Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

Thanks for your interest.

Generally, I'm a private person inasmuch as very little of what is my Private/Home life is made available to other people. This was even remarked upon by one of my second grade teachers who told my parents "I know nothing about you because Michael doesn't talk about his home life."

And I could quite happily continue on doing what I am doing now, without mentioning what you are about to see. But I was thinking about what you're about to read and realized some of you - maybe even many - might be able to Benefit in some way. Because there is an important message in this. Several actually.

Back in January 2006 I was the owner/manager of multiple Offline businesses. And I Hired others to do the work while I ran the show, just as I mention in The Art of Leverage.

In July 2007, 18 months later, I no longer own those offline businesses, live in a different city and am Doing things that hadn't crossed mind 18 months earlier. In fact, if two years ago you'd told me, "In two years time you'll be doing X" I would have laughed at you.

So what am I doing now?

First, a little Why about the journey.

Back then (Jan 06) I decided to Ramp Up my real estate investing - interest rates were good and prices had flatlined for a while. And after a chat with my bank's Loan Manager we came up with a way that I could borrow more money for real estate investing Without Needing to show them 2 years worth of tax returns - SOP when lending to business owners in Australia. All I would have to show him was 3 payslips from a job! Even if I quit the job Immediately after getting the loan approval, he said, just 3 payslips would get me the money I wanted to invest with. He didn't care what I did for money After the loan was granted, only before.

So I started to look for a job. I had criteria. It had to pay high enough to Service what I wanted to borrow, and I had to be able to do it Without Needing Additional Education - such as a degree.

The search revealed to me that to get the Type of job I was after All employers asked for a Blue Card - a State Govt card which signifies you have sat through a Workplace Safety Course. Then, Employers wanted employees to have one so if something goes wrong and they Injure themselves the employer is Not Liable because the employee should have known better - as Proven by the Blue Card they have. (Such cards have now become Law in the industrial workplace.)

I didn't know where to get these cards so contacted someone I knew who I was certain had a card and knew where to get one. Turns out they were in another State helping build some Mine Infrastructure. They gave me the number of the person to call at the mine IF I wanted to work there, and also gave me the number to call for the Blue Card. And that was that, so I thought.

While waiting for the Blue Card Course date to come around I began Running The Numbers of working At the mine Building Infrastructure. The numbers Looked good. My wife and I chatted about it and agreed that IF I was accepted we'd move to another state. And so I applied - knowing it was highly unlikely due to the Govt rules and conditions of the permit to build which said the operation had to hire nearby Town Locals first, nearby city locals second, state locals third and out-of-staters last.

Apart from the numbers, I found it appealing because it was a chance to be involved in a Creation Process and the Epitome of the Capitalism system and the achievement of human beings. To you it may be just a building - but - to me it is proof positive of our wonderfulness and our creative abilities as man because no other creature we know of can do what we can do.

And even though it was unlikely I'd get the call, the decision we came to was an important one. Because it meant, Mentally we had Let Go of our Business and Social Interestsin living in that city.

The question now was, what to do with the businesses? Sell them? Shut them down and walk? Give them to the Workers? Hire someone to do what we were doing? Because if the Go Ahead was given we'd only have a Short time to act.

With hiring another person to run the office in our absence, the hiring, to me, would become counter-productive unless I could increase revenue. But increasing revenue was counter productive to staying.

And even though I wasn't DOing anything and was still making money, there are things to deal with. Did I want to add another person into the mix to keep things going while I was in another state and be an absentee business owner for a prolonged length of time? The answer was "no".

After a stint of Business For Sale we got fed up dealing with flakes and shut them down, just like that! I sent out a letter to all customers letting them know we could no longer help them and gave a date and was done with it.

I'd taken this step because the businesses were keeping us tied to the location - physically and mentally. And loss of Goodwill/Built Up Value was worth the Release.

So here I was - By Choice - No Offline Business Income and No Job Income. Some people who knew what I was doing told me They wish they had the Courage to do what I did. But I don't think it takes courage. It takes something else. Can you figure out what?

What were my downsides? I'd eventually eat through the money I'd saved and go on welfare. And in a worse-case scenario there are Charity Food Vouchers, Housing Assistance and so on. All the downsides are covered. But getting to them would be a Lo-o-o-ong way off. Plenty of time to find something.

So while I was contacting different employers and learning what it was like to be a job-seeker, I decided to Upgrade my skills. And since this started, while working and between work over the last 18 months, have acquired the following skills...

=> Dogman - attach the lifting slings to a load and guide the crane where to put the load, using hand and whistle signals and two-way radio.

=> Basic Rigger - erect steel structures.

=> Intermediate Rigger - erect concrete panel structures and latticework cranes and tower cranes.

=> Advanced Rigger - erect anything with wire cables involved (theater lights and backdrops, flying foxes, wire-braced cranes, communications towers, etc.), demolition rigging, suspended and hanging scaffolds.

=> Boomlift - workman's platform/bucket on the end of a telescopic arm.

=> Scissor Lift - workplatform which goes stright up and down.

=> Forklift (electric, diesel and all terrain) - need I say more.

=> Skid Steer Loader (bobcat / drott) - these are the small earth moving machines a lot of landscapers use. A Drott is much bigger, almost like a bulldozer.

=> Front End Loader - the machines with the big bucket on the front used for scooping dirt and other material.

=> Excavator - mainly used to dig holes and trenches. Has a bucket on the end of a long arm.

=> Truck License (open, "crash gear box") - this is currently a work in progress. The instructor told me on Thursday, if I keep this up I'd only need one more lesson.

And since my Journey started I've stripped out and demolished offices and buildings, replaced entire roofs on government buildings in a weekend, worked on high-end residential developments (million dollars plus per condo) and a range of smaller jobs between - built internal fire-escape stair cases, built an 11 meter high fire-retardant drywall 3 sheets thick, installed ceiling grids, dug plumbing trenches, jackhammered bathroom floors in a 40 storey office building, etc. With the latest one being to help build a new bridge in the city - a project which will go to 2011. Here's the project's website http://www.gatewayupgradeproject.com.au and here's a couple of photos I took the other day. Photo 1 is where I was working bolting together the steel formwork frame and Photo 2 is looking back from the edge of the car park which is as big as a football field. The second bridge is being built next to the existing bridge and will be identical to it. (Photos taken around 5.00pm after most everyone else had knocked off for the day.)

The thing with this Chosen Path is, work (and thus income from one source) is NOT guaranteed. Some companies do put on people FullTime. But most people are hired as Casual for the duration of the project or the duration of their work within the project (once the steel formwork is built riggers are no longer needed, once the piles for the pylons have been driven the pile drivers aren't needed, etc.). And it needs to be that way otherwise a company could go bust paying wages to staff who are sitting around idle waiting for the next project. So you could think I have No Security. But I think otherwise.

I am Free - not Married to a job. And can Walk from any project at any time - and have done so. Because in this Field, contacts are Gold. There is Always someone who knows someone who's hiring. And every project you go to you make new contacts. And there are companies who supply people to the Principal Contractor, so you can work on a project through them even if you can't get on the Principal Contractor's books for the project.

If you'd told me 2 years ago that 2 years down the track I will have been In Charge of dual crane lifts (two cranes lifting the same load at the same time), replaced entire roofs, been balanced 40+ feet in the air maintaining a roof truss, demolishing and stripping out buildings and helping build a bridge with a 300 year lifespan, I would not have believed you.

I have shared this because there are Important Lessons (at least 9) in what I've done over the course of the last 18 months and shared here. And while I could Spoon Feed them to you, I think it Better if YOU Think about the above and tell Me what the lessons are.

