Real Deal REInvestor Network

I believe I owe my fellow MMM Challengers and my directors and mentors. This is for you. 

When I got into the challenge I was one newbie trying to get by and trying to figure out what am I suppose to do and how am I supposed to do it. And just so sick and tired of people who call themselves 'gurus' taking advantage of knowledge hungry real estate investors.

I have  learned a lot but most especially about 4 things: Mindset, Marketing, Teamwork, and adding Value.

Mindset - Can I really do this?  Was the question that has been lingering in my head. Can I really do this? What will happen this year? What does my future look like? I  had all these questions which I also call them doubt in my heart. Am I really destined to be great as what my heart and faith tells me. I needed help, because the world says otherwise. I learned to believe in my dreams because of this team, because of this company. The burn challenge, the affirmations, and the declarations have helped alot.

Marketing - Social Media marketing has been a very big part of what I've been doing in the challenge, and I didn't see it that way before that I can use it for business. The experience gave me the opportunity to  discover some strenghts to leverage some weaknesses(yes like phone calls). :) I also appreciate the Marketing tips Danny endlessly share especially the importance of pinging and the handwritten cards.

Team Work - The experience of working with an amazing group of people who are of the same mindset who works with passion. It is very different when working in the corporate world. The Accountability of being open to each other and to help each other get to the next level.  I feel this has been a family experience. I appreciate the simple moments of bonding in the calls one on one, the unity calls have been a wonderful especially the last one. :) Your testimonials have reminded and confirmed that I am in the right crowd.

Adding Value - This has been a VALUE in its self. This has really changed my whole perspective in doing business. It's not what I can receive but what I can give. Everyday of my life has been changed with this... 'how can I help you?' 'how can I add value to you?' Genuinely extending help to those who want help makes me more comfortable in doing this business. 

Overall, this experience have been very fruitful and is like the sowing season... and the harvest is about to come... actually has been slowly showing itself.

I am grateful and honored to be a part of this team. Thank you to my mentors Danny and Rick, and to my directors Jo, Sam, Dana and Alex, and to my MMM Challenge teammates. May you always be blessed!

The challenge maybe over soon but the VALUE you have genuinely provided will never be forgotten.

When reading “Acres of Diamonds” by Russell Conwell, it brings home many success principles we are already aware of, but just need reminding. However, the first principle I relate to, is the “shiny object syndrome”. As entrepreneurs, we often find ourselves looking for the next and greatest thing. This is particularly evident now, with the new riches in the internet. Someone is always selling you some get rich quick scheme. The problem is , nothing is really get rich quick. It involves, time, skill, or hardwork, and in most cases all three. Dr. Conwell relates many stories of those who would have been rich, staying in their own home, if they had just known what to look for. I relate this to an even deeper principle, taught within religions. The kingdom is within. We all, already have exactly what we need. We are perfect just as we are. I think the true wealth in life, comes from knowing who we are. Who we are, what our unique gifts are, and a capacity of how to use and market them. With this knowledge, we become free, spiritually healthy, and usually wealth will follow as a by product. Dr. Conwell reminds us, that time is a gift that everyone is given. Everyone of us is given the same amount of time, each day. What we do with that time, is determined by us. Successful people decide how they want to use their time, and time is a servant to them. Unsuccessful people tend to become the servant to time, dealing with mini-crisises, here and there. Before they know it, they have whittled away the day. Successful people know how to prioritize and stick to it. They choose to fill it wisely, knowing when to guard their family time, and project or money making activities. Letting interruptions fall by the wayside. I see today, so many Americans are addicted to technology. They let something as minute, as facebook notifications dictate their essence. Do not make this mistake! Time is the great equalizer in life. He also teaches us that we do our children a great injustice in life, if we are rich, and just hand our riches over to them. Each person, must find their gifts and wealth in their own life. One does not appreciate the wealth and principles of life, if they are not learned by process. I have often thought of very rich people, and how difficult it can make child rearing. As a parent, we want better for our children, then we had; but we also want them to learn life principles. We often see celebrities children into drugs or, suicidal, because they have not discovered and become their true selves. I admire how Donald Trump raised his children, because you just know they had to work for priviledges. Greatness is not determined by our wealth, corner office, or status. Rather it is determined by our principles. Are we willing to give of ourselves? Are we considerate of others? Do we add good to the world, and work to be a blessing? If you do these, then you are great, whether you have money or not. Money and power do not make the man. IF you are great, the money will do great things. Money is neutral. It’s power is determined by the owner. If you are a terrorist, the money will be used to do evil things, if you are a philanthropist, the money will be used for the benefit of others. Russell Conwell had many careers in his life. And he was great at each vocation. He accomplished things that others before him had not. He built a church, a university, and two hospitals. He allowed his greatness, wealth, and power to be used for good. He used himself as a servant and steward of god. But an important lesson for us to remember, is that he got good at each vocation, by focusing on that one, and mastering it solely, before moving onto another career.

