All Forum Posts by: Jim Hartmann

Awesome news @Joshua Dorkin.  You and @Brandon Turner as well as all those who contribute to this site have allowed it to grow, post an amazing amount of content and managed to keep it focused on real estate and investing.  Keep up the great work and I look forward to being here as it grows.

Thanks everyone for the great comments.  It seems in my own life that I have lacked motivation and some of these events have motivated me to consider other possibilities.  It has also crippled me as I have been overwhelmed by the many different ways to purchase real estate, notes, etc.  I started off by having a coach who pushed me to set goals and to follow through on those goals such that I purchased 5 properties (13 units) in less than 3 months and have since been trying to figure out the landlord game and keep my head in the game along with my full time job.  When I purchased the properties it was at the height of the bubble and it soon burst.  

I guess I have lately been tempted by the lure of some of the guru events as a way of getting myself back in the game again.  I have been running around the rat race and not getting anywhere.  It was Les Brown who said that in his own life, he "parked along the highway of life."  It is time to get off the shoulder of the road and get back in there.  

This site has been great in helping me to see that this business still can be done and is done every day.  Thanks for the feedback and encouragement to not spend any more money on these courses.  And for full disclosure, I cancelled my seats at an upcoming event after reading everyone's posts.  Looking forward to what I can learn and do through this growing community.

Blessings

Jim

What is it about some of these guru events that seems to be so alluring? I have been to multiple events over the years from different gurus and have learned a lot, but at a great price. It seems however that I have not acquired any new properties in a while (7 years) and I find myself now looking around again at new deals and I am being drawn in again by these teaching events even though I know that all I need to know I can learn right here at BP and from others I know. Would love to say "enough is enough " and spend my money more wisely on buying property. Would welcome feedback from those who have overcome the draw and are now prospering without it. Thanks

I am not sure of your application process, but please verify that the person who is requesting to rent your place is providing some identification (driver's license, SS card, pay stubs, or gov't issued ID.). It just helps give you a little more confidence before renting to him.

I have purchased many courses over the years before finding BP. The courses sit on the shelf for the most part and are not used much. I do use some of the forms, but I have since found similar forms from other sources such as the local library, BP, local RE club, etc. As Brandon mentions in his book on investing, start reading all you can at the library and on BP. The podcasts are a huge benefit as well. Hold off on the courses as tempting as the seller may seem. Remember they practice their speeches and make their web copy enticing so that they can sell material. It is part/all of their income.

I am not sure if the law says that I have to re-key after move out in Indiana, but I do anyway and provide a signed statement with my move in agreement. The tenant signs the same statement saying how many keys they receive. The tenants seem to like it as they feel safer knowing the locks have been changed and I am covered in case there is an issue. I always tell them that if they feel that the locks seem unsafe for them, I will re-key, but have never had anyone take me up on that. In today's world it is too easy for stray keys to be made. I would rather err on safety.

Hi Josh,

New look is nice and clean.  Look forward to digging into it more.  One thing I have struggled with over the past couple weeks is how to get to my inbox to read messages.  I can get to the inbox through an e-mail telling me I have a new message, but I cannot seem to find a good link from either the home page or my profile.  Can you help?  Am I just looking in the wrong places?

Thanks

Jim

Great job Frank in getting started. I am new on the forums as well. We drove through Louisville on our way back from TN to IN on Sunday. Great town for investing.