Michael Ross

Re: Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

Thanks Michael for sharing your story.

Lessons I learnt from it:

1. Take action

2. Think long term

3. Taking the jump

4. Ask

5. Focus

6. Improve your skills - learn new things

Re: Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

Michael,

Thanks for Sharing...

Wow! That's one Exciting Life changing experience... :)

That alone is a Great Lesson! And Many more if you Analyze your story...

Although, there had to be some other options regarding your Offline businesses...

If they were Solid financially and Future resistant...

It's an Investment that may have had some other Possibilities...

I don't remember the offer on Sowpubs... Who knows...

Australia could have been a very Nice Life changing experience... Long term Vacation for some of us... ;)

Phil

Re: Announcement 1: Michael Ross - Burns His Bridges
 

Hi Michael, Isn't it amazing what someone can learn when he or she decides to burn their bridges and commits themselves to a particular course of action! I drove semi truck cross country and dug ditches too when I had to but I love earning more in a day now with my camera than I use to in a week of doing manual labor.

Four years ago if anyone told me I would be living in Australia doing what I'm doing now I would have said...
I've been visualizing exactly that for sometime and it's just not happening.

But wow... what a difference a few years can make.

I'm spoiled rotten now and would have a hard time if I had to take on a real job again. But like Mark Twain said...
the real trick is to make your vocation your vacation!

Hope you're having fun and enjoying your work!

Cheers,
Steve Shulenski
www.MaverickPhotographer.com
PS... Thanks for sending me the updated version of your "Success Factor". Using the information in your report will help me to create an even bigger advantage over other photographers but it is really my wife who I owe my success to. She let's me know what my shortcomings are and pushes me out of my comfort zone and it's her creative ideas that give us a real advantage. But your report makes it clearer for me to understand that. And thanks to your twist on affirmations my "Mind Movies" will take on new power!

Re: Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

Hi Michael,
I'm back after another hiatus, and saw your post. Here are the lessons I saw:

Believe in yourself.
Set a goal, and let nothing get in the way of its achievement.
Recognize that life is about being happy - doing what you want.
Be fearless. Concentrating on what ifs and projecting a future that hasn't happened is constructing a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Marye

Re: Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

Michael,

Sounds to me like you were "spoon fed" a lot of valuable experience. That's experience you'll be able to draw from to help shape your future!

Yours is a great example for anyone to apply to their own lives.

One of my favorite inspirational sayings is:

"You can't discover new lands if you're afraid to lose sight of the shore"

That applies perfectly to your adventures.

Lawrence

Great Stuff! A Marketing Lesson Is There Too!
 

Aloha Michael,

I respect you and your wife for what you did. Few people in this world have that sort of courage.

A great marketing lesson can be drawn from your story...

It is okay to DROP a project or business at any point that it becomes a drag on what you need to do next. So many people hold on to useless projects, dead projects or dying projects -- when the smart thing to do is to DROP it and move on.

Aloha,

Jason

Re: Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

Michael I've followed you for quite some time and congratulations--seems you've got the Fountain Head experiences of Howard Roark goin on...I've bought some of your great tools so I'm glad you posted what's going on in your life. I ditto some of the others in terms of what was revealed in your lessons. So here are some of my observations from your prior post, and then I have a question for you.

Observations:
) Leveraging work
2)real estate investing
3) using other people's money
4) search for opportunities
5) taking action-applying for work
6) committment to action
7) weighing pros and cons
8) Open to learning new skills
9) contracting your work

Now to get back to my question : After getting away from business: the paper projects you were engaged in and internet marketing, developing tools etc., what is your feeling about "business" in general? Do you think after engaging in the type of business and work you are doing now(because it's hand ons) it has changed you in some way and in your perception about business people and or strategies they use. I'm wondering if it has hightened your perception of "fluff" in business and interested in any other observations you have about doing business . Also, is the work you're doing now and they way you are doing as fulfilling or more fulfilling than what you were doing before? So as not to bore you: once, what happened to me is that I had been doing pencil paper type work and then when I actually did some management of a retail store and really got into doing the hard labor in the store: cleaning, reorganizing etc. I had the truest since of fulfillment ever in the business world. In other words the "hands on" gave me a real sense of accomplishment and it prepared me to work harder in my other endeavors.
Anyway I'd love to hear how this experience has changed in any way your perception about doing business.
Thank you,
Sandy

Re: Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

Hi Michael,

Thanks for sharing:

A couple of thoughts.

1. You did not see yourself doing what you are currently doing 18 months prior. Reminds me of a quote "You create your universe as you go along"

2. I like your idea of leverage to get the funds that you need. 3 paychecks, just over a month or two and you could have your large cash sum. Those that may have been opposed to Debt would have tried to save the cash. Which would have taken forever if they used their job as the vehicle to get the cash.

3. You are in the POWER position in your world. Where you can Choose to Create whatever lifestyle you want to. Power in life is having more than ONE option

4. You Increase your skills, to Increase your value to an employer to get the job that you wanted, at the income YOU wanted, to get the Loan that YOU wanted. Shows Clarity of your End Result, and you invented the means to get there ...ON YOUR TERMS

5. Your EGO did not get in the way of you getting a J.O.B. Seems to be an ANTI JOB sentiment amongst business owners and entrepreneurs. Specifically when they use terms like "wage slaves" etc. etc.

6. You used your marketing skills to analyze the Market ie. the Job Market to get the Job you needed. You took ACTION as well.

7. Jobs and Business are just means to get to some end, but most see the vehicle as the end in itself.

Lots of insights can be garnered from your post, especially those that have been here for a while and have read your other posts.

Thank You for sharing.

Infact I was actually SURPRISED that you were getting a loan. Surprised becasue there was a discussion a while back about a "FOREIGNERS SECRET TO WEALTH" and the discussion of debt.

That thread alone was easliy worth $20,000 to me back in 2004 I believe... But THAT is a story for another time :->

Thanks Michael

Duane Adolph

Thoughts on business
 

Sandy,

Thanks for asking.

Before this Began, my wife had remarked how much like Howard Roark I am :)

Anyway. To your three questions....

1: Do you think after engaging in the type of business and work you are doing now(because it's hand ons) it has changed you in some way and in your perception about business people and or strategies they use.

No and Yes...

No, because my business endeavors had, in the early years, always been Hands On. Mainly because I didn't know any other way. So being Hands On isn't anything new to me. And I can see how You could get a new perspective as you move from pencil pushing to hands on, as you now feel like you are playing a Direct - and vital - Role in the running of the business.

Yes, because I became even More Aware of the Tremendous Variety of money making efforts out there and I get to meet many people with interesting stories to tell.

Guys with degrees who can't get jobs with those degrees so start their own business and now rake it in - clearing $3k a week.

Guys who decide that 20 years in one trade is enough and become an Apprentice at a second trade - like 39 year old 1st year apprentice plumbers.

And others. And even just walking through the city you can stop, pause, look at someone on the street and know, they have a story to tell, they have a life they are living with friends and family. And at that moment, you know nothing about them, and likely never will, nor meet them ever again. They could be on their way to work, might be a spy or drug courier, or even walking to get a bite to eat. They have dreams and aspirations and concerns. They may be a nice person, or not. But you'll never know. I am more aware of this.

There are businesses out there turning over Millions of dollars a year and the overwhelming vast majority of people have never heard of them and aren't aware they exist.

That guy with a crappy desk in his garage and a couple of small trucks that look like they are about to fall apart, who just takes rubbish away. He can make $5k a week just taking aluminum to the recyclers. On top of whatever he charged the client to get rid of it.