The owner had accepted my offer on his house. He told me it was a little better than the other guy’s—the other investor who had looked at the property the same time I did—and he wanted to work with a smaller company anyway (that would be mine. At one person—me—it couldn’t get any smaller).

Now, I just had a couple problems: 1. How was I going to pay for it, and 2. What was I going to do with it once I had it?

My marketing had outstripped my real estate knowledge (how I wish that was happening now!), and I had a house someone was willing to sell me for the price I’d offered. What to do? 

I started by seeking out an attorney. In litigious New York, I knew that was the first help I needed. 

A little panicked because I had to demonstrate my ability to the homeowner soon, I retained the first attorney I met; a woman in a small office who worked with her husband, ran a boutique real estate office, and assured me she knew all about real estate investing. I foolishly believed her, too. 

Instead of flipping the property for a quick $5,000 to $10,000 (which, had I understood wholesaling at the time, should have been my strategy—and which I could have done without an attorney), my attorney steered me into an outright purchase of the house, two mortgages and all. I was then persuaded to try and rehab it myself with the assistance of her two “handymen” (neither of whom spoke English). I have virtually no “handy” skills myself. 

Eventually we did manage significant improvements to the house, through many wild hand gestures, shouting, and scrawled Spanglish notes to one another. Now I just had to find a retail buyer…. But I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Yes, the house did sell finally, after a stint with a rent-to-own tenant, much marketing, and the realization that I never wanted to sell anything “for retail” again. 

Yet, for some reason that is still not entirely clear to me, when this same attorney asked if I wanted to get my real estate license and work as an agent for her, I agreed. 

Wait. Scratch that. I know why I said yes to her. Because I was scared. Rehabbing the house had drained what little financial resources my wife and I had; we were in debt; and I still felt I didn’t know the first thing about successful investing (nor did my attorney). 

Fast forward…

More than a year and a half later, having earned exactly $0 in commissions (save for about $600 I made renting an apartment), and having been shut out of the sole short sale I steadily worked on for this attorney, I walked away. 

I puttered around, read some books, tried to formulate some plans. Nothing much materialized. In retrospect, there was no reason anything much should have materialized. I was still waiting for something to happen. 

A few months passed; I grew increasingly fearful. I heard through the grapevine about a job working as a copy editor for a website. It was supposed to be part time, maybe 20 hours a week. I could work from home. We needed the money. 

One weekend while my wife and son were out of town, I went, interviewed, and got the job. I started within a few days. 

Soon, a few hours a day turned to eight hours a day. Then ten hours a day. One day—a Christmas Eve—I worked from nine in the morning until almost midnight. It wasn’t that the work was backbreaking, or difficult, or even all that stressful—although I was on a constant deadline. No, the job wasn’t those things. What it was, however, was something that has characterized every job I have ever held: It was soul sucking! I hated it. It took the “me” out of me, and over the course of the near year’s time I was there, my life spiraled downward. 

