someone that had an elective bypass and was otherwise in perfect health might qualify for a preferred rating, but this is not something you should expect.
  • Standard:  The best rating for applicants after a bypass surgery. Applicants need to have waited a year after the surgery and be in perfect health otherwise. The bypass surgery also must have been a minor procedure, like elective surgery to get around a blockage early.
  • Table Rating (substandard):  A table rating is the most likely rating. Applicants should have waited at least 6 months after their surgery to qualify. Rating will depend on the severity of the surgery, whether there were any complications, whether the applicant had other procedures like a heart valve replacement, and basic health info.
  • Declines: Applicants that apply within 6 months of their bypass surgery. Also, applicants that aren’t regularly seeing their doctor, have a history of serious heart problems, and/or have heart risk factors like smoking or high cholesterol could also be denied.

Bypass Surgery Case Studies

If you’ve had bypass surgery, it’s very important that you plan your application right. To help you understand, here are some examples of clients we’ve worked with in the past.

Case Study #1: Female, 63 y/o, non-smoker, had bypass surgery for a small blockage at 61, tried applying right away and was denied, otherwise in good health.

This client has a small valve blockage a few years ago that she decided to have removed through elective bypass surgery. Immediately after the procedure, she tried to buy more life insurance. Since she didn’t give anytime between her procedure and her application, the insurance company denied her application. At this point, the client thought she couldn’t get coverage. After contacting us, we recommended she try again. Since she had waited the appropriate amount of time, she qualified for a standard policy this time around.

Case Study #2:  Male, 57 y/o, needed bypass surgery at 54, former smoker, recently lost weight and reduced cholesterol levels, taking lipids for cholesterol.

This applicant had an unhealthy lifestyle. He smoked, had a poor diet, and didn’t exercise. This lifestyle eventually forced him to have bypass surgery. After the surgery, this client started living a much healthier life. He also started taking lipids for his cholesterol, as this was a big part of why he had heart problems.

Despite these improvements, this applicant still had trouble getting life insurance. After looking at his situation, we suggest he ask his doctor for a letter which showed his improved health. After he did this, he tried again and got a Table Level 2 plan.

As you can see from the examples, there are dozens of different factors they consider. There are no two applications that are the same, and every company is going to see you differently. Some insurance companies are going to view a history with a bypass survey more favorably than other companies are going to. Finding the right company could be the difference in getting approved for affordable coverage or getting a plan that’s going to break your bank every month.

 

Getting Affordable Life Insurance Coverage After Bypass Surgery

As an applicant with a bypass surgery in the past, you’re going to be facing higher premiums. Just because of your surgery doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands and thousands on your coverage. Here are a few ways you can save money on your plan.

Using tobacco is hands-down one of the worst things that you can do for your life insurance premiums. Those cigarettes make your rates go up twice as much.

Because you already have a red flag on your application, you need to improve everything else. To do this, you need to commit to living a healthier lifestyle. This means being more active.

Comparing different policies is always going to be the best way to save money. As we mentioned, each carrier is going to use different standards. Some companies will offer you cheaper coverage. You need to find those companies.

Bottom Line

Getting life insurance after bypass surgery is a challenge, but it’s a challenge many people can overcome. Take the time to research each company and figure out who has the most affordable plans for people with bypass surgery.


Source: goodfinancialcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

After a major life event like bypass surgery, it’s understandable that you’d be in a hurry to buy life insurance as soon as possible. This is often a mistake. Life insurance companies will see your past surgery and this could prevent you from receiving a policy.

To qualify for insurance after a bypass, you need to plan right and fill out a good application. To get you ready, here is a review of the insurance guidelines for after bypass surgery as well as some tips to help you with your application.

When you’re shopping for life insurance protection, there are dozens of different factors that you’ll need to consider. It can be confusing and difficult , especially if you’ve had a bypass surgery in the past.

 

Life Insurance Underwriting after Bypass Surgery

You’ll need to answer several questions about your bypass surgery for your application. You’ll need to answer:

  • What did you have your bypass surgery?
  • Why did you need to have bypass surgery? Was it an elective or emergency procedure?
  • Have you ever had any other types of heart surgeries like a heart valve replacement?
  • Were there any complications after the surgery like internal bleeding, cardiac tamponade, or a stroke?
  • Do you have any other high-risk factors for heart disease like smoking, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure?
  • Do you have a history of heart disease?
  • What medications are you taking because of the bypass surgery?