The fitout company we did a strip out for a $1.2mil refurbishment. The client, a well known business man. He bought two condos and wanted them redone and joined - so strip it out and knock out the adjoining wall. Everyone in town knows the businessman, but not the businesses getting his money. (BTW, the fitout company is leveraged all over. Even the foreman of the project puts in a Invoice to be paid - he subcontracts to the fitout company.)

The small crane company with cranes so small they can fit through a doorway. Clears about $400k a year.

The guy with a pickup who just does scrap metal. Might pay $300 for the metal. Loads it onto his pickup and takes it straight to the scrap metal yard for a cool $1,800 - clearing $1,500, not bad for a couple hours work in the morning. Another guy with a Deal with electricians - he picks up the bags of wire when they strip it out of an office and pays them. Takes the wire to the scrap yard where he gets Double what he paid the electrician an hour earlier - the bags of discarded wire are worth about $300 - $400 dollars.

The fellow who gets-for-free, unwanted office partition glass and turns it into fishtanks. I am more aware of the multitude of businesses out there.

2: Is the work you're doing now and they way you are doing as fulfilling or more fulfilling than what you were doing before?

More fulfilling, to me. And I think there are more than one reason why this is so.

Let me give two examples that I know, from experience, I think about differently.

The first is about Jackhammering in a 40 storey building. The Management wanted to make the Bathroom & Kitchenette Floors more Classy. Remove the small 2" square tiles, plus the Bedding they were laid on, plus three rows high going up the wall. (Side note, I used to have the contract to clean ALL the windows on this building many years earlier.)

It sounds a relatively easy task - just jackhammer it. But there's a little more to it...

Because it's an office building it Has to be done at night and the weekend. So we'd start at 6pm on Fri night and go to 10pm. Then back at 6am on Sat morning and stay until we were done - done hammering and getting all the rubble out (about 6,000kg of rubble - roughly 13,000 pounds).

After an hour or so on the 65 pound hammers (that's the weight of the hammer) the other fellows are starting to complain. My thinking is, do not complain about something you don't have to subject yourself to. And I'd turn to them and say, "I like jackhammering" and it was true. I DO like jackhammering. It's fun - physical, loud, dirty, grimy but Fun.

Next example. On one project the Internal Hoist Driver was having Heated Words with the head of the tilers. To avoid it going physical they took him out of the hoist and asked me to drive it. So here I am, driving the internal hoist (basically an elevator) ALL day - and Loving it. (Did this for about a month.)

No-one could understand why I liked it so much. I joked with them that I got to meet people and travel HA!

But here's the thing... it was all in how you thought about it. MY thinking was this... I am here to Help these guys get to their work areas as quickly as possible without any hassles and to make it a good trip along the way.

And so I would talk to Everyone. Thank them for riding the Project Lift when they got out and ask them to "Please use us again". I was the only English speaker on the site who would talk to the Chinese Drywallers and Korean Tilers - who taught me a LOT of words to the point other people thought I could speak those languages.

Other hoist drivers (there were three hoists on the site) would talk to no-one and would be in the Box all grumpy. To hell with that. My lift was a Fun place to be in for the minute or so the journey took. *I* made it fun.

It is all in how I looked at it. Where others complain, I enjoy. I enjoy because of my larger outlook on it.

One guy asked me why I was always so Happy on the site. I said "Look at it" sweeping my arm to encompass the project and beyond. "Isn't this wonderful. We are part of this creation. This isn't just a complex of condos. It's the wonderfulness of humans over their environment. The crux of achievement. The entire city is Proof of it. I am happy because I am a part of that creation."

It doesn't make things any clearer. People just look at you like you're a loon. Because they don't Get It.

So "Yes" I am more fulfilled and this - being a part of man's wonderfulness in tangible form - is why.

3: What is your feeling about "business" in general?

Most people should Not be in business and would be better off in a Job, as seen when you run the numbers of their business.

One woman I know turns over well in excess of $100k a year. BUT, after expenses her Taxable income is $25k. And this is a business with a physical location which requires the business to be open 7 days. She is working 7 days for the same money as she'd get in a 40 hour a week job. But she has Longer hours and more business headaches than she'd have in a job. She would be better off in a job - as long as, she enjoyed it.

I know laborers - with no skills (no Tickets or paper that prove they have a skill) - making $80k a year. I know of a job vacancy paying $28 an hour, plus time and a half for overtime (2 hours a day of overtime) plus $35 a day for travel. That's $1,120 for 40 hours + $420 for OT plus $210 for six days travel for a total of $1,750 per week ($91k per year) for a Laborer!!! Most small businesses cannot give the owner that kind of money.

Most businesses Trap the owner - to the location, the customers, etc. The business owner doesn't realize the extent of the trap until they try to break free. Then, that weightless noose/shackle tightens and pulls them right back.

If business Goes Bad they cannot just go start another business. If your job goes bad you can always just go get another job - as long as you are not a job snob.

Most business owners - and this also applies to people in general - cannot manage money. They have no idea of their income or their expenses and leave it to their accountant. This is Wrong.

If you know nothing about your business - because you hire skilled people to do the DOing - at least know your numbers and Control the money.

One business owner I know was in such bad shape, his wife spoke with her sister to ask her husband to come Save the business. So the brother-in-law jumped in. He was only a chippie, but knew numbers. And he took over pricing the work and organizing the staff for half the business. That half of the business took off while the owner's half continued to struggle because he would not listen to his brother-in-law or do likewise.

For instance, the owner would rather have a couple of workers do something the hard way and take an extra half hour to do the job (one man hour) instead of spending $3 on a consumable which would save half an hour of time. He'd saved $3 but it'd Cost him Much more (penny wise, pound foolish).

Most business owners think they know everything. The more successful ones know they don't and won't ever and get other people to do the things they cannot do, or don't want to do, or cannot do as well. They are few and far between.

Most people would be better off sticking with their job and just doing something on the side. It doesn't need to be a big something. A small - fly low and collect the dough - something. Some hotsheets, something they make at home while watching TV, etc. That, combined with better money management, will serve them tremendously.

The biggest change would be to... enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy, regardless whether it's a job or business.

Michael Ross

The dull and unexciting way to invest in property...
 

Duane,

Thanks for your sharing your discoveries.


I don't think it's counter to that discussion. That discussion is still as valid as it ever was. As is the discussion about Socializing being Bad for your Wealth. You are far more likely to Get Ahead if you are Debt Free and don't spend your money on Living It Up and Being Seen or General Unproductive Socializing.

My Debt is an Investment Debt. A Debt that makes me more money (rent and value increase) than it costs me (interest and maintenance). A Going Forward debt. As opposed to a Going Backwards debt as would be the case with loans for a Big Screen TV, Flashy Car, HiFi, Furniture and so on. And as would be the case with putting things onto the Plastic.

But even with an Investment Debt you MUST Know Your Numbers.

Too many people get the Real Estate Bug and invest like this...

1. Buy where property has Just gone up to top dollar.
2. Borrow the Maximum they are allowed to borrow.
3. Use All their deposit in doing so.

As such, they are a few years away from any Value Growth and the rent gets them nowhere near close to even just interest payments. And any slight interest rate increase sees them in Massive Financial Trouble. (They'll struggle for a few years then kiss off the property and RE as a bad joke, not realizing it was just their approach that was wrong.)

E.g. Guy buys a place for $350k at 7% interest with 10% deposit. Borrows $315k. Interest alone is $22,050. Rents it for $240 per week or $12,480 for the year - a shortfall of $9,570 per year ($184 per week).

If interest goes to 8% it will cost him an Additional $60 per week $3,150 a year. A total weekly outgoing of $244 which Must come out of his pocket. Anything that needs fixing is gonna really put the squeeze on him if the extra $60 hasn't already.

