Lamar The Investor's Real Estate Blog

This BLOG Has Been Moved!

2009-03-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

Click Here Now To Check Out Our New Blog & Website!

What Can You Take From Obama's Speech Last Night?

2008-08-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

"How a Barack Obama Speech Motivated Me To Keep Pushing Forward In My Real Estate Business And My Own Personal Life?"
"Listen To The Audio Below As I Extract Some Key Points From the Obama Speech That You Can Use As Pure Motivation & Inspiration For Your Real Estate Business Or Your Own Personal Life"

Note: The following audio message is in no way, shape, or form intended to influence or sway your own political views. You have every right to vote for whomever you want to. This is not a Political Audio, but more of my own personal analysis of a Speech that I feel you can relate to whether you’re for Obama or not…

Turn up your speakers…Just not too loud! (trust me...lol)

Audio won't play? Listen HERE!

Time: Less than 10 minutes
Recorded: Live in Woodbridge, VA at 8:12 am EST :-)

Visit http://www.cashbuyersondemand.com/ after you listen to the audio message above.

and

Visit http://www.hotleadsondemand.com/ after you listen to the audio message above.

No Relation!

Hope you enjoyed my analysis...

To Your Success,
J.Lamar Ferren
New Breed Real Estate Investor

How To Call 100 Motivated Leads in a matter of minutes...

2008-08-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

How To Call 100 Motivated Leads in a matter of minutes for less than $4 bucks and save tons of time in the process.

Update: Time is UP, but...for those of you who join my Investor List, I'll hook you up with a Free Real Estate Course!

Note: If the countdown clock has expired before you sign up, then My Free Gift Giveaway will not be available.

Turn Up Your Speakers and click "Play" to find out why I'm giving you this info for FREE!

From the Desk of: J.Lamar Ferren
Date: Saturday August 23rd, 2008

Dear Fellow Investor,

ow would you like to know a way to call hundreds of motivated sellers in a matter of minutes for pennies on the dollar?

I'll tell you when I first heard about this, I was a bit skeptical and wondered if it would actually work. However, when I got over that excuse that was holding me back, I got out of my comfort zone and went for it!

The results were amazing!

I never thought that 1 single person could call hundreds of sellers in a matter of minutes and not have to break an arm and a leg!

Now I bet you're wondering.... How I did it right?

Well, Let's cut to the chase....

In a hurry? http://www.hotleadsondemand.com/

Here's how I Did it...

First, I grabbed my computer and went through dozens of FREE Classified Avertising Websites & For Sale By Owner Websites and cherry picked all the motivated sellers I could find. Now I didn't do this in one sitting!

I spread it out over the course of a week. Just collecting 10-20 phone numbers per day. It took maybe a hour.... 2 hours tops! Not only that, I also used my local Newspaper that had all kinds of Motivated FSBO's!

After gathering well over 100 phone numbers, I placed them into a spreadsheet. (Microsoft Excel). I separated it into 2 columns. One column for the name and the other column for the phone number.

Here's how it looked:

Just simple copying and pasting from the numbers on the computer and a little bit of typing from the numbers in the newspaper and I was set!

Next I did a 30 -60 second recording of a my voice with a message that I would want motivated sellers to hear that would entice them to call me back... I made up a little script...

Nothing too fancy, just straight to the point.

"Hi this is Lamar and I'm a Real Estate Investor calling about your home for sale that I saw... blah blah blah" ----End of recording...---

Done!

Ok, so I had my spreadsheet with my phone numbers and my voice recording. By the way, this whole process is doesn't even take long! 10-15 minutes. In fact, I'll personally help you set it up, but you really don't need it. No Technical Experience is needed at all. But will talk about that in a bit...

Anyway, now it was time for me to upload my spreadsheet and my voice recording. After saving both files to my computer, I logged into the Voice BroadCast system and uploaded both files with a click of a button.

I'm sure you saw this button before:

After I uploaded both files, it was time for me to schedule the call. That particular call was scheduled for Saturday at 10:00am EST. Once the voice broadcast was scheduled, it was time to press the start button. (By the way, I scheduled this the day before. You can literally schedule these calls weeks or even months in advance, depending on how often you want to do it. Or you can schedule it hours in advance. It doesn't matter. That's how simple it is!)

At exactly 10:00pm EST, I saw....

Voice Broadcast in progress...

Dialing 100 phone numbers....

Live Answers: X

Answering Machines: Y

It showed me how many people answered there phone and how many calls went straight to the answering machine. The awesome thing was that the Voice Broadcast system was set up to handle both.

In a hurry? http://www.hotleadsondemand.com/

As my message went out, I patiently waited.... and waited.... and waited. After 20 minutes I started getting impatient... Thinking is this thing going to work or what??

Then it happened....

Ring! Ring! Ring!

