Justin B. McClelland

It’s like day 5 into this “get a buyer’ race.  I’ve got the properties advertised in quite a few places now. CraigsList, Facebook, etcetera.  I put out some signs about them also.  I took a different approach to signs this time…more of a “damn I’m broke as hell, how am I gonna buy signs” approach, but I made it happen…I guess that’s all that counts.  I even came up with a way to create a cheap lockbox for about $10.  I’ll create some how-to’s on both of those when I get the time to….like in November 2012 or something…the way things are looking.

I even went with something extra for the yard of each property….check it out:

Man…after putting this big-ass sign in the yard, my phone has been blowing-up!  I even may have a buyer, a young couple said that they want to take it…but the downfall is they want to get financing.  May not be a deal-breaker I’m learning…we shall see.  But anyway…for the next time I’m putting a bigger sign out….and I’ll probably tie balloons to it now that I know how good it works I’ma go all out.

Last time I went to the gas station, I literally emptied out my ash-tray to come up with an extra 2.46 to go with the 6 bucks I had in bills.  I know the gas-station attendant was pissed-off…sucked to be him.  He should just be glad the entire 8.46 wasn’t in coins.  I’ll save that for next time.  I’ll make sure I go back when it’s his shift.  And what the hell does 8.46 in gas get you?  Like 2 squirts…I should sell my car and buy a motorcycle.  8.46 in gas gets me through like one day in Saint Louis versus like 4 days in Champaign.  I kinda miss that.  Or maybe get a scooter…hmmm.  When’s the last time you saw someone on a scooter and said, “Wow, that’s a cool-ass scooter”?  Yeah…exactly.  You can’t be cool on a scooter.  Scratch the scooter idea.

But no seriously, I think I’ve found a niche.  How to invest in real estate with your broke-ass. LOL…I crack myself up.  I think that’s going to be the title of the book I write (because I am going to write a book you know).

How to Invest in Real Estate with your broke-ass.
By Justin McClelland

I’ll have one of those author photos with me wearing a turtle-neck and sitting on a stool barefoot…and I’ll have a manufactured smile on my face and my arms crossed.  You know…the standard author motif.  I can see it in Borders now.  Seriously, I’m copyrighting that t…don’t steal my shit.

But really.  Seriously.  When you’re as broke as I am, your brain is forced to coming up with ways to get the job done.  Once I get some of these damn deals closed and have time, I’ll detail how I got’er done.

- I’m out

Marketing broke-ass, Marketing and Advertising, Motorcycle, Scooter

The week’s almost over and I need to get this accountability post in.  It’ll be a quick one.

Let’s see.

I was supposed to get 12 MLS offers out, distribute 50 brochures, and post 5 flyers.  Well, I got 29 MLS (expired) offers out, I only got about 30 brochures out and I was able to post 2 flyers.  So does that balance out to meeting my goals?  Nah…it doesn’t.  I think the trick is to not try and do all of this in one mission.  I think that’s where I’m getting caught-up.  From now on, I’ll just do what I can each day and pace myself, instead of deferring these tasks for completion all in one day.  Again, I’ll keep these goals constant for next week.  I need to add to this list…so I’ll think about what else I should be doing weekly.

There’s a helluvalot more that I could post about right now, but I’m going to save some of it for later.  Besides it may take 3 hours (that I can’t spare now) to write.  I mean I got some real entertaining shit.  The type of stuff that newbie’s quit real estate after going through.  But worry not.  I’ve never quit anything in life because of difficulty…sure ain’t about to start now (I mean who does that by the way? Quitters suck at life and always will because they habitually quit…but I digress).

But enough about that nonsense.  I’ve got big things on tap.  Let’s just say that March 12th should be a great day.

- I’m Out

P.S.
Champaign is just not ready for what I’m about to do!  The “Takeover” is near!  To clarify my point, check out this clip from the prestigious, illustrious, and all-time classic film “The Mack“.  Let me break it down for you.  Here is the analogy.  I’m “Goldie” (the pimp in the red with the shades on), the competition is “Pretty Tony”(the pimp in all black), and the motivated sellers is the uhm…”employee” (only girl in the scene).  And…….ACTION

Accountability, Random, Real Estate Accountability, Marketing and Advertising

It’s official, I’m 29 years old now and I have exactly 1 year left to reach my 7-figure net worth goal. I’ve come a long way from where I was last year, but I still have quite a ways to go. My strategy remains the same as it was a year ago; wholesale properties until I have a positive net worth of approximately 30K and then diversify by investing in short-sales and rentals. In October of 2010, I’ll be investing with a partner in tax lien certificates. I also have an internet marketing company in the works.  So the 1M won’t all come from Real Estate.  I admit, my plan is somewhat vague at the moment, however I realize now that trying to calculate every move is a wasted effort. For me, it’s best that I just have a template of a plan and adapt when necessary.