His basic return on Sales price is rent/price x 100... $12,480/$350,000 x 100 = 3.56% and he's hurting bad.

My Approach is different...

1: Buy in a Future Growth Area (rents will be higher compared to prices)
2: Do not borrow to your maximum capabilities - borrow less than you can afford.
3: Do not use All your deposit - keep some in reserve in case of little emergencies and have that Reserve fund invested, even in a term deposit, so you are making some money on it too.

With the same $35k deposit at the ready and the same borrowing power, a Future Growth area might have a place for $180,000 which rents for $180 per week ($9,360 per year) a return of 5.2% (Any weekly rent which matches the asking prices in thousands - 180 thou, 180 week - gives 5.2%. Weekly rent Above the asking price in thousands gives greater than 5.2%, less gives less than 5.2%. It's handy to know this.)

With a 10% deposit the borrowing is $162,000. At 7% interest the interest is $11,340. Rent brings $9,360 for a shortfall of only $38 per week. An amount my $17,000 in left over deposit can easily handle for 447 weeks (8+ years).

If I'd used $25k deposit I borrow $155k and have interest of $10,850 a shortfall of $1,490 ($28 per week). My left over $10k can pay that for 357 weeks (6+ years). (If I used all my deposit my shortfall is only $15 per week.)

If, with the first number, I put my $17k in a term deposit at 4%, I'll get $680 a year. I can use that to offset my shortfall by $13 a week. Meaning I just need to find $25 a week.

The thing is, I was probably Saving more than $38 a week anyway to acquire my $35k deposit. So even without my Reserve and any interest I get from it I am capable of holding onto the property no matter what. And can acquire two such properties.

(BTW, on this property, interest would have to go to 19% before I faced the same $184 a week shortfall as the first property. If I could afford it before, I'd still be able to afford it now. With 19% interest on the first property I'd be short by $47,370 a year and would most likely have declared bankruptcy by then as there would be few people around capable of affording to buy my problem from me.)

Also, I have a better chance of the rent increasing and covering any shortfall in the next couple of years when I buy this way. (The above does not include any Tax Refund I get from Interest paid or Depreciation of internal items. They are nice but I need to financially survive until that refund comes in.)

I haven't done anything Creative in the examples. All I did was Buy Smarter.

And the foreigner who is unable to get into debt, will likely think this way too if/when they are able to borrow to invest (or acquire their own home). If for no other reason than that's how they've been forced to live up until that moment - making sure they always had money left over.

By going out to the max borrowing power and using all their deposit, they are skating on thin ice and just one interest rate rise away from disaster. (Most people do it this way. No wonder it doesn't work.)

Borrowing less than they can afford and buying cheaper places with higher rent ratios and not using all their deposit, enables them to weather any financial hiccups. (This keeps you financially stable all the time.)

Michael Ross

Re: Thoughts on business
 

What a great reply you made to Sandy's post Michael. You don't preach "the secret" to others. You just seem to live it! Despite all my preaching about using the secret to remain focused on the good I still fall far short of remaining happy. My second name is Grumpy... especially before my daily dose of caffeine kicks in.

It's a rare individual who can remain cheerful for 30 days straight. I'm lucky to go for 3 hours before I find myself complaining about some small matter instead of just letting go and enjoying the ride.

And you are so right about most people being better off with a job than their own business. If money alone was the measurement of success most people would be better off with a full time job and a part time business as you suggest.

However, running your own business can force you to think, act, grow and become more of what you can be.

If it wasn't for experiencing first hand - the "FOREIGNERS SECRET TO WEALTH" that Duane mentions in this thread for myself, I'd really be miserable. I took part in that thread and was not one of the people to figure out what was the one "Advantage" that most foreigners arrive with in their new land. You even gave the answer but being told the answer I still didn't Know the answer until I lived it. So I had to learn the hard way and move to another country and experience gaining the foreigners "Advantage" myself. I'm not nearly as grateful as I should be..

Even today I think that I would be better off working a real job by day and doing one or two photo sessions per evening. But I'm so spoiled and lazy now I just want to sit in front of the computer and dream of riches without actually doing much of anything.

Without the advantage of your "Success Factor" I'd be up the creek without a paddle. Left to my own motivation I'd surely sink than swim. On my own I would take it easy and only do one or two shoots a week and goof off at the beach the rest of the time.

I thank God that my wife cares enough to give me the swift motivational kick in the rear I need to get going and stay on track. Without her and the certain advantages we now enjoy by joining forces and masterminding our talents together I'd probably be on welfare or driving truck cross country and not having the luxury of staying in one place so I could work part time hours at something that can produce full time income.

I couldn't do what I do now without her unless I hired several people to help me. But without her I wouldn't even have the motivation to do that.

I'd just be content being a so called wage slave and would just continue to dream while doing little. But my wife deserves more and I'm determined to increase my awareness and my income because (you know what).

I'll still continue to preach "The Secret" but without my wife and "The Success Factor" along with a little action - I wouldn't have much of a life.

Cheers,
Steve Shulenski
www.AntiquePhotographyBusiness.com

PS... What are the 9 lessons as you see them and what is your 2nd announcement of a commercial nature? Curiosity has captured my attention.

Re: Excellent Post Michael! Thanks. (DNO)
 

DNO = Do Not Open

More like Bright and Exciting....
 

Michael,

THANKS for sharing the DETAILS of your mindset with the an example.

I particularly got a lot from the Contrast that you see in your method vs what you see other real estate investors doing.

It also cleared up that question in regard to the "Foreigners Secret to Wealth" I had alluded to in my previous post. Thank you.

I actually found your method "Bright and Exciting," because it demonstrates what can be done in real estate or any investing while minimizing your financial risk.

Lessons Learned

1. Be Conscious of your numbers (KEEP SCORE)
2. Buy smarter
3. Use debt wisely ie. borrow less than you need

Thanks Michael I will add this one to my BRILLIANT POSTS file folder :->

One more blast from the past Real Estate Question Michael
 

Hi Michael,

Since we are on the topic of real estate. A long time ago there was a lady that had posted on Sowpub stating that she needed to raise $10,000 for a house. ( the amount may be off).

You had asked her a very important question which was "What specifically do you want? The $10,000 cash or to GET the house?"

She said "The HOUSE"

I looked for this post a while ago but was unable to locate it.

In that thread you had mentioned this website www.nobankredtape.com as a means for her to acquire the property based on her situation.

I think your words were "Talk To Manny" or something like that.

I have this site bookmarked in my files.

I was wondering if you had any comments on their program good or bad. From the Sales letter it appears to be a decent program to acquire property around the world without going to a bank even if you have bad credit.

Do you or anybody you know have any experience with "Manny"?

I've read the sales letter but would love to hear any personal experiences
as I will be branching into this area (Real Estate) in the near future.

Thanks in advance Michael

Duane Adolph

How Manny's Program works...
 

Duane,

Thanks for asking about Manny.

Basically what Manny offers in his Program is a Contract For Deed (CFD). Manny can help with Negotiations (A big plus as far as I see it) and Drawing Up the Contract.

The idea he proposes is this...

Get the house on a CFD, with an agreed upon sales price Above the current asking price. Don't be concerned about this as the payments you make come off of this price and Add to the price at the same time. (It's all done with Math and Interest rate. I'll show you this further down the page.)

After a couple or five years - whatever the deal was for - you Then approach a bank to Refinance and Cash Out the seller. The bank is less likely to make you jump through hoops because...

1. You have proven your ability to afford the property thanks to your payments.

2. The amount you paid over the course of the contract is deemed as Deposit already paid.

3. The amount being financed is Less than the property is now worth.

Now. Before you say "No one will go for this" you need to now some more...