As I picked up the phone and responded to the first motivated seller, everything was going great. Then 8 minutes into that call.... Beep Beep! (Call waiting!) Another call.... I ignored it and let it go to voice mail. Then another call, and another Beep Beep...(Call waiting) than another and another and another!!!

My phone was literally getting blown up.

Not only that... Stupid me accidentally ran 2 voice broadcasts at once and I had my voice mail line getting blown up too! This line was set up to go straight to voicemail, which was what I wanted to use anyway, but again...Stupid me, right. lol Each time someone called, I got an email from my voicemail line.

Here's what that looked like. Notice the area codes. Rember I'm an Equal Opportunity Investors. A New Breed Investor who invests Nationwide:

And again, this was aside from all the people calling into my Cell Phone! The first call on the voicemail actually came in at around 10:08am EST. The first call to my cell phone came in at 10:24 am EST. 2 separate vocie broadcasts. 2 separate lists. Same message! The other list only had like 50 or so numbers on there...

These are Real Results. But it wasn't the calls that made the day. It was the amount of deals I was able to put together. It was truly amazing.

In a hurry? http://www.hotleadsondemand.com/

Now I want to make one thing very clear! Just because I called 100 motivated Sellers does not mean I got 100 Calls back! Understand that some people may have not been as motivated, some people may have not listened to the entire message and some people may have been too busy at the time. Not to mention there were some bad numbers in the bunch, but I didn't get charged for those so it didn't matter. Another thing is that people will get back to you when it's convenient fo r them. This is the reason why my phone was ringing non-stop for the next several days!

That's when I realized the power of this system.

The funny thing was that I could literally do it all over again with the same list. This time all I had to do was remove the numbers that called me back from the spreadsheet... and then send out the same exact message! I didn't even have to upload the files again. I set it up once and it was good for life! All I needed to do was schedule the call and press that "Start Button".

So how much did this all cost?

How much did it really cost to call hundreds of sellers in a matter of minutes and get the results i did?

I can tell you based on 100 sellers, it only cost me $12.00...

That's right! $12 measly old bucks! .12 cents per LEAD.

However, that was the old system....

Now fast forward to August 2008 and I stumbled upon a new system. They only charge 3.9 cents per minute and I don't even have to scramble for the numbers any more. (Although I don't mind doing that...) Can you believe it? All the time I spent (Ok, so it was only like 1 -2 hrs per day) looking through newspapers and free ad sites, and now I stumbled upon a system that provides the LEADS for you and only charges 3.9 cents per successfuly connected lead!

We're talking about all types of leads! Home Business leads, leads for realtors, leads for legal businesses, leads for just about everything! And again, they only charged 3.9 cents per lead. Which meant that I could literally call 100 leads and it would only cost me $3.90! That's it! Holy Smokes!

On top of that, there is an income opportunity wrapped around this entire system. You know how much I love multiple streams of income! I'll let you check that out for yourself!

Let me be upfront with you. This system will require an investment on your part! However, the good thing is that you get to sign up for FREE and see what it's all about beforehand. You also get live support Monday - Thursday and you get to ask questions before you even think about getting started! You'll see the details for that when you sign up!

-No More Cold Calling!

-No More Rejection!

-No More Wasting your Valuable Time!

-No Technical Experience Needed

And again, you get full support!

This is truly a breakthrough in my business and I hope it will be for yours. Just click the button below and sign up for FREE!

I'll personally help you set up your first Voice Blast Campaign. If you need help after that, I'll be here, but once you see how easy it is, you'll feel confident enough to do it yourself. You also get support from the technical staff.

Look, I know this system works and I know you'll love it and be successful at it, but only if you take the necessary action! That's right, it will ultimately be up to you!

Only you can leverage the true potential of this system. I'm here if you need help.

You know what to do now!

Visit www.HotLeadsOnDemand.com and get started for FREE!

To Your Success,

J.Lamar Ferren
New Breed Real Estate Investor

Ps. This will save tons of time: http://www.hotleadsondemand.com/

Why talking to "Motivated Sellers" can be frustrating...

2008-08-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

Why cold calling "Motivated Sellers"

can be frustrating and how you can realistically call 100 "Motivated Sellers" in a matter of minutes for

less than $4 bucks!

If you're sick of cold calling, then here is an inexpensive alternative!

From the Desk of: J.Lamar Ferren, Sr.

Date: Sunday, August 17th, 2008

Hello Fellow Investors,

Lamar here and I have to ask...Do you get frustrated when cold-calling Motivated sellers?

I know I do. I literally wasted 28 minutes of my life this past Friday (August 15th, 2008). But I sacrificed that 28 minutes to once again prove a point...

Here's what happened...

This past friday I was on the phone with a fellow investor who is a member of my Investor List. I was helping them out with some cold calls as we were looking to put some nice deals together. Now, let me make it very clear that I have nothing against cold calling and I enjoy it.

