Stay consistant as well.

I simply call it "my team" and that team consists of all that Jason named along with top REO brokers, my listing agent (my wife is not my agent as Jason has), my two asset manager contacts, and my escrow/title company.If you are a buy and holder, you still need a team, but that team is much smaller.

The only consistent thing about my day is that it is consistently inconsistent.

Consistent and persistent.Work so that you want to, NOT that you have to!!!

Some kept up with inflation, some lost ground, but several exceeded it.Looking at my market of Orange County, which isn't even tracked separately by Case-Shiller (it's lumped together with Los Angeles), we see the following graph:http://bp2.blogger.com/_pMscxxELHEg/SBzkxMncv2I/AAAAAAAAB7Q/CIkleG-LYaY/s1600-h/OCprices.jpgEven though the graph stops at the beginning of 2008, I have data from the Orange County Register that shows our median home price hit bottom at the beginning of 2009 (consistent with Case-Shiller data).

I'm going to be proud to one day tell other new investors similar stories when I get older, knowing that less than 10% of them will actually enter the industry and less than 5% will become successful consistently.

I've read too many "unflattering" stories about mismanagement from property management companies.Definitely need to build your team consisting of:Several RealtorsGeneral ContractorAttorneyAccountantPreferably the above should be or fully understand Real Estate Investing

I know to many- the fight over a storm door may be petty- but the bigger issue here is the failure of the Board to enforce/apply standards fairly and consistently throughout the neighborhood.

The whole house gets the same color (except I paint basements one shade lighter).Here they are:Main living area (1st and 2nd floors): Totally Tan SW6115 in Eggshell SherScrubBasement: Bagel SW6114 in Eggshell SherScrubCeilings: Navajo White SW6126 in Flat SherScrubTrim and Doors: Creamy SW7012 in Semi-gloss Promar or DurationI've been using these colors consistently on all my flips and get rave reviews.

Just trying to be consistent, and when someone says "please contact me", we take that as a solicitation.