The properties being targeted for acquisition are Vacant. They are NOT the Primary Residence (PR) of the owner. And this is important because...

If the property is the PR the owner wants to be Cashed Out so they can either downsize and have cash left, or upgrade and so they need the cash.

A dwelling that is Not a PR is not needed to be cashed out right away. The owner had Probably been renting it or something. So they are More Likely to go for it.

Manny gives you some ads to use to have people with vacant homes Call You. And those ads do work!

I ran a few ads and had maybe a dozen callers offering me their place. And even though the ad specifically said Vacant I had people call who said they could Move Out to elsewhere.

My problem was... the people who called all wanted ridiculous amounts for their places. Like one guy who had a duplex pair and wanted over $400k Each! I could buy an entire home elsewhere for less than that.

And I was faced with this because the city I was living in at the time was going nuts. A real estate client I had at the time remarked to me that in all the years they had been selling real estate in the city (over 25) Nothing was like this. Homes would sell within days, literally. Another real estate client said about townhouses, a year or so ago we couldn't give them away at $145k, now we can't hold any at $285k.

In other words, no-one was hurting to sell. Any listing was virtually guaranteed a sale within 30 days. Longer than that and the ASKing price was total fantasy land. And that's who was calling me. I was advertising at the height of a boom so my timing was off - though I was still getting calls. I was getting calls from people who had a vacant home and who were willing to sell it to me on Terms. (Remember the three rules - buy at future growth area, borrow less than you can afford, keep money in reserve. Buying these places would have broken those rules.)

One thing to be aware of with a CFD... some jurisdictions consider them a Sale at the time the Contract is signed. So whatever Taxes the jurisdiction associates with a Normal sale are applicable on the signing. So don't go into something like this thinking you don't need Any money - you'd be committing the Leaving Yourself Short mistake. Think of it in all ways Like Borrowing From A Bank, as far as your numbers go. This point is so important I'll repeat it...

When buying with a Contract For Deed, think of it in all ways like borrowing from a bank, as far as your numbers go.

Let me give you an example...

If a bank says... you need 10% deposit PLUS an additional $5k for closing costs, then you know, if you want to buy a $200k place you'll need $20k deposit and $5k closing for a total of $25k. You'll be borrowing $180k which, at 7% interest gives you Interest of $12,600 ($242 per week).

If all you have is $25k and the $180k is the maximum you can borrow, acquiring this place could ruin you. You have no reserve money and a slight interest rate rise does you in.

The same rules should be applied to any places you acquire via CFD. The Payments MUST be affordable and you MUST have money left over after the signing. You may or may not - depending on what you negotiate - pay a deposit. And depending on your jurisdiction you may or may not need to pay closing taxes, levies and fees.

Here's how it Could work with Manny...

ASKing $200k. You agree to pay $218,500 and it breaks down like so...

Home Price $190k
Interest at 5% is $9,500
Contract Term is 3 years (total interest is 3 x $9,500 = $28,500

Total thus is $190k + $28,500 = $218,500.

If the property increases in value at 5% per year, after 3 years is it worth $231,500k. All you are borrowing is either $190k (if you were paying interest only) or a little less (if you were paying principal too). Either way, it's worth $41,500 more than the $190k you'll be borrowing. That's almost 18% equity to be considered a deposit - just about double the deposit the bank would have required from you to buy now.

This is how you pay more for the place - the owner Gets more than they asked for, they just have to wait a while to get it all. Tricky, eh?

Anyway. Manny's Program is good for people who banks want to make jump through hoops - such as business owners and those who may not have a full 10% deposit. But just because you can acquire a place without that hoopla does not mean you should forget your numbers. They are even more important because of the tendency to forget about them.

Paper (contracts) are Powerful things. They can help you - or - can make your life a misery if you mishandle them.

Currently in Australia, interest rates are around 7%. And those who broke the three rules and bought at the top of the market with little growth potential, borrowed the maximum they could afford and used all their money to do so, are now scared the rates will jump a quarter of one percent. In other words, a rate of 7.25% will do them in.

Heck, years ago I was paying 14% for a property investment loan! - and that was the cheapest money I could find at the time!! So it boggles my mind when I hear these people biatch about 7.25%, they just don't know how good they really have it. Of course, if they'd borrowed less than they could afford, kept money in reserve and bought places with as close to 5.2% return as possible (or greater) they wouldn't have the concern they now have.

Here's how that tiny rate rise does them in...

They borrow $400k for a place - this is the average in a lot of suburbs in this city now. At 7% their interest is $28,000 ($538 per week)! They rent the place out at $300 a week (about standard for such a place). The rent gives them $15,600 a year. Leaving them with a shortfall of $12,400 ($238 per week).

An extra quarter percent rate rise means an additional $1,000 a year about $20 a week ($80+ per month). As they were borderline already an extra $80 a month sinks them. Maybe they could handle half of that but not the full lot. This then forces them to live a bit on Credit Cards and pay the interest on the card (going further in the hole). At least until rates either come down - or - the lease expires and they can raise the rent.

BUT, if they raise the rent the tenant might leave to go elsewhere and the place is vacant - something they Really cannot afford.

If they had just bought a place 10% cheaper for $360k the interest would only be $25,200 and their shortfall would only be $9,600 ($184 per week). Leaving them with room to breathe before it got up to the $238 per week they could afford. And a rate rise of one quarter of one percent would only be $75 a month, $17 a week and would just take them to $200 a week shortfall and still give them a $38 a week buffer zone. Not to mention the extra money they would have in reserve thanks to using less deposit.

Anyway. That's the gist of Manny's program and why it's still good to go with your numbers even if having him help you. Hope this helps.

Michael Ross

Stuff "The Secret"
 

Steve,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Here's some more to Think about...


I don't preach The Secret because it's Mystical Something For Nothing thinking - no different than a farmer asking the rain and crop god to give him good crops.

NOT ONCE did I write down a goal of doing this. I did not write "I have a Blue Card", "I can operate an excavator" or anything else. I wrote down absolutely nothing. I had No Written Goal. They are Not Needed. The Success Report covers the why's and wherfore's of this.

I did Not Affirm anything. Not Once did I say - mentally or audibly - that I had, or would have, any thing in particular or in general. Again, The Success Report covers the why's of this too.

I did Not Visualize anything. Not Once did I imagine holding a Blue Card (didn't even know what one looked like) or operating a piece of machinery or anything related to that. Once again, The Success Report covers this.

I did absolutely None of what The Secret espouses (hence I didn't Live it). The Secret is plain old mumbo jumbo something for nothing hogwash. I am Proof it is a load of feldercarb.


That was just my time In The Box. The entire time I was on the site I was Chipper. People stopped asking me how I was because they knew the answer was either going to be, Excellent!, Tops! or Fantastic! I'll let everyone else be "not bad", "could be worse" or "alright I s'pose".

Then again, I don't drink softdrink of any kind nor black tea or coffee. So my Mood isn't altered by what I consume. You might want to try it - go off the sugar and caffeine, deal with the headaches for a day or so, and then see how you feel mentally.


Yep. Sounds just like The Secret thinking to me. HA! :) And sounds like you've bought into it.


WHY? It's obviously Not working. So why continue to Preach it?

Think about it, seriously.

If The Secret was all it's cracked up to be, don't you think it would have worked for you by now? That is hasn't should be your own Proof it's garbage.

As far as I can tell, those who make money selling The Secret, or their own derivative of it, either made their money selling The Secret - or - made their money in other ways BUT attribute it to The Secret for their own agendas. And those who aren't rich by The Secret but who still encourage others to Follow The Secret also have something to gain by doing so - maybe an affiliate commission somewhere along the line, or they are hoping others will also buy into the Fantasy they did so they won't feel so bad about it.