1 year, 1 million dollars. Sounds like a stretch, but seriously that’s not even that much money. This time next year maybe all of my friends will truly understand why I spent nearly every weekend and weeknight for two years working towards my business. But right now, I don’t think they get it.

So on to current events…I was all excited about my brochures and my flyers until it was pointed out that there is a word redundancy within them. They have the headline, “Need to sell your your house fast”. That was kind of a buzz kill. But oh well, I honestly didn’t notice and the damn things are already printed. I brought it up to the designer and she offered to have them reprinted. But granted that she charged me about 1/3 of what she could’ve charged, I wasn’t going to do that to her. The reprint probably would’ve taken her profit and left her in the red. So we negotiated a company-credit towards the next project. I feel like that was fair.

I also met with owner of the rental property today and made an offer for her property at about 70% of ARV. The house doesn’t really need any repairs and is ready for renters so I felt like it was best to not make her an extreme lowball offer, it’s pretty turn-key. She still felt like the offer was low, but I explained my reasoning. I completely explained that to buy it ‘right now’ I’d have to pick it up at a discount. I also told her that she’d be able to get close to full retail if she listed the house with a Realtor, but I also explained that it may not sell until Spring of 2010. So I was very glad that she was receptive and understood my numbers and motives. I was most nervous about how that would go.  She said that she’d run the offer past her lawyer tomorrow and contact me either way. This should be interesting.

I’m fearful that a 30% discount isn’t as ideal as a 40% or higher discount for my buyers, of course. However, my logic is that the house is ready to go. No exaggerations, renters could move in tomorrow. So, that’s got to count for something. I plan on taking a small spread on this, since I think there’s little room. What are the thoughts that yall have on this? It’s not a smoking HOT deal, but it seems pretty solid to me (that’s if she agrees and signs the contract)

Welp…365 days to go.  The heat has been officially turned up.  It’s time to definitely go harder in all facets of life (like I’m not already going hard).  I’m about to go Lil Wayne on ‘em.  Lil Wayne puts out a mixed-tape with new music almost monthly.  He is one of the best Hip Hop artists to have ever done it.  And he is a self-proclaimed workaholic.  He inspires me…believe it or not.

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Real Estate Internet Marketing, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising, Net worth, Property

Okay, so after my post last night, I took immediate action.  I bugged a college friend who is a marketing wiz (MBA) and does graphic design until I finally got in touch with her via phone earlier today.  I ran my concept past her, as far as needing a brochure to put on houses explaining that I buy houses fast.  I’m leaving the graphics and marketing concept completely up to her as I know she’ll knock it out of the park.  She just started her own marketing company and I’m glad I’m getting to her early, because once she’s established she will cost an arm and a leg.  I’ve seen some of her past work and I know she’ll do good with this.  I’ll hopefully be able to outsource some other marketing materials to her too.  I like to find someone who does good work and stick with them.

I also, posted an ad on CraigsList that I needed someone to post those brochures to houses in select Urbana, Illinois neighborhoods.  It took me like 15 minutes to figure out what to offer as far as pay.  I quoted $100 per neighborhood and asked for resume and references.  May have overbid.  I know it’s a low skilled job, but I need someone who isn’t as dumb as a box of rocks and will be accountable, so that’s what I’m willing to pay for.  Because technically, there isn’t a feasible way that I know of to follow up on the work completed.  It’s not like I’m going to drive each neighborhood and check for the door hangers.  I need someone who is trustworthy right off of the bat and it looks like I’ll just have to screen to my best ability to get that person.

The door hanger brochures are just one more facet to my marketing strategy.  In my Preston Ely ebook, he said that nothing is going to start happening until you take MASSIVE action, so that’s the plan from here on out.  No more, half-assness.  Not that I was ever doing that, but it’s full blast from now on.  This advertising is getting expensive, I’ll just have to suck it up and keep living like a college student until things start to pop.

Business, Marketing Graphic design, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising, Preston Ely