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All Forum Posts by: Jeremiah Dunakin

Jeremiah Dunakin has started 7 posts and replied 143 times.

Post: Paying off Debt While Investing

Jeremiah DunakinPosted
  • Posts 153
  • Votes 130
Quote from @Patience Echem:

what is great about this group is that they are candid about what to expect with real estate investing. While the advice may sound pessimistic or harsh it is often because we are looking out for each other. It is rare to find a group that can provide unbiased and useful advice like the one in biggerpockets. The varied opinions means that you can sort through and select the ones that suits you best. 


I agree with this. Generally people do not have agendas and usually keep thier personal belief and views out of things generally. That said sometimes when people don’t get thier ego stroked they say all the popular buzz words. I don’t understand why people ask for advice from people then get defensive about it. Sometimes the truth hurts. However loses your butt hurts more. Most folks here generally have your best interest in mind and don’t care one way or the other. They trying to be helpful. these people are not yet men. The advice can be prudent due to having no dog in the race

Quote from @Gino Barbaro:

@Jeremiah Dunakin

What I'm hearing is there is a lot of victim mentality, and when you are a victim, good luck trying to look for opportunities or create solutions.

How do I know? Back in 08, it was everyone else's fault but my own. By the grace of God, I picked up T. Harv's book and realized I was the problem. There were still a ton of people creating success.

Once I decided to assume responsibility, my financial life changed, as well as other parts

thanks for sharing

Gino


I agree, if I could get out of my way. I could be a monster.  I think if most were honest and took self accountability we would see where the problem trully lies 

I think at least in my circumstances it boils down to self discipline and perseverance. 
we had this conversation at work. A lot of times people in America is what I’m generally talking about have every opportunity to be something. Maybe not Uber successful but able to carve out a decent life. There are always a ton of excuses we can all use. Schools, president, social economic class, race, religion, privilege, geography, education, mom, dad, school lunch lady didn’t like me, the raiders got short end of stick on tuck rule………..

I think at end of the day the effort is not there to better ourselves. Instead of eating leftovers we eat hot n ready pizzas, instead of paying for a college class and doing it get ahead we buy a six pack and play madden, instead of driving our old car we buy a new one. It comes down to self discipline.  I’m not gonna go to happy hour I’m gonna save that money and attend a free online class to learn accounting. I am my biggest enemy. To the working poor which struggle I say same thing. No new clothes or shoes and learn to cook. A George Foreman grill a family pack of chicken breast and frozen vegetables go a long way. 
it has to become a priority that you are willing to forgo convienances for. Same as working out. It’s not because of your genes that we don’t lose weight. It’s because weighing out our food and exercising is “too much”

I think a couple things. The fear of intrest rates definitely takes some error out.when I started out a couple years ago. Rates were at 5% and I had some wiggle room in the case of things going sour(and they did). 

I also think what is holding people back is same thing that held me back.

1. Scared of just not knowing, regardless of info and podcast flowing. 
2. I was petrified of getting sued. Got umbrella coverage and I sleep easier.

Analysis paralysis. I thought I had to find perfect house in perfect neighborhood with perfect terms. I heard on BiggerPockets podcast. Someone found a 400k property for 125k and didn’t put no money into it got 4K and a chicken sandwich back at closing. They then found out the basement was rental that all they had to do was paint it red and they had another rental. 
That didn’t happen to me. I ain’t mad at anyone who does get that. I’m pretty happy for them. The vast majority of us get a decent deal at best I assume. I ain’t sayin buy whatever. I just think the ultra sweet deals for first time is not to prevalent. 

4. Scared of failure/what others will say. I know a million real estate investors with no real estate at my work. I hear the same things from them. Always first thing I hear do you an LLC? Get a heavy vehicle for tax right off. I also hear how they would do things how they wouldn't change this or that. A bunch of know it alls with no skin in the game.

5. Getting spouse on board. My wife and I didn’t see eye to eye on it. Eventually she said do it cause she trusted me. She didn’t want headaches from it. Now she sends me houses and is totally on board. 

80 is to hot. I keep mine at 68. I have had it that way for 20+ years everywhere I live. I would check your air filter, then check your outside unit. Look at the coils and see if there is build up. It will look like a dryer vent covered with lint. Those coils need to breathe. They can be cleaned in about 1/2 hour and 15$. Any hvac guy that tells you the system can’t handle below 80 is a crook. 

Post: Newbie (3 doors) Needs a Pep Talk

Jeremiah DunakinPosted
  • Posts 153
  • Votes 130
Quote from @Jerry Puckett:

Hi Fran,

I do not post much any more but have a very diverse group of wise counselors whom I've met on the site and PM with. I've been here 14 years and have seen the site ebb and flow, occasionally being taken over by over bearing folks with a gold star in their title. Tons of naysayers who say it can't be done if you don't do it their way. And many more who try to turn every post into a commercial for whatever it is they have to hawk.

I've seen people lose their shirts and I've seen folks give the shirt off their backs. This site and my colleagues were there for me in the beginning, and saw me through some very hard times. From finding my first buyer, through my own (very well documented) kerfuffle with New Western, there was always someone I could reach out to. 

So here I am 14 years after I was told it couldn't be done, or that I couldn't do it the way I was doing it. And I drank the BP Kool-aid a long time ago and have paid it forward many times with demonstrable, repeatable successes. Going through hard knocks at the beginning is called education. Learning to deal with ups and downs is experience, going through it instead of around is success.

Be encouraged @Fran Pratt; people who are afraid to make mistakes take no risks and are doomed to mediocrity. Learn from your mistakes and move on. What's next?

Hope that helps.


