All Forum Posts by: David Dachtera

Hi, Chris,

As you're reading and studying one area you'll want to learn about is self-directed retirement plans. Most folks don't know they're not stuck just buying stocks, bonds and mutual funds in their IRAs, 401(k)s, etc. and that they can weather the changes on Wall Street by staying away from it. That then gives you the knowledge to seek out people (like doctors and other highly-compensated people) seeking to grow their funds and less risk than Wall Street. You also then may be able to talk to your family and close associates to find funding.

Don't be shy about exploring education options beyond real estate agent / broker classes. Remember: they teach you the law, how to fill out contracts without committing violations, and how to show potential buyers, "here's the bedroom, here's the kitchen, sign here".

Most lenders do prefer educated investors, and educated investors prefer educated lenders and partners. The more you can learn - especially if any hands-on opportunities come your way - the more attractive you become to a potential investor / partner.

Hope this helps...

Hi, Glenn,

Yes - I'm familiar with the Col Sanders story from a Tony Robbins cassette that was in a set I bought from Robert Allen. He also tells the story of Steven Spielberg: the ultimate "fake it 'til you make it"!

See, what I need is a way that people like me can "open the doors" without a sudden, unexpected windfall and without "pulling a rabbit out of a hat" - most of us don't even have a hat, much less a rabbit!

Lots of experienced folks here, so may I solicit your feedback?

My take on the appreciation question is that investing for appreciation amounts to speculation, and for that read "gambling". No difference from gambling in the "Wall Street Casino".

By me, appreciation is o.k., but cash flow (income) is what I need to carry me into my retirement years (I'm 60).

May I get your thoughts on those statements?

I hear ya on that, Glenn!

The challenge for many of us seeking to replace our W2 income is coming into it with a serious financial deficit: bad or no credit, little or no savings (left after the crash, unemployment, divorce, health issues, etc. or any combination there of), sparse personal network, ...

For me, the red flag is that on their home page they mention a referral network. That means they make enough profit on each transaction to pay someone to promote them to the end-borrower. Advertising always has costs, but that tells me how they're handling that. I'm associated with an organization (not a lender) with a similar model and I from that experience I see how these work. Does not seem an appropriate business model for a "lender".

Hi, Jake,

I live on the west side of Joliet. So, giving you a resident's viewpoint, for what it's worth.

As others have mentioned, "downtown" Joliet and most of the area between the Des Plaines River and Interstate 55 is older homes. In general - but not uniformly - the further west you go toward I-55 the better the areas tend to be.

In general, the area west of I-55 has more new subdivisions and higher home prices / values. Before the crash, Joliet annexed a LOT of land in Grundy County but the crash put a cork in development before most of it came to fruition. There are some failed subdivisions, but not many.

IDOT made a lot of improvements to IL-59 between Plainfield and I-55, though downtown Plainfield remains a speed-bump on that highway as does the I-30 junction just south of downtown Plainfield. Still, Will County and IDOT are improving the east - west arteries. The area seems to have escaped the fate of Lake County IL who chose not to improve their infrastructure thinking, "if we don't build it, they won't come", but "they" came, anyway, and now Lake County traffic congestion is the stuff of legend.

Shorewood is nearby out here where the homes tend to be larger and higher valued, even the older homes.

In my investing group, some of the people are doing quite well with their projects in and around the area. So, if you come and you need contacts, there is some opportunity there.

The area Mark Doyle mentioned has the added advantage of having mass transit available: the Metra train line runs from downtown Joliet east through the New Lenox and Mokena areas and then north-east toward the I-57 / I-94 corridor and then north into Chicago.

In short, there's a lot of opportunity, but also a lot to learn about the area before making your initial selections on target properties.

Hope this helps!

Hi, Robert,

Jason posted while I was preparing this, and I agree with him 100%

At this point, I consider all "hatchets" buried and this discussion closed.

Jason,

Please accept my apologies for any untoward behavior I have shown during this exchange. I am, like everyone here, only human.

Hi, Ned,

Well, if this WAS an appropriate forum to give the entire 2-hour Renatus presentation, I would enlist the appropriate person to do so.

There *IS* a reason why the presentation is given either live or in webinar form. This format is not appropriate.

If I post the URL to the Renatus website, the moderators will delete it. So, Google is your friend. You will find all the answers you seek there. Google "MyRenatus" for best results. You may need to exercise your data mining skills, but you will find your answers there. There's a course catalog listing all the classes, there are web pages listing the curricula and there are testimonials explaining the value which others have found through their experiences with the education. 

The website has all that. It would not be appropriate to regurgitate it here. If that constitutes either avoidance or "twisted logic", so be it. I'm open to alternative ways to present that information.

The falsehoods spread about Renatus have been posted by others here. In my posts, I've corrected every one of them.

Does that address your points?

"You are losing this debate big time." Really? Jason and the others have gone down in flames on every argument that's been raised. How do you figure?

"Sadly for your side your posts have detracted from some of the legitimate points@Doug Leedy has made." Can you cite some specific examples of where my posts have detracted from Doug's points? It would help me learn to do better. I know I've been pretty rough on Jason. Most of that has been simply responding in kind.

Also, I've made the offer twice now that anyone can contact me privately. I've had ZERO takers. Are people afraid to learn the truth for fear that they may have to give up their own misconceptions and prejudices?

In retrospect, perhaps it may have been better to let the others wallow in the muck of their rumors, misinformation, speculation and conjecture. 

I and my fellow Community Members know the truth, and, in the end, that's all that matters.

Yeah. Heaven forbid, someone should come along to dispel rumors, speculation and conjecture and let the truth be known...

Attack triggers defense.

How do you figure that, Bryan?

...or do you always allow falsehoods and misinformation to go uncorrected?

In your estimation, which is worse:

1. Falsehoods and incorrect information

2. Correction of falsehoods and incorrect information