It was somewhere in there that I almost quit it all. I don’t know what exactly, but I know that a part of me just about gave up on myself completely. I almost gave up on my abilities, on my family, on my future, my entrepreneurial dreams—everything. I really almost lost it all. 

And it was there, when I was at the edge and looking down, that I finally did quit. I quit that miserable job as I had so many others. 

But it wouldn’t be until nearly a couple years later that I’d come to understand why I’d held onto that job so tightly in the face of my disintegrating life, when the thing that I really needed to let go was the easiest to release of all. 

Believe this and you cannot fail; “As long as I KNOW I’m going to make it happen (a deal, this business, whatever), whatever holds me back (poor credit and/or no money) is immaterial to accomplishing my goals. In fact, I am BLESSED to have this challenge (poor credit and/or no money) because since I KNOW I will succeed that means I will have successfully defeated this challenge and developed skills and attributes (patience, tenacity, faith, creativity) that will take me far FURTHER than someone for whom this (credit/money) was not a problem. Nor will I, when I have bested this challenge (poor credit and/or no money) ever take what I have gained (good credit, wealth, financial independence) for granted and lose it– as some who never face challenges do. When you adopt this attitude you have on limit on your success. You must look beyond your circumstances to accomplish your goals no matter what obsticles you may face. There is always a choice either to give up or push through the challenge to find your dream. Seldom are we handed success, success comes from preparation, determination, and a mindset to win no matter what. In life we all face challenges either work, home, health, family, financial it dosen't matter it's how we react to these challenges that builds our character, our faith, and our will to win. It was said to me a long time ago if you put eveyone's worries, problems, challenges in a box you will pick your own. Meaning God gives you what you can handle and although you may think your problems are hugh as you look into that box you find many so much larger than yours that you decide to keep the ones you have. In order to succeed you must keep getting up, no matter how many time you have been knocked down you must stand up one more time. No one said life or success would be easy it takes focus. Place that goal in front of you at all times don't be jaded by people trying to discourage you it's your dream not theirs. Go and make it happen. Through out our lives we are helped by those that encourage us parents, teachers, coaches and friends. Each of these people can encourage or discourage be careful who you associate with. Are you looking for mentorship, encouragement, support, and to be associated with like minded real estate professionals then come check out theRealdealcomunity.com here you will find thousands of fellow real estate professionals which you can comunicate with to learn, share and educate yourself and others. The real deal comunity is packed with free educational material and downlaods for you to learn from and it's all free. So check it out at realdealcomunity.com i'll see you there.

Congratulations to ALL the candidates that made it to the TOP 70 ... But our journey is not yet over. Are we ready to take it to the next level? Are we in the right mindset to do what it takes to succeed; to step outside our comfort zones; and PUSH through our mental barriers?

May I ask, how far are we willing to explore opportunities for possible solutions? Are we willing to expand our thought process and look beyond those immediate or instinctive conclusions programmed in our mind in order to see rare opportunities as they present themselves, or are we going to let them slip by?

I would like to share a couple of examples on missed or possibly missed opportunities (the first fictional, the second more factual). My friend just got married and invited me to stay when the other guests were thinning out. The normal and considerate reaction would be to excuse myself because even though invited, I realized or concluded the newlyweds were already tired and need privacy. But giving further thought, I realized the bride and groom knew more how they felt then my foregone conclusion and I graciously decided to stay … and boy was I glad I did. My friend learned that his marriage released a sizeable trust fund that he wanted to invest with me when he returned from his 3 month honeymoon. My friend could have easily offered this to another friend who is also involved in real estate investments, and probably would have if I offended him by declining his offer.

