All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

@Sarah Lorenz  Oh gosh, I know what you mean by the Christmas break example!  In fact, my family says stuff to me like, "Why do you need me to come over to help?  You should be able to clean and do everything you need to do and still watch the baby."  Ack!  I once would've agreed with them, until it happened to me.  

Thanks for the tip on that book, I'll have to check that out.  And for the reminder of the flexibility real estate offers to parents, that's such a huge thing for me to keep in mind...it'd be so much harder if I was still working for the man, lol, and I'd lose all this precious time with my baby boy.

I'm also glad you mentioned finding social groups, because I've been meaning to do that anyway for a different reason, and I totally forgot!  We're vegetarians, almost vegan (avoid dairy), so we've discussed the challenges of raising a child around everyone else being meat-eaters in our circle, we really need to find some vegetarian/vegan friends so he has some little veggie buddies that won't hassle him.  ;)  

@Karen Margrave  Thanks again. And what a great tip about posting links for subs on your website!  We're not doing rehabs yet (hopefully soon, can't wait!), but this is a great tip!  I'd actually love to get some flipping info, like how did you get started?  What did you learn on your journey that you wish someone had taught you in advance?  PM if you'd like to share, I'd love that.

And thanks immensely for the multiple examples of household dangers for babies, I hadn't thought of some of those, so thanks!

@Alexis S.  I love your enthusiasm!  I need to borrow some.... Thanks for pointing out about work ethic, that's a nice way to think of it.  I'd love to see how you wrap the baby on your back, I've watched a few videos on youtube, haven't figured out which one to try so never bought a wrap, I use a Beco carrier currently (my husband picked it out).  Those wraps looks great though.  How is your wholesaling going?  Would you feel up to PMing me with info/advice on what you've learned so far?  I absolutely love hearing stories from others. 

Thanks!

@Regina Sitterley  Thank you, that's a great reminder to be present.  Also, a mother's helper keeps coming up, so I'll have to check into that!  I have been listening to podcasts while breastfeeding, so the shower/driving tip is helpful too -- thanks!

@Karen Margrave  Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you mentioned the idea of babyproofing the entire house!  That's a great idea, because there are times he gets out of my approved area when I'm engaged in something, and I have to stop to get him.  This way, I can worry less.  Thanks!  

I actually can't wait to take him onto jobs, I'd love him to get interested in doing this, I can't wait for him to learn and have the opportunities I never did as a kid.  Oh, I wanted to do real estate my whole life, was so interested in houses, but didn't have any family doing it, or in any related field.  I talked to a woman recently whose dad and uncle took her on jobs and taught her all about it!  So jealous!  It seems with many things, you really need to know someone.  I called a construction company about interning for free when I was a 15 (over 20 years ago), and was told they don't hire females because they're too distracting to the men!  Wow, that was discouraging.... my dreams went on the backburner for a while after that. :/

How did you get him to be quiet and calm during meetings and phone calls?  Please share!  I used to do company training for Hilton, and the HR Director let a lady bring her toddler to Orientation, and boy oh boy, he was all over the place and making noise, I had to ask her to leave.  :(

LOL, graveyard, that's a good one!

@Samantha Hiscock  Thanks for the reminder that I can't take him everywhere.  Not that I want to, but I do feel like I'll have to sometimes, and it's good to hear that I need to remind myself I can't, so I can be professional.  

I'm also so grateful you mentioned how flexible real estate is, and therefore a good career for people with kids, because this is a great reminder that if I went back to a regular job, I will most likely not have this kind of flexibility.  I will ultimately make my own hours at this, whereas I could not do that when I was an HR Manager (there was some flexibility, but not this much).  So thank you.  :)  

@David Faulkner  Ah yes, planning and efficiency!  Thanks for helping imprint those keys in my brain.  I keep telling hubby we need to "rehab" our system and schedule to make this work with the baby (I just don't know what that looks like yet!).  I do wish I could trust my local family to watch him solo, but there's reasons it won't work.  Poo.  So I'm thinking I'll check into this mother's helper thing... have someone watch him "near" me (like across the room), so I can still keep an eye on things while doing business, ideally. 

@Kizzy Brooks  Love it!  Yes, let's follow each other!  I'd like to hear how you do it, too.  Good news is you're already doing it.  I'm still in launch stage. I need to figure out how to get this going, and you need to figure out how to keep it going!  Oh, I wish you all the best!  I'm sure we'll figure this out, I'm thinking it's a matter of restructuring our systems and schedules.

Is this your first? It's mine. I had NO idea what it would be like, no sleep for the first 2 months (well, 20 minutes here-and-there, we tallied it up at 4 hours a day), it was crazy. But then it got better as he began sleeping 6 hours at night after 2 months, and since then we've been learning new systems and schedules. So it's probably the same thing with adjusting our REI.

I heard a really great analogy the other day, that when you have a baby it's like your relationship/life situation is going through a rehab! Haha, a REI analogy! But it really does feel true.

