All Forum Posts by: Jon Klaus

Hmmm, my list is a bit different.  But here goes . . . 

1.  Go to Malta.  

2.  Go to Bali.

3.  Finish bathroom rehab for holiday guests in my home.  

4.  Ensure smooth closings for two clients. 

5.  Get statements to book keeper for end of year. 

6.  Go to China (it would be quick trip so this is a maybe) 

7.  Write additional content for website.  

8.  Look for rehab for flip.

9.  Spend holidays with family.  

Meeting tomorrow to start the purchase process for my first investment property.  In December going to start refinance on my personal residence also.

wow i read alot of the above lists.  lots going on. I am a young newby in the field. 

Personally i 

--hope to acquire a pc of land I have had my eye on for many years

--start a new business ( well make it official and inc. it into a LLC and increase prsence so i can have more working funds)

--start on my development of the short-term cabin housing ; talk to code enforcer, call a tree harvester, soil test, cut in a road

that's my list and I'm sticking to it. It really seems small to all that some of you are doing, but i know many of you have many years under your belt.  the BEST to you all with the rest of this year. 

1. Complete Haltom City, Tx rehab and sell property by end of year

2. Install new aerobic system on Mobile Home with 1.7 acres in Alvarado, Tx and list home for sale/rent/owner finance

3. List Mobile Home in Lillian, Tx for sale with owner finance

4. Close on Arlington, Tx property by mid-November.  Rehab and sell by end of year.

5.  Find 1 more property by end of year to buy/rehab/sell

6. TAKE NUMEROUS VACATIONS AND SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH FAMILY/FRIENDS

@Jon Klaus Great topic. Thanks for giving me a push!

I will have completed my saving up $12 500 k for my first real estate deal and incorporated my first LLC.

The latter is already complete. To top it off I hearby challange myself to have my website up and running 01.01.2016.

Actually, I started ramping up my marketing and making deals in October but will continue to ramp up through November and December.  

I have found over the last 10-12 years of my career that the holiday season always ends up being my strongest months, simply because of a lack of competition.  While most others (present company excluded) are taking the season off, people still are having problems and needing solutions.

Now, I don't become Ebenezer Scrooge and not celebrate the holidays.  I just don't forget that I have a business to run.  And you know what?  I may just be someone's Christmas miracle!! 

Wow, some of you are impressive. You guys make me look like a lazy bump. 

1) Refinance 2 properties now. 

2) Negotiating to purchase a 7-unit building. Hope to get in contract soon. 

3) Putting a duplex up for sale next week. 

4) Grand open a new franchise biz in Dec.

5) Currently in contract to purchase a franchise. Close by mid Dec.

@Jon Klaus  10 months  prices have gone up about 5 to 7% from original MAI last year when I got the loan for the streets and roads and offsites.

our base model of 2237  had a prices of 350k  we are at 355 to 361k for that house with 2 pending in sheet rock  ... 11 under construction.  we have 4 single levels as well 1700 sq ft for 340 and 1950 for 360k.. which should really sell fast.... Lennar and other builders only build about one out of 20 homes as single levels.

1.  Finish the rehab I'm working on.  Probably won't get it rented before the end of the year, but would be nice if it did.

2.  See if I can put together a deal on a 3-condo package.  The seller is motivated, but pretty overpriced.

3. Just joined the HOA board on one of my properties.

      3a.  Collection issues are horrendous.  Form a collections committee to work with and push the collection attorney to find out why things are so bad.  Suspect the attorney has grown complacent because prior board was not engaged.  See if some unique solutions can be found.  

     3b.  As a result of 3a, there is a lot of deferred maintenance that needs to be done.  Put my CPA and budgeting skills to work to figure out projected cash flows.  Push through a Reserve Study which was started but never finished.

    3c.  Delve into prior financial statements and analyze trends.

3d.  Also as a result of 3a and 3b, homeowners are unhappy.  Brainstorm to increase satisfaction levels, increase community involvement and restore sense of pride in community.  (This is ongoing - clearly not a two month goal).

4.  Work on identifying and onboarding new tax/accounting clients.  In the next two weeks, I need to determine if I've got enough tax work for the upcoming season to keep myself busy or if I need to go out and get a part time or full time tax season job,  If the latter, then need to figure out time budgeting to continue to provide excellent service to my current (but fewish in number) clients.

5.  I'm on the board of directors for a small non-profit.  Work on our Holiday fundraising drive (which should be finished by Thanksgiving).  

6.  I'm on the board of directors for another, larger non-profit.  Need to finish the 2016 budget and be ready to implement it in January.

7.  Try to find my Christmas spirit again.  I used to love this holiday, but now I find it all too commercial and trite.  I used to love making gifts by hand, baking treats and generally reveling in the winter season.  The last few years, I've had more of a Bah! Humbug attitude and that needs to change.  I think since I left my soul-sucking job in August, I might have better success this year.  I'm already happier than I've been in years, so I'm going to see if I can springboard that into a jollier time over the holidays.