 Jerry gets it. He is a 100% right. It’s ok to want some positive encouragement. There are far to many on this site that want to prove how great they are and how they know it all and can’t wait to throw out the latest buzzword or quote from podcast or BiggerPockets author book.When I first started on BP a few years ago people were so eager to encourage,help, and guide as we all look for answers. Now it’s turned into a frat club. When the realtor percentage rates first hit there was a couple posters on there acting a fool. Way to Hollywood for all of us simple folk. Now the regular pages are just the same words I hear on podcast.

When I started my one and only SFH I spent 1/2 year longer renovating than I planned almost doubled the budget, moved a family of four and a dog into a 700 sq ft home, slept in laundry room had no a/c(I work in extreme heat) almost got a divorce, lost 600/month for g months longer than I planned, had cops called when I found perfect tenant three times in two weeks had "maintenance calls" three times in in a month. Everything that my wife said she didn't want to deal with and why she didn't want to get a rental. The maintenance calls were so simple. The cops stopped coming and my tenant is outstanding. Things settled down. For the first year I thought I made a huge mistake.

Fat forward to today I have a good amount of money saved for repairs that I haven’t contributed to. My wife sends me houses that she wants to buy for rentals. My tenant is cool and has taking care of the place better than I ever could have imagined and signed another lease. Things will get better. It will happen m. Even if they don’t you stuck your neck out and tried. The thing is you ain’t gonna fail. You don’t need beat up, it’s ok to hear other people on the come up who ain’t perfect you got this. You smart and ambitious enough to invest in yourself in the first place. Use that same grit to tread water till you can swim

Quote from @Carlos Ptriawan:
Quote from @Jeremiah Dunakin:
Quote from @Theresa Harris:

I'd also add that I think generational wealth is about more than money-it is the values you teach others that matters the most.


 This a 100%. We as a society have become obsessed with the word generational wealth. It’s not the wealth but the culture and mentality that it encompasses that I don’t agree with. I am not saying I am a good parent I struggle and have ups and downs just like every parent that has ever lived. That said there are some steadfast profitable things that all kids can be taught and cultivated regardless of any excuse I mean social or economical challenges that they face. 

The lessons you teach them far outweigh any buisness we give them. Work hard, take accountability, accept coaching, do the best job job you can regardless of whose watching, invest in yourself with knowledge and self worth, spend less than you make, stay out of bad debt, keep your hands with calluses, give cheerfully both time and money, count your blessing being born in America, be the person who will take the risk and don’t be ashamed whether you strike out  or most definitely hit a home run.many more principles but values trump degrees any day of week 


 Thing is this....kind like difficult to explain, but thing like "Work hard, take accountability, accept coaching, do the best job job you can regardless of whose watching, invest in yourself with knowledge and self worth, spend less than you make, stay out of bad debt, keep your hands with calluses" .... should be there/exist by default.

I meant those are the the traits that's very common these days especially in certain society, 99% people is supporting and building  that aspect of life.

Thing is... in 2024, just "work hard" alone is not enough, these new generation still need access to generational wealth so they can live better than previous generation. 

The new generation in 2020 they are facing with way more higher inflation, debasing of dollar and the downgrade quality of living even if they are making the same money and work harder. They live in the world where American no longer control the worl
we  are gonna have to agree to disagree, I came from not one aspect of wealth. I started working in a factory at 18 worked my butt off and made something of myself. I work with a couple young guys have did the same thing. They didn’t go on trips and buy new trucks or drink fancy coffee. These guys worked 84-100 every week for awhile saved a bunch of money (while still paying bills) bought some property and now in thier mid 20s the value of the real estate is 1.5x what they payed for it. They are loaded at 25/26 years old. They sacrificed, they didn’t blame the president, the parents, the school system, or anything else. They packed a big lunch and got after it. No trips, no new cars,no new clothes. Now these guys drive brand new trucks and take trips whenever and wherever they want. Mind you these are high school factory workers not college educated trust fund babies. It’s an attainable achievement it’s just a bit harder now. Working 25 hours at the coffee shop ain’t gonna cut it

Quote from @Theresa Harris:

I'd also add that I think generational wealth is about more than money-it is the values you teach others that matters the most.


 This a 100%. We as a society have become obsessed with the word generational wealth. It’s not the wealth but the culture and mentality that it encompasses that I don’t agree with. I am not saying I am a good parent I struggle and have ups and downs just like every parent that has ever lived. That said there are some steadfast profitable things that all kids can be taught and cultivated regardless of any excuse I mean social or economical challenges that they face. 

The lessons you teach them far outweigh any buisness we give them. Work hard, take accountability, accept coaching, do the best job job you can regardless of whose watching, invest in yourself with knowledge and self worth, spend less than you make, stay out of bad debt, keep your hands with calluses, give cheerfully both time and money, count your blessing being born in America, be the person who will take the risk and don’t be ashamed whether you strike out  or most definitely hit a home run.many more principles but values trump degrees any day of week 

Quote from @Terry Ouimet:

Dave Ramsey presents one way to achieve wealth through real estate. It’s not right or wrong , to say that Dave Ramsey rarely says anything right is like saying Henry Ford had no idea what he was talking about but Elon musk and Tesla is the right way. We can learn from everybody’s path to wealth, I think it’s short sighted & ignorant to rule out any successful persons advice, one thing I’ve learned in life ..when I get advice from somebody I don’t like, is to ask myself could this person actually be right? -that leads to wisdom and wise actions .. you have to choose what fits your personality, priorities and life mission. I sleep good and have peace with my properties paid off, yes I’d like to have 400 doors , but it doesn’t line up with my personality and priorities.  


 Excellent post