Common medications for after a stroke include: Clopidogrel, Beta blockers, Nitrates, ACE inhibitors, and Lipids. None of these medications is going to cause you to be declined.

For life insurance underwriting, more information is better. If an underwriter felt your application was incomplete, especially after something major like bypass surgery, there’s a good chance you’d get a poor rating or a denial.

#ap89615-ww
font-family: Archivo, sans-serif;
#ap89615-wwpadding-top:20px;position:relative;text-align:center;font-size:12px#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-indicatortext-align:right;color:#4a4a4a#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-indicator-wrapperdisplay:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;margin-bottom:8px#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap89615-ww-textdisplay:block#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap89615-ww-labeldisplay:none#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-textmargin:auto 3px auto auto#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-labelmargin-left:4px;margin-right:3px#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-iconmargin:auto;display:inline-block;width:16px;height:16px;min-width:16px;min-height:16px;cursor:pointer#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-icon imgvertical-align:middle;width:16px;height:16px;min-width:16px;min-height:16px#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-text-bottommargin:5px#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-textdisplay:none#ap89615-ww #ap89615-ww-icon imgtext-indent:-9999px;color:transparent

Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.Ad

Life Insurance Quotes after Bypass Surgery

If you’ve had bypass surgery, it’s very important to delay your life insurance application for some time after your surgery. This is because life insurance companies typically deny applicants that just had bypass surgery; there are too many complications that can come up. It’s best to wait at least 6 months to a year before applying.

When you apply, insurance companies will review the details of your bypass surgery and your health. Your rating would depend on how well the surgery went as well as whether you are taking steps to avoid future heart problems. While each insurance company uses different standards, let’s give you some basic ideas on your classification:

  • Preferred Plus: It’s not possible to get a preferred plus rating after bypass surgery, even if you are healthy and the procedure went well. There is just too high a chance of future heart problems for insurance companies to be willing to give the best rating.
  • Preferred:  Also usually impossible. In very rare cases, someone that had an elective bypass and was otherwise in perfect health might qualify for a preferred rating, but this is not something you should expect.
  • Standard:  The best rating for applicants after a bypass surgery. Applicants need to have waited a year after the surgery and be in perfect health otherwise. The bypass surgery also must have been a minor procedure, like elective surgery to get around a blockage early.
  • Table Rating (substandard):  A table rating is the most likely rating. Applicants should have waited at least 6 months after their surgery to qualify. Rating will depend on the severity of the surgery, whether there were any complications, whether the applicant had other procedures like a heart valve replacement, and basic health info.
  • Declines: Applicants that apply within 6 months of their bypass surgery. Also, applicants that aren’t regularly seeing their doctor, have a history of serious heart problems, and/or have heart risk factors like smoking or high cholesterol could also be denied.

Bypass Surgery Case Studies

If you’ve had bypass surgery, it’s very important that you plan your application right. To help you understand, here are some examples of clients we’ve worked with in the past.

Case Study #1: Female, 63 y/o, non-smoker, had bypass surgery for a small blockage at 61, tried applying right away and was denied, otherwise in good health.

This client has a small valve blockage a few years ago that she decided to have removed through elective bypass surgery. Immediately after the procedure, she tried to buy more life insurance. Since she didn’t give anytime between her procedure and her application, the insurance company denied her application. At this point, the client thought she couldn’t get coverage. After contacting us, we recommended she try again. Since she had waited the appropriate amount of time, she qualified for a standard policy this time around.

Case Study #2:  Male, 57 y/o, needed bypass surgery at 54, former smoker, recently lost weight and reduced cholesterol levels, taking lipids for cholesterol.

This applicant had an unhealthy lifestyle. He smoked, had a poor diet, and didn’t exercise. This lifestyle eventually forced him to have bypass surgery. After the surgery, this client started living a much healthier life. He also started taking lipids for his cholesterol, as this was a big part of why he had heart problems.