I had this discussion with Nan Felding ages ago. She kept Pushing the idea of Prosperity Thinking even though she admitted she wasn't prosperous.

Humans are the highest level creatures on this planet. We are able to achieve Incredible things. And even though most people will be born, live and die and add nothing to human existence other than more humans, doesn't mean they couldn't have. They just didn't, for whatever reason.

But not one single human achievement was attained by mystical magical "Secret" thinking. It was achieve wholly and solely by a Rational Mind thinking Rational Thoughts to overcome legitimate obstacles. It was not achieve by Group Prayer or looking at photos dreamily. The moment you decide to throw out reason for mysticism is the moment you discard all that makes humans great. And you become no better than a savage who operates on instinct.

Landing on the moon was not achieved by Magik Think. It was achieved Rationally as a result of Rational Minds. Atomic Energy did not come about due to New Age Fantasy and Crystal Worship. It was achieved Rationally as a result of Rational Minds.

We laugh at the medieval peasants and their superstitions and fearfulness of witches and goblins and multiple gods. But in turn, most believe the same malarkey they did, but just call it The Secret instead.

There is only one way to achieve anything. To Rationally Think about it and to Take Action. Obviously, The Success Report can help with the Action part. But if you forgo rational thought then, at the moment, I see no way to help.

Michael Ross

P.S. I'll shortly reveal the lessons. Remember, I said there were At Least 9. There are More, but figured 9 of them would be identified.

Here's "The Real Secret" Steve
 

Steve,

Michael is correct. Before I ever bought his original Success Report, I was making money exactly how he states in his report. I just didn't put it together the way he writes it out.

After reading it I agree 200% with his insight. It's not a new way or new method. It's an insight that has no glamour or mystery attached to it, but it gets the job done better than any consultant/guru/marketer/counselor can reveal to you.

It does take your attention off obtaining but in return you obtain because of the results of taking the correct action. It's a paradox, but boy does it work.

I will say, that once you read his report, a light will come on in your head. Just remember, like any light, it can go out if you don't take the correct action. But don't think your correct action is the same as Michael's, Gordon's, Dien's or anyone for that matter.

Upon re-reading The Success Report, I'm releasing Pivotal Profits In Plain Sight, in 2 days. This is a direct result of me applying my correct action.

Michael knows what I'm talking about and you will to when you grab a copy of his report. You won't be sitting in front of your computer dreaming for very long after you read his 61 page report.

Woody Quiñones
The Promotional Guy
PS. Pivotal Profits In Plain Sight is not what you think it is.

Re: Stuff "The Secret" - Piss off!
 

Hi Michael, Boy am I pissed... not!

Thanks for your suggestion on cutting out the coffee and sugar. Good advice!

I read your Success Factor about the same time I started to study the secret by downloading the free screensaver and book at www.ScienceofGettingRich.net

The secret movie was based on that book and on the Master Key System.

I met my wife thanks to studying the secret. That led me to OZ. And now I earn more doing a one hour photo shoot than I did driving a truck for 40 hours a week. So at least for me... Einstein was right in that... "Imagination is more important than knowledge". You see... I had the knowledge of how to build a successful photography business in me for years. But I was unable to manifest it until I was able to picture myself doing it in my minds eye.

You don't seem to understand what the secret is. Your view and mine are two different things. Does that mean one of us is right while the other is wrong?

It's takes more than magical thinking to activate the secret. Action is required. There is an excellent Free Audio ebook on it here that talks about that. So maybe we are not talking about the same thing?

Everything you are now working to create first started as a thought in someones mind and when put into action... thoughts do manifest into reality. Do they not? Or are thoughts not things?

You may not have written your dreams and goals out on paper but like the science of getting rich book says... you don't have to if you visualize what you want to attract in your minds eye and ACT IN A CERTAIN WAY.

Sure I would like to just earn a fortune by sitting in front of my computer. That's a dream held by many. But just staring at the screen and wishing won't do it. So using the "O" factor as described in your Success Factor certainly works better than dreaming alone.

Now imagine that you had a mental illness but you are seldom aware of it. And your mind was possessed by a parasite called your ego. It has you convinced that you are it and it is right about everything and anyone who disagrees with you is wrong and they should go stuff their own beliefs.

Do you know anyone like that?

But what if that person became more present and in tune with things and realized that his or her ego was just a mental idol that keeps them from being who they really are. Don't you think that practicing a little magical thinking can help that person to become more aware and happier? By magical thinking I mean simply paying attention to the thoughts in their head and choosing which thoughts to focus on and which ones to let go of. Wouldn't that kind of magical thinking be a good thing? Or would they be better off to close their mind off to possibility thinking and stuff it all because thats what the little parasite... that mental idol they identify with and worship tells them to do?

quote:We laugh at the medieval peasants and their superstitions and fearfulness of witches and goblins and multiple gods. But in turn, most believe the same malarkey they did, but just call it The Secret instead.

I disagree... The reason why 3 million women got burned as witches was because they listened to the parasite instead of using the secret to become more aware of their own stinking thinking. So they forked over their thought process to others and blindly followed and did as they were told by their leaders who also were possessed by their ego.

Your parasite never seems to get the best of you but I have difficulty going more than 3 hours without bumping into mine. Yours never seems to control your thoughts, actions or moods. That's why I thought that you may have been a real master that just lived the secret and you never had to magically take control of your own thinking. But maybe your stuff don't stink.

"Am I" right or "AM I" Wrong?

You tell me and I'll listen to the master!

But whatever you think... I'll still try to always appreciate your viewpoint.. even when you are obviously wrong. Pissing contests are full of it... aren't they?

Cheers,
Steve Shulenski
www.MaverickPhotographer.com

Re: Here's "The Real Secret" Woody.. read my response to Michael. DNO
 

I told you DNO... Do Not Open
So why are you looking here? Ha!

Where does Manny make his money?
 

Hi Michael,

Thanks again. Your help is greatly appreciated.

I can see the benefit to the seller.
I can see the benefit to the potential buyer.

2 Questions:

#1 I may have missed something, but where does Manny make his money? ( a fee for negotiating the contract perhaps?)

#2 I'm curious if you have any specific criteria or benchmarks you look for in regard to your rule #1 i.e "Buy in a Future Growth Area (rents will be higher compared to prices)"

Seems to be the most Important key element in your system.

I will obviously have to do my own due diligence with the Real Estate Investing bus.
But other than the obvious things like a new development, or new shopping malls contructions etc. etc.

How else can you determine Future Growth Areas? or

Future Growth Areas in Older neighbourhoods?

Quick Brainstorm of ways to determine Future Growth Areas:

- You could go to the government to see their planning zones for future construction

- Drive around town and notice New construction/development sites

- A real Estate Agent "says" that it is booming

- Look in real estate magazines specifically for Phase One time products

- Follow the government money for urban renewal ie. Trump is building a hotel in downtown Toronto here. The city has been tearing up and revamping the downtown core.

Anybody else have any ideas as to where one could look or how to determine the Future Growth Potential of an area?

Thanks Again

Duane Adolph

Re: Thoughts on business
 

And what the hell would be wrong with THAT?!?!

It sounds like "The Secret" is holding you back from doing what you really want to do.

Jim

Re: Where does Manny make his money?
 

Hi Duane,

A few thoughts for you...

Buy Affordable real estate in small towns, especially Waterfront. :)

There's more Available than most think even Today...