This example is better played out on a real life real estate transaction. I was attempting to purchase a home in foreclosure. I analyzed and tried everything I could to buy this home, but I couldn’t get the numbers to work and had to pass on the deal. The next day, another investor friend, (lets call him Bob … the one that got married) was telling me about this smoking hot deal he just found and he was going to make a ton of money. I asked Bob about the property he bought and you can imagine my surprise when he told me it was the same one I had been working on. I told Bob that I hope he had not made a mistake because I couldn’t get the numbers to work for that property. Bob looked at me, smiled, and said "I know … But did you know about the other two free and clear properties this owner was willing to sell with this property"?

You could have knocked me over with a feather. Don’t let your preprogrammed thought processes prevent you from making deals. We are solution providers. The only way we can solve a problem is to understand what the real motivation is. Unfortunately, the true motivation may not always be what is presented or represented to us, but something a little deeper or distant. We cannot solve the REAL problem until we know what it is. In business, we have to be open to ALL possibilities and NOT try to make everything fit in the same box (If that’s your goal, I just read McDonalds is planning to hire 50,000 people). If we’re looking for creative solutions, we have to look beyond what is being presented to us … We should not draw our conclusions based on the outward appearance as the real motivation or opportunity may not be readily apparent.

Herein lies the real opportunity of the Mastermind Community being formed within the HIS Real Deal Network. After 55 years, my brain has been programmed by society, faith and our education system. While I understand I must now adopt the "Millionaire Mindset", it does not happen with the flip of a switch. This is true whether your mind has been programmed for 20 years or 70 years. But, if we tap into the seemingly unlimited talent represented in this group, we will create a Mastermind that will be greater than an individual or even the sum of our collective minds. We will be able to help each other with skills we each cannot obtain and vision of opportunities we may not all see. This should be the focus or our networking as we move to the final 36. Which of us is going to compliment the final MASTERMIND GROUP?

I look forward to your thoughts. God Bless.

Hello everyone,

It's an excellent day in sunny South Florida! I wanted to write a blog about mindset. We all have the same 24 hours in a day like everyone else and the great people that came before us. It's how we see and deal with the day-to-day situations that comes up.

 It's our mindset, how we see things, our positive energy and the way we treat others. We can all achieve our goals and desires by hard work, faith, determination, persistence, consistence, motivation and a positive mindset. Without a positive mindset, goals can only take you so far.

Remember what Henry Ford said, "Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right". In order to get what you desire, remain positive, focused and always know you can do whatever the mind can conceive. Everyone be bless and make it a great day!


Regards,
Dara C

That's up to you. After realizing that I am a Determined, Confident, Persistent individual committed to doing whatever it takes to accomplish my "Promises", you will be satisfied with your decision. I have been through so, so much in the past.

It all began in 1991, when the traumatic injury occured(you may read all about it under the "Introduction" to the book AchievingYourPromises, How To Reverse Your Circumstances and Realize Your Dreams at the Web site. I was in the hospital the entire summer of 1991. The hospital didn't even know if I was going to survive. It didn't stop there though.

I came home in a wheel chair and had no idea that things would be the way they were. I had to relearn how to walk, talk, move my muscles(go through rehabilitation, along with special schooling), a lot about life, the way to communicate with others, the way to respond in certain situations, why I should and shouldn' do certain things, and the list goes on. Those things in life caused arguing, disappointments, loss of friends, fist fights at school, crying of both me and other people,  and a lot of rough times in the past.

Since then I have been growing continuously every single day. The way to grow is by understanding you're going to make mistakes. You have to learn and grow. Making mistakes and continuing to move fwd. every day is the only way you're going to succeed! I have seen at least 25 top named individuals in the past motivating me, keeping me positive, and asissting me on my journey here on Earth. I have spent thousands of dollars($$$) listening to those speakers, buying courses, and spending money to do what they taught me.

Started a business Patton Properties Inc. in 2004($$$). I bought my first house in June 2005.  After learning everything about creative real estate investing from people like Ron LeGrands, John Adams, Don DeRosa, Rob Lett, Peter Conti and David Finkel, Robert Shemin, Dwan and Bill Twyford, Luther Ragsdale, J.G. Banks, Russ Whitney, and Robert Allen($$$), just to name a few, I was ready to do a lease option for the first time. Well, it didn't work. I was scared and I couldn't find anyone interested in a l/o. I studied about forwclosures, subject to, buy and hold, assign the contract, tax liens, short sale, etc. I ended up buying the house by getting a loan and putting down a large amount of money.