Despite these improvements, this applicant still had trouble getting life insurance. After looking at his situation, we suggest he ask his doctor for a letter which showed his improved health. After he did this, he tried again and got a Table Level 2 plan.

As you can see from the examples, there are dozens of different factors they consider. There are no two applications that are the same, and every company is going to see you differently. Some insurance companies are going to view a history with a bypass survey more favorably than other companies are going to. Finding the right company could be the difference in getting approved for affordable coverage or getting a plan that’s going to break your bank every month.

 

Getting Affordable Life Insurance Coverage After Bypass Surgery

As an applicant with a bypass surgery in the past, you’re going to be facing higher premiums. Just because of your surgery doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands and thousands on your coverage. Here are a few ways you can save money on your plan.

Using tobacco is hands-down one of the worst things that you can do for your life insurance premiums. Those cigarettes make your rates go up twice as much.

Because you already have a red flag on your application, you need to improve everything else. To do this, you need to commit to living a healthier lifestyle. This means being more active.

Comparing different policies is always going to be the best way to save money. As we mentioned, each carrier is going to use different standards. Some companies will offer you cheaper coverage. You need to find those companies.

Bottom Line

Getting life insurance after bypass surgery is a challenge, but it’s a challenge many people can overcome. Take the time to research each company and figure out who has the most affordable plans for people with bypass surgery.


Source: goodfinancialcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

Is eating healthy one of your New Year’s Resolutions? Eating healthy in some ways is such an easy thing to do:  Eat more vegetables; cut out sugar; and cook at home. Simple, right? But then life happens. You are tired, the kids are hungry, and the pantry is empty.  In this moment, it is so easy to give into the lure of fast food and pre-packaged meals. Then there goes all your healthy eating efforts down the drain.

One of the most important strategies to combat this pitfall and stay on track is to keep a well-stocked and organized pantry. If your shelves are stocked with healthy foods that are easily accessible than putting together a nutritious meal is much simpler and stress-free. Check out our 5 tips to organize and stock your pantry to make healthy eating easier on you.

5 Tips for a Well-stocked and Organized Pantry

Tip #1: Assess Your Pantry Contents and Space
First pull out everything and group like items together both in terms of type and size, and throw away out of date items and junk food. Measure your space and determine the size of your largest and smallest pantry item then re-arrange shelves to accommodate these sizes.

Tip #2: Create an Essentials List
Think about the foods you use to cook with everyday; the snacks you need to keep on hand and the healthy foods you want to incorporate into your diet.  Make a master list of all the foods you want to store in your pantry at any given time.  Download my pantry essentials list here. Finally, plan for storing all of these items within your space for a well-stocked and organized pantry.

Tip #3: Use Shelf Organizers and Re-usable Containers
To store all of these pantry essentials and make them accessible use gravity fed racks, lazy-susans, and shelf risers. Store small items, packets, or awkwardly shaped foods in baskets. Put essential pantry items like flour, sugar, and grains in air-tight canisters.

Tip #4:  Put a Label on It
Put pretty labels on anything you cannot see in to or on canisters when the contents are not easily identifiable.   Use large labels that include cooking instructions with measurements on them to make cooking healthy foods easier.

Tip #5: Make Space for a Grocery List
Designate a space to make notes about re-stocking. A chalkboard is a great idea if you have the wall space and want to incorporate a little farmhouse style into your apartment. You could also print off your master pantry essentials list. Place it on a clipboard attached to the back of a cupboard door, and then mark needed items.

A well-stocked and organized pantry is key to keeping your healthy eating New Year’s Resolution and to make it less of a hassle. What are your essential items? Let us know below!

Apache is functioning normally

Last Updated on March 29, 2023 by Mark Ferguson

2013 has been an incredible year thanks to aggressive real estate goals and I believe 2014 will be even better! My real estate investing continues to pick up momentum thanks to some major changes in 2014. I changed my attitude, hired a personal coach, bought a new personal residence, took over my parents’ business, bought three long-term rentals, purchased three fix and flips since September and sold four fix and flips since September. I also hired a good friend to help manage my business and help our real estate team continue to grow and expand.

My goal articles for other years

What were my 2013 goals?