Smart Boomers... way back Knew that small town real estate and... http://www.acreages.com/

Would turn a few dollars into Millions as the Growth of populations & cities long term would have only one place to Go.... into Major expansion of Cities...

If you're looking for ideas as to where one could look or how to determine the Future Growth Potential of an area Talk to Seniors who Are/Were involved in businesses and real estate...

I get Great Free investment information from a Barber who's in his 80's who Shares his life knowledge of what he would buy Today... Doesn't need that much money anymore...

And Actually neither do most people if they would only add a little bit of Real Estate and Diversification into their Portfolios... 2, 3, 4... Properties can Do just fine...

Depressed real estate in most Locations will always Do well long term before most retire...

Here's an interesting real estate web concept...

Steve Gillman shares excellent affordable information and a Simple business web model worth Studying...

http://www.housesunderfiftythousand.com/
http://www.webhikerllc.com/

If you have a little extra money consider some BC real estate...

Mild winters, retirement heaven... Always a Great long term investment... No matter where your home base is... ;)

Phil

Re: Thoughts on business
 

And what the hell would be wrong with THAT?!?!

Nothing if that's what you want. But I want to be
the kind of beach bum that Frank Kern is.

An underachieving in dreams only!

Cheers,
Steve Shulenski
www.MaverickPhotographer.com

Re: Where does Manny make his money?
 

Duane,

Here's another one to throw into the swing of things. :)
http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3768

Phil

What ever works for YOU
 

Jim, if that's what you Want to do and get Satisfaction doing that, then nothing's the hell wrong with it. BUT, if doing this is Not Satisfying and you want to do something else but lack the Drive to, then there's plenty wrong with it.

An associate "made it" Online. Was able to generate all his income online, 24/7, without handling any physical product. He had achieved what most so-called Internet Marketers fantasize about. Problem was, he was Miserable.

After 6 months he decided to go back to work. And he went back to his happy self. Happy and satisfied and fulfilled working offline - as opposed to miserable and unfulfilled making money for nothing online.

If working one or two days a week and then goofing off works for you and you are happy doing that, then do it. But know that not everyone is satisfied with that and they need to be fulfilled in other ways and must do what's right for them. And if that's working a job, then so be it.

Michael Ross

Here's what I look for...
 

Duane,

Thanks for asking.


Manny makes his money when you Buy In to his program - and - when you have him create a Contract for you. He can create a CFD without you Buying In, but it costs you more money that way.

Don't quote me on this, but I think his prices are something like $250 for a contract when you Buy In and $500 if you don't. Either way, still cheaper than a normal lawyers creating one for you.


I've lived in 3 different cities in two different states and the single thing that comes Before ALL Growth is...

Infrastructure!

And the thing with Infrastructure is, the full effects can take years to happen.

A new two or three lane motorway into an area can create ten to fifteen years of growth.

The city I live in now, I have identified Two areas with Good Future Growth prospects. Both are... slightly out of the city (not too far to travel to work daily) and both are benefiting from Infrastructure Improvement and Planned Infrastructure Improvement.

Without infrastructure - and I am referring to roads and rails and transport stuff - it's hard for people to move to those areas. Give them quicker transport and the place will take off.

Just today I was speaking to an old friend I haven't seen in 18 years. He was telling me all about the suburb we used to live in back then. There are two new motorways into the area and a new train line. And as a result, what was a no growing to slow growing place is now taking off. And much of the surrounding countryside is now ALL housing estates. The major shopping center has doubled in size, the town center shopping center has also expanded, as have some of the clubs. (A far cry from when I lived there and a major developer had to offload 3/4 of the development to the Govt Welfare Housing because he couldn't find anyone to buy it!)

I used to work at Australia's Wonderland - think Canada's Wonderland for a idea. The place closed in 2004 and was demolished in 2005, but there is now motorway access into that neck of the city and things have gone gangbusters. What used to take around 2 hours to travel into the city, now takes around 30 minutes.

It also helps if the population of the city is growing. For that you'll need to contact your local authorities.

And through it all, you'll need to keep your finger on the pulse of what's going on in your city. The two main areas I have identified were not viable 15 years ago. But now they are. As is a Third area that *I* avoid because everyone is talking about it - so prices are already artificially higher than they would be (still okay for most people to invest but *I* can get better bang for my buck elsewhere).

You could say, if the area was not viable 15 years ago but is now, doesn't that mean it was viable back then?

Well no, because no-one wanted to live there, the place was stagnating, prices were dead flat and places were empty for months at a time (even with dirt cheap rent and one month's free rent). No infrastructure was planned at the time.

But things change. And since then, infrastructure has occurred. Just enough to make the places viable but not enough to drive the prices through the roof, yet. But over the next five to ten years, things in those areas will be skyrocketing.

For example: Most housing in the city is $350k++. But just 30 minutes drive into those two areas and you can buy condos and townhouses for $130k to $180K and houses for $190k - $240k with rents around 5.2% or better. (You cannot find a condo or townhouse within 20 minutes of the city for under $250k, so these places are little goldmines.)

Infrastructure is moving into the areas - and there is also The Ripple Effect. Think a pebble in a pond and waves rippling out. Think of those waves as Price Rise waves. They start in close and gradually move out - along the infrastructure lines.

In this country, some smaller rural towns Seem like good places to invest. But what drives those prices is other investors and not true Living Demand. I avoid such artificial Flavor of The Month investing.

Anyway. MY experience tells me, New as well as Upgraded infrastructure points you in the direction of Future Growth. But make sure your city's population is also growing.

Michael Ross

Infrastructure. An example.
 

Hi Duane,

If you want to SEE this concept, spend a few minutes and

Go to google maps. Type in Boston Heights, OH 44236

Use the HYBRID map. Find Rt 8 and Interstate 80. OK you are there.

You'll see a golf course on the corner of E. Hines Hill Rd and Rt. 8. That course CLOSED this year.

What is happening here is that from 303 to the South on Rt. 8 to Rt. 82 is being transformed into a 4 lane highway. Rt. 8 "Expressway" ends at 303.

So this whole 10 mile strip is being turned into an expressway. This whole area is getting NEW water, gas lines, electric...in other words, NEW infrastructure. And the surrounding communities are UPDATING theirs.

OK. If you look to the West of Rt. 8, between Boston and Alexanders...you'll find properties that have doubled and tripled in price in the last 18 months. AND, there are some small apt. complexes that will be filled UP in the coming months as the business section booms.

Rt. 82 and Rt. 8 in Macedonia has become one of those Retail Centers that draws people in. With the NEW expressway coming "online" in the next couple of years, we can confidently say that the RE market in that area is still BOOMING...while surrounding areas are still glutted with homes for sale.

IF you know of an EXPRESSWAY project taking place, say North or West of Toronto for example...there might be some INFRASTRUCTURE work going on.

For FUN, find Matthews Thomas Park on OLDE Rt. 8 and zoom in on the homes to the west on Ledgeview Drive and Rockwood Cir and you'll see some of MY favorite homes in the area. Any thing in that area has appreciated at perhaps twice to three times as much as surrounding RE.

That's the power of INFRASTRUCTURE. New highways to prosperity.

Gordon Jay Alexander

PS. And most of the people who live on Ledgeview do NOT Fly Low and Collect the Dough. http://www.flylowcollectdough.com

Re: Thoughts on business
 

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "only a little while."

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.

The American then asked, "but what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15 - 20 years."

"But what then?" Asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!"

"Millions - then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

Don't Fall For Logic Fallacies
 

Steve,

Thanks for your additional thoughts.

Let me repeat...

1. I did NOT write down any goals.
2. I did Not write down nor create nor repeat any affirmations.
3. I did Not Visualize anything - I played no Mental Movies or whatever term you want to use to describe visualization.

