Please accept a heartfelt “thank you” for this awesome site. I sincerely believe it is the extra encouraging push I sorely needed to do my first deal. I first became interested in creative real estate investing a little over a year ago when I ordered the Carleton Sheets course.
I really enjoyed studying it and I would still recommend it because I like his outlook. I was, however, a bit overwhelmed and didn’t quite know where to start or where to look for others attuned to creative real estate concepts. I look back now and realize that the Carleton Sheets course is best used as a springboard for ongoing creative real estate education and training.
Almost a year later, I discovered CRE Online and just ate it up! I read the Real Estate Forum posts and the How-To Articles until my eyes where sore (which I still do). Reading this site nearly everyday helped keep me up through the times when I’ve felt a little discouraged and seemed to be surrounded by “Chicken Littles.” The investors who contribute to this site are so helpful and positive.
This site also helped me realize that I need to focus my energy on one or two specific areas of real estate investing at a time and go from there. That’s just the way I work best–systematically.
I decided to go with Lonnie’s book first, Deals On Wheels, and after devouring it in 24 hours, my resolution was confirmed… That if this kind of positive, creative attitude, and encouraging generosity are any indication of what people in creative real estate investing are like, then this business is for me.
Last month, a fellow named Brian was asking a question on the Main Forum about his “Lonnie deal” that he was doing here in Sacramento. I was so happy to see someone here in my town doing Lonnie deals. Then other posts followed from investors interested in funding the deals. This was really cool, and one of the investors was here in Northern California. These posts, and our subsequent emails back & forth really helped energize me.
Within a week, I had a contract on a 2bd 1.5ba mobile home, and about 2 weeks later, a buyer purchased it from me with $1,000 down and financing @ 12.75%. It isn’t that the numbers are so astounding ($6,500 purchase price, $9,800 selling price), but that first deal is done.
And one of the investors that posted here purchased part of the income stream from me for $4,000. Before the new buyer moved in, two even better offers came in…one for $8,800 cash! At first I kept saying, “Whoa, I could’ve done even better,” and the park manager says to me, “You’re learning.”
Well, please bear with the long message. Just wished to directly thank you and everyone involved with this website. It really does seem like a family.