I started making big goals in 2013 for the first time in my life. I have no doubt they helped me achieve more than if I did not have goals, or had small goals. I won’t go into all of my goals as they constantly change throughout the year, but I will mention a few. I wanted to sell 200 houses as a real estate agent, I wanted to buy 4 long-term rentals, I made a huge income goal for myself and I wanted to improve fix and flips (not a good goal). I’ll go over how I did on these goals and how I did on other items that were not goals. I did not reach all my goals, but that is okay!

My plan to purchase 100 properties progress

Many of you have read my plan to purchase 100 properties and I am making progress! I was hoping to buy four long-term rentals in 2013, but it doesn’t look like I will get to there. I did buy three long-terms rentals and I think that is an accomplishment even if I didn’t hit my goal. I have plenty of time to buy an extra house in the next 9 years to catch up to my goal (I give details on my rental properties in the rental property section of the blog).

Right now I have 8 long-term rental properties and I am bringing in over $4,000 a month in cash flow each month. For those of you wondering about rental property number 1 being paid off in 2013; it’s not going to happen. Due to the storm and some renter issues I wasn’t able to accumulate enough cash flow to pay off the house. The biggest issue was the massive hail storm that damaged four rental properties. I had to get new roofs on four properties and replace the siding on one home. Insurance covered most of the costs except for deductibles, but the way insurance works I still have not been paid in full. I was paid the insurance money for the cost of repairs minus the deductibles and recoverable depreciation. I don’t get paid the recoverable depreciation until I send in the invoices for the completed work. I have sent those in, but I am still waiting for the insurance company to send the recoverable depreciation which is around $4,000. Right now I owe about $7,000 on the mortgage on rental property number 1. Three renters are behind in rent right now! One had a heart attack, one lost his job and the other said the government shutdown delayed their retirement checks. We are on payment plans with all of them and hopefully they can get caught back up.

2013 was a huge year for me as far as personal improvement

I was never much for self-help books and working on myself before 2013. I figured working hard on my job was what made people successful. What I didn’t realize was it is just as important to work on yourself as it is to work on your job.

I started listening to self-help audio books and reading as many books as I could find. I learned about the law of attraction, being positive and many other techniques to help me succeed. I even started a new blog with some friends at www.victorycoaches.com to talk more about using your attitude to succeed. A few of the people I listen to are Jack Canfield, John Assaraf, T. Harv Ecker, Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins and many more. I have even started researching the history of the law of attraction which dates back to ancient Egypt. It is fascinating to see the history and how far back these ideas originated from. The thing that got me hooked was not the spiritual side of the law of attraction, but the scientific side. I learned our subconscious can help us succeed if we give it a blueprint for what we want.

I took Jack Canfield coaching, which was an amazing experience. My coach was great and a huge help personally and with my business. Personal coaching allowed me to see why I needed to take over my parents’ business. The program claimed it would increase my free time and triple my income in a year. I was skeptical about those claims, but I think I may actually triple my income in 2014! My free time has definitely increased even though I have much more on my plate now than last year.

I started InvestFourMore in March of 2013 and it has been a wonderful experience. I would not have started the blog without my personal improvement discoveries. I have learned new investing techniques, met many new contacts, and much more from my blog. My blog even allowed me to publish a few books on Amazon (PDF versions here), which I had never thought would happen.

I bought a new personal residence in 2013

I bought a new house in July and we love it! I wrote an article about it here that describes the entire process. I wasn’t planning on buying a home, but it worked out perfect and the new house felt like home right away. This was not a goal of mine, in fact many of my goals revolved around our old house, but I was able to adapt to new opportunities. Buying the new house actually took care of about ten goals I had that involved the old house or buying a shop.

I mentioned I made a big income goal in 2013 that seemed very hard to reach in the beginning of the year; well I will reach that goal. The main reason I will reach my income goal is because I sold my old house. I don’t know if I am supposed to count it as income, but I made almost $100,000 on the sale of my previous home. It won’t be taxable since I lived there for three years! That is why I love big goals; you never know what will happen to help you reach them.