Then I had to find a tenant. I wanted a tenant buyer. Well, the peerson I eventually found didn't have enough money to put down, so I just had a tenant. After only five months they weren't paying their monthly rent, so I had to go to the courthouse, fill out the paperwork, wait another 30 days because I wanted the money they owed, get them evicted after 30 days, then get a garnishment of wages, and then I was back at step one.

I still had no one in the house (5BR/3.5BA) that I bought at a discount, although I was losing money daily! I then decided to sell the house. Tried Buy Owner($$$), that didn't work, then used Prudential($$$), and they eventually found a buyer. This person wasn't willing to pay even close to what was being asked, although in the end we negotiated on a fair amount. After two years of heartache I had finally sold the house.

It was a complete nightmare! I had to get out of real estate. It wasn't for me at the time. I have all this knowledge and I'm unable to put it to work for me. I was wondering why everything was happening the way it was.

Then in 2007 I started another business Achieving Your Promises, LLC($$$). Taking all of the knowledge and experiences I have learned in the past at all the seminars I was ready to show others  what they need to do to succeed. I have the persistence, determination, confidence, the right attitude, level of energy, and mindset to accomplish anything I set my mind to. I have a never give up attitude, I do take risks, I'm learning more and more every day, I continue to make mistakes, luckily not as many now as earlier on in my life, I realize the best way to get something done is by working with others, being persitent, working as a team,  and it is all about "Staying Positive!" If you're not growing, you're dying, You must be willing to take that extra step that others have the opportunity to take advantage of, although they watch it pass by.

I have surrounded myself with positive people since 2004 when I started working with Peak Potentials for four yeears and I will continue speaking to positive people and inspiring them to become the best they can be!

This encounter between us will benefit both of us. I will give you 111% of my effort doing everything exactly as you want it done, I will follow all the instructions by listening to what you say  precisely, and  I will continue to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to succeed while helping out others at the same time!

Timothy Ryan Patton
www.AchievingYourPromises.com
www.AskTimothyPatton.com
www.LifeChangingSeminar.com
www.Facebook.com/TimothyRyanPatton
www.MySpace.com/TimothyRyanPatton

Who wants to be a Millionaire?  If you didn't scream, ME!, automatically or raise your hand and jump out of your seat, then stop reading this right now...because you don't have the true desire to be financially free YET.

Alright, now that we've weeded out the bad apples...lets go......What do millionaire's have that others don't?

Free time to hang on their yacht in the Carribean?  Thousand dollar bottles of wine on their private jet? 

No.  well, Yes, but that's not my point.  They have a Millionaire's MINDSET.  Everyday, in every way, they stick to it and don't look back.  If you are broke and want to be a Millionaire, you have to THINK like a Millionaire.  The 'Fake it 'till you Make it' technique really does work if you know how to use it. 

No one knows how much you have in your back account.  and really, no one cares.  When you're talking to a seller, buyer, JV partner, realtor or anyone on your power team for that matter, (you do have a power team don't you?) all that matters is that you conduct your business with integrity and get the job done.   The people who work with you do so because of your ability, personality, and desire to make things right, NOT because of how much money you have or what clubs you can get them into.

Trump, Kiyosaki, Eker, Branson, Buffett....Aside from most of them being Billionaires, what do they all have in common?  They are BOLD.  Whatever they do, they do it with Passion, Intensity and Excitement.  Wouldn't you want to hang out and do business with people like that?  YES, you would.  Be who you want to be and you will eventually become the person you always knew you were.

Be Free.

-Adam Walker
Millionaire in Training
www.MMMChallenge.com
www.TheKingofTheCity.com
www.RealDealLouisville.com