I didn't see an option to "delete" a duplicate post, so I had to "edit"  by deleting the text, but it won't let me save a blank post, lol.  

@Eric Dowling I absolutely love your response, thank you! I resonate with it so much (staring at the wall, lol), and yea -- I can't believe some REIAs won't let me take him either.... It is seeming like the hours when hubby is home is when I'll need to call my "business hours" (evenings).  I do agree that taking him door knocking may help in my favor.  Thanks, I needed this.

@John Whittle Yes, I do worry a lot, but I wouldn't say too much (well maybe), but it's because in my personal experience, I know three guys who were molested as boys.  One was 8 years old, and a 17-year old neighbor boy would babysit him for his working mom.  One was 6 years old, and his mom's friend would come over to visit, and bring her 13-year old daughter (yes, a girl!) who'd go molest him in the backyard when the moms thought they were playing together.  Another was a family member molested by a church leader when he was young.  He told on the guy, but my other two friends didn't due to successful threats that scared them.  And that's just people I know personally, I've heard many more stories throughout my life, including about people's immediate family members.  It's so disheartening.  I don't plan on sheltering him by preventing him from doing anything, but I'd like to be present and aware of what's going on.  Thanks for the insight.  :)

@Becca Summers That's some great advice about the bonus!  But how do you find someone trustworthy?

@Jonna Weber That's a good idea too, but how do you find someone trustworthy?  It's actually not the mom I'd worry about, but her kids....I've heard some pretty bad stories from my friends growing up.  I am thinking structuring my "business hours" for the early hours and late hours (before and after hubby's work hours) might just work....

Thanks!

Ok, I also posted this on a mom's website, and some replies were saying to hire a mommy's helper / babysitter / nanny to assist me with the baby during my real estate "business hours".  Now this would be great!  Except that I need the money to hire one, which I won't have until I start making enough in real estate to afford it, so I need to figure out how to make this work with a baby first.  Oh, such a challenge.  My own husband doesn't like to be on the phone with me if the baby's crying in the background because it's somehow ear-piercing through the phone (even at a distance).  So I imagine the irritation a buyer or seller would be having....yikers.

I do!  I use a Becco Gemini, carry him all over.  You're right, it's usually pretty helpful, except after longer periods, and if I'm doing something that bugs him or he wants.  Like if I'm trying to type a message on my phone, he keeps trying to get the phone and cries if I don't let him (because he messes up my message, and has hit "send", LOL!)  On the laptop?  Forget about it!  He wants it.  On the phone?  He suddenly decides he wants to be out of the carrier, and starts fussing.  In public, as long as I'm walking around, he's fine.  But if I'm sitting at a table trying to analyze records, nope -- he wants out of the carrier, starts fussing.  So this is really hard.....

Nope, no colic, no rashes, no illness, no allergies.  I'm a super crunchy vegetarian parent, not quite vegan but I don't eat dairy so he doesn't even get a stuffy/runny nose ever.  He used to use  pacifiers until teething, now he just takes them out and chews on them.  He's 9 months old, can't talk yet (well, other than "mom" and "bwaabwaanaananana" LOL).   It's just...the Universe, ah...he always seems to want out of the carrier or fuss when I need him to be quiet and calm so I can try to do business.  *sigh*  Like now... he was doing so well until I started typing this.  

Ugh, so today was a big challenge that, sadly, made me pause and question how the heck I'm going to do real estate with a new baby.  I know I can do it... I'M DETERMINED TO!  But I need advice.  How do others do it?  

What happened today was, it's our anniversary, and we figured we'd take the baby for a drive around his nap-time so he'd be sound asleep in the carseat, and we could go to our favorite restaurant for our anniversary (with baby sound asleep in his carseat at our table).  Well... normally a drive would put him to sleep, but not this time.  We drove, he cried, he cried harder, he never went to sleep, I got a call while out and couldn't communicate due to the fussing, we never made it to the restaurant, we went home where he was finally relaxed and went to bed.  

It got me thinking, if I can't even make it to a restaurant for our anniversary, how will I do real estate with a baby?  We have no daycare (nobody trustworthy or able) so...he goes with me everywhere.  He's there when I need to be on the phone...when I'm trying to watch a webinar...  I cannot attend REIAs because most won't let me bring a baby, even if I sit in the back and promise to step out if he fusses (well, ONE will let me bring him, thanks Steve!)  I'm limited to how long I can be at the Office of Records before he fusses, negotiating with a Seller, etc. etc. etc.    

So -- HELP!  Are there any new parents out there with NO daycare that found a way to make this work?  Any advice, anyone?  I mean, I know it can be done....if there are people doing virtual wholesaling, and buying rentals while deployed, then I'm sure there's a way for this situation.  

Thanks!  :)

Or investors, rehabbers, etc. who may have a great purchase contract like this.  I've heard rehabbers may just have the best ones due to their experience.  :)