I took over my parents’ business in 2013

I had the idea of taking over in the back of my head for years, but never acted on it because I knew it would be a lot of work. My parents have always run the team, paid payroll, taxes and all the other fees associated with our real estate business and flipping business. My role was to sell houses, find flips, help manage repairs and make the majority of the money.

The problem with our previous deal was my parents did not like running the team and they did not do a lot to promote sales by the other Realtors on our team. I made a lot of sales, but had to give a large percentage to my parents and I made a small percentage on the fix and flips compared to what I did.

With the new deal I basically bought out my parents, which gives them long-term security and I get to run the team and keep the profits. It is scary taking over a business as we have high overhead with 8 team members and all the fees associated with the office, licensing, advertising and REO dues. I really don’t like accounting work and paperwork and that is one reason I didn’t take over earlier. I knew taking over the team would entail learning payroll, paperwork and many other unpleasant tasks that would take away from my selling houses.

The reason I made the switch, was I was able to hire my friend who took care of all the stuff I didn’t want to do. He wanted out of the corporate world and has a ton if management experience; perfect solution for both of us! He figured out the entire payroll, has been working in lead generation and helping manage everything. I love it!  My free time has actually increased since taking over the team because I let others do the work I don’t want to do. My friend also bought my house, which allowed us to move quickly into our new house.

Taking over fix and flips

Part of taking over the business involved taking over the fix and flips. The fix and up operation was not small and took a lot of money and work. I had to set up financing, a bankroll and management to take over the fix and flips. Luckily the deal we worked out allowed me to obtain all of these things.

With our deal, I took over 6 properties that we were working on, which helped provide me with a bankroll to pay for down payments and repairs. Once those properties sold, I had money available for new purchases. We have sold four of those six, one is under contract and another is being worked on.

I have been able to purchase three more fix and flip properties since taking over the business and I have been able to do that with help from my portfolio lender. Not only have they been awesome with my rental properties, they gave me a commitment to do short-term financing on my fix and flips. They will give me 75 percent loan to value, can close in less than two weeks and don’t require an appraisal if the loan is under $100,000. They charge 5.25 percent with 1.5 points; hard to beat that deal.

I also have another fix and flip that should be under contract soon and two short sale offers we have accepted by the sellers that we are waiting to see if the banks will approve.

Real estate business goals

I wanted to sell 200 homes in 2013 as an REO agent. This was a huge goal and well above my totals from any other year. I mentioned I like big goals and that is because they challenge me and constantly motivate me. If I were to make a small goal, then I may slow down or stop once I reach that goal. I was going to fall well short of my goal to sell 200 homes, but taking over the business almost got me there. Since I was able to count all the homes sold for myself for other agents on our team after September first; we sold 184 houses in 2013. There are still a few days left and we have a couple of closings scheduled, but not 16 to reach that 200 mark.

I was able to drive a Lamborghini and Ferrari!

I have always loved cars since I can remember, especially exotic cars. I have never driven a Ferrari, Lamborghini or other exotic car before this year (unless my Porsche 928 counts). This summer I found a special on Travelzoo to drive a Lamborghini Gallardo! I wrote about my experience here and it was awesome! I also signed up to race a Ferrari F430 around a race track a few times and I have the video of that here. I was at a conference in Dallas in September and I was able to see a Lamborghini Diablo they had for sale there. I always wanted a Countach, but I barely fit in the Diablo and the Countach is a smaller car. It probably is for the best as the Diablo is a newer and better car than the Countach.

My other 100 goals

I have a plan to purchase 100 rental properties and I also have over 100 other goals. Part of my coaching was to create a list of 100 goals, which I review constantly, update and change. I won’t go into all of those goals, but they range from extremely small to very large. The list helps me keep fresh in my mind what I want and when I want it. Making small goals makes me feel great accomplishing them and big goals motivate me. Many times I forget about the small goals I had a few months ago, and that is why I have a list that reminds me of what I want.

Conclusion and a sneak peak for 2014

If you know me at all, you know I will have a lot of real estate goals for 2014. I will write another article for those goals and plans, and I hope to have it ready for Monday right before the New Year. Some of my goals for 2014 are going to include big jumps in all aspects of my business and possibly a new car.

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Source: investfourmore.com