As This is Intrinsic to The Secret, that I did not do them means I did not use The Secret. Plain and simple. The moment a so-called Law fails is the moment the Law is proven not to be a Law at all. And instead is proven just to be "Post hoc ergo propter hoc" (Post Hoc) a Logic Fallacy which assumes, A then B therefore A caused B.

Is it true that before a person can build a building they need to have a Thought? Yes. BUT, it is also true they they need to Breathe and Consume Nutrients.

Is it true that they create a Visual Aspect of their thought - either on paper or computer screen? Yes. But it is also true that they need to use a writing device to turn their thought into a two-dimensional aspect.

So using the above Post Hoc Logic Fallacy we could now create a new law...

1. You must breathe and consume nutrients.
2. You must have a writing implement.
3. This will give a building.

The Danger in the Secret is in Post Hoc Logic Fallacy. Where you are attributing Results to things that did nothing to actually bring about the result and then saying they are a Must Have / Law.

You can Think otherwise - and believe it at your core - but it doesn't change reality anymore than millions of people thinking the world was flat at their core made the world flat. The reality of a round world existed Despite their thinking otherwise.

Just because I think and then visualize and draw - and then act - to create a building, doesn't mean I need to Visualize/affirm/writedown goals/etc. for anything else. To think that - and thus think The Secret - is to fall for Post Hoc Logic Fallacy.

Just because Think (T), Visualize (V), Draw (D) then Act (A) = Building B...

T then V then D then A = B

Doesn't mean it applies to other areas. That I did what I did without all those steps is proof it it.

Now, there is Validity to Thinking and Acting and between is the Word. But these require a balance - Thought, Word, Action.

Too much thinking is daydreaming. Too much talking is Big Talk (I'm gonna do this and gonna do that and you know the drill). Too much action is a disaster as it's unfocused without the Thought to focus it.

Further, there is this...

Person A is seen to be going for a goal. It is noticed that they...

1. Think about it constantly
2. Have a cut out of the thing they are striving for and dream about it

Therefore, thinking about something and dreaming about something will equal Wanting the thing and natural Striving will take place. That is the wrong way. That is Affirming The Consequent another Logic Fallacy.

Wanting = thinking and dreaming and striving

Thinking and Dreaming /= Increased Wanting/Belief and Increased Striving

You can either accept the logic or you cannot. But "Having A Go" at me in your subtle - it's there but not directly at you - way doesn't change the reality.

If you want to Continue to Debate The Secret - or my Stance against it - then fine. But cut out the Digs which have no place in the debate.

Michael Ross

Re: Announcement 1: The Secret Life Of Michael Ross
 

It is Affirmations with action or it does not work, it is that simple. I don't know if the secret tells you that. C.W Stone told us that a long time ago. Action, People.

Re: Don't Fall For Logic Fallacies
 

Gee Michael, I try to drag you into a pissing contest but you're to smart to fall for it. Good for you! I do appreciate what you are saying and I must admit that your logic is sound.

In the "Success Factor" you make a darn good case where you said...

"This shows the POWER of (X). It forced them to achieve something they didn't believe they could. (so much for needing belief, as the gurus say, right?)"

I must agree that the (X) factor you reveal in your report is a real secret that works for those who use it. Now some may say that there are no secrets. But if you know it and they don't... it's a secret. And those you don't know your (X) secret would be wise to invest in your "Success Factor".

Cheers,
Steve Shulenski
www.AntiquePhotographyBusiness.com

Re: Where does Manny make his money?
 

Hi Phil,

Thanks for expanding the geographic scope of my thinking.

Small towns and waterfront property sound like a great longer term investment approach.

I like your idea about talking to seniors and getting
their life knowledge in regard to real estate. I do this frequently in other
areas. Shaves years off the darn learning curve LOL.

"BC eh?" Aaall the way at the other end of the country.

Hmm I guess when it comes to purely R.O.I ... geographic location is irrelevant.

Thanks for the tips and links Phil

Duane Adolph

First there was LEE then there was ROSS
 

Bruce Lee explained the power of being fluid with "The Water Metaphor."

"Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless--like water.
Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup,
You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle,
You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Now water can *flow* or it can *crash*!
Be water, my friend."

THEN there was Michael Ross who explained the power of Infrastructure with "The Ripple Effect Metaphor:"

"Infrastructure is moving into the areas - and there is also The Ripple Effect.
Think a pebble in a pond and waves rippling out.
Think of those waves as Price Rise waves.
They start in close and gradually move out - along the infrastructure lines."

Hi Michael,

Thanks for all the great info on Manny's program.

I LOVE the Infrastructure method for finding Future Growth Areas because it is Simple and easily identifiable. I will be sure to look out for population growth as well.

I appreciate you sharing your thoughts Michael.

Duane Adolph

Wow Gordon What a Trip ...
 

Wow Gordon What a Trip ...

Thanks for the REAL LIFE Example of the Infrastructure concept.

I WENT to the google hybrid map (What a Cool Tool)

I FOUND those HUGE Estate like houses on Ledgeview Drive.

I ZOOMED in...

I think YOUR favorite homes are now MY new favorite homes.

Those are NOT houses. Those are Estates!

Your Telling me that THOSE house prices have Double AND Tripled
in value. WOW. THAT is powerful demonstration of the Infrastructure concept.

VERY POWERFUL example.

Thank You for taking me on that Journey.

And you are right.

They DO NOT Fly LOW! ...

But ... Are you Suuure they are not NOW collecting the dough ?? :->

Thanks for the profitable journey Gordon!

Duane Adolph

Manny WHO? Manny WHERE?
 

I read the thread -- but didn't see Manny's last name or his iste.

Michael, please advise.

Thanks!

-- TW

UPDATE Duane...since the thread got pulled out of archives..
 

Duane,

Let me give you an update. On that map, just a couple of miles South on Rt. 8 you'll see Seasons road. They are building an exit there. So what?

Just this past week, the cities of Cuyahoga Falls, Stow and Hudson all signed a joint venture agreement, and a local hospital is going to build a new hospital at that intersection.

So what about the real estate? YEP, it's still one of the most desirable areas with some nice property, and very little at bargain, recession rates.

IF we had bought a house in this area when this post was originally posted, and we "flipped" it today...it would have turned a much higher than average profit. The state has committed millions of dollars to the INFRASTRUCTURE of this highway, cities have ponied up more millions with tax incentives to create an industrial zone...and once the new section of Rt. 8 gets finished, it opens up the East side of Cleveland to millions of people.

Just a mile or less off of this expressway in the making, are beautiful lots, older homes with acreage and some nice homes being built too. This area is as close to recession proof as it gets.

Infrastructure, it's the secret to look for still.

Gordon

Manny Here!
 

TW,

Thanks for asking about Manny.

Check your messages. In the meantime, here are saome details for you...

Name is Manny Protopapas. Has/had a website called nomoreredtape or something like that.

He offered a "real estate acquisition program". My quick search shows he was/is also associated with something called "Real Estate Funding Solutions". And the website of one of his associates is http://www.deletethebank.com

Michael Ross

Re: Thoughts on business
 

Steve,

You and I are both very fortunate to have wives that "noodge" us to keep on track. If my spouse did not have the experience of developing systems in the corporate world, I'd be in a real mess.

As to working a real job and doing something on the side, there is real value to that. When I started out in the performing business, I worked a full-time job and performed on the side.

The money I made allowed me to buy equipment, learn my craft, go to conventions, and have PLENTY of walking around money.

Sometimes, that's all some people need.

Cheers,

Millard

Re: Manny Here!
 

http://realestateacquisitionsmadeeasy.com/home