However, I do know most investors HATE cold calling and I know exactly why....

Back to the story!

***************************************************

In a hurry? Click here to find out exactly how you can call

100 Motivated Sellers in a mater of minutes for less than

$4.00 bucks
***************************************************

So, this investor and I did a 3 way call to a "Motivated Seller" named Ron.

Ron had a home in Texas that was said to be worth $105,000 and he was looking to get exactly that.

As we began the call, I introduced myself:

Lamar: Hi, My name is Lamar... Can I speak to Ron Please? (My fellow investor is listening silently in the background...)

Ron: Hey Lamar, how's it going....

Lamar: I'm doing Ok....Is this a good time to call? (Asking this question first will show that you respect their time).

Ron: Oh yeah sure, It's fine...

Lamar: Ok great! So, Can you tell me a little bit about the home? (This is where I just shut up and listen...)

Ron: Sure, it's a gorgeous 3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom home, downstairs you'l find a lovely living room and.... (As Ron goes on about his home, I'm listening to every word, so I know what to ask next. I don't use a script, nor do I recommend it. If you have to use one, then use it as a guide only)

Lamar: Sounds nice! Are there any Repairs?

Ron: None

Lamar: How much do you think it's worth? Or What are other homes selling for in your area that are similar to yours?

Ron: I think it's worth about $105,000

Lamar: Ok, and what are you asking for it?

Ron: I'm asking somewhere around that...(1st clue of Non-Motivation...But let's keep going)

3-5 minutes into the call...

Lamar: Ahh ok, so you want full retail value?

Ron: Absolutely, I'm not pressed to sell it fast. I'm not in any type of desperate situation that would require me to lower the price... (This is normally the first sign of an Unmotivated Seller and is usually when I begin to wrap the call, but I kept going because my fellow investor was still listening and now I felt I had to prove a point about a mistake that many new investors make at this part in the call)

Lamar: Oh ok, so...You're looking to make money on this or you just want to get rid of it?

Ron: Oh absolutely! I can keep this thing on the Market for the next 5 years if I wanted to. I own it Free & Clear by the way... (At this point, I'm ready to cut the call, but I couldn't help it...)

5-7 minutes into the call...

Lamar: Got it! Well, I'm an Investor and I have a special program that will help me sell your home in literally 2 weeks. I'm not looking for a huge discount or anything like that, but I am an Investor and I need to make some money in this deal. I'm also looking for the most efficient way to help you. By giving you full value, that wouldn't be possible. The highest I can pay is....$85,000 (That was an offer of 85% LTV. Most motivated sellers would jump on this right away. How many Investors do you know that can pay that much?)

Ron: No that won't work.... Maybe $95,000 (Just dropped him $10K...) Well....Again, I'm not in any desperate situation, so thats the lowest I'm willing to go. I'm an investor too and it wouldn't make sense to except anything less than what it's worth.... Blah Blah Blah

***************************************************
In a hurry? Click here to find out exactly how you can call
100 Motivated Sellers in a mater of minutes for less
than $4.00 bucks

***************************************************

Ok, so I kept going on an on, telling him that I could definitely help him out and how I had the best strategy alive and every time he pushed me away, I kept coming at him at this angle and that angle....

After 28 rough minutes of being rejected over and over again... We finally ended the call!

The investor on the call with me was frustrated... I just laughed it off and said..."Ok, I did that on purpose and I want to let you know why..."

I knew 5 minutes into the call that he was not a motivated seller. I kept pressing on to prove a point that talking to unmotivated sellers can be a very frustrating process if you don't identify it early on. By listening for the seller's motivation you can determine early on if you should proceed with the call or not. I normally never make an offer on the first call, unless I have to.

On top of that, if the seller is NOT in a desperate situation to move, then it is a key indicator. Now, you don't have to be desperate to want to sell, but you do have to be motivated. Ron acted as if he didn't have a care in the world whether he sold his house or not. That is not a Problem that I can solve. When I'm contacting motivated sellers, I'm looking for problems. Problems that I know I can provide solutions for. Problems like Job Transfers, Divorces, double mortgages, default payments, no equity, death in the family, etc. All these problems can be solved through Creative Real Estate Investing...

Also, not many Motivated sellers are looking to make loads of money on a property. (At least the ones I speak to.) If there is room in the deal for them to make money, then I have no problem with the seller making money. But if they're in a situation where it won't make sense... then I'm looking to get what I can out of the deal and quickly solve their problem. Usually a "Motivated" Seller will just want to get rid of the property.

The bottom line was that Ron was not a Motivated Seller.

You can save a lot of time and heartache by being able to identifying the clues early on.

It's funny because you know you can truly help these people and you know you have the solution to help them sell their home fast, but the problem is how do you get it though their head... If they don't want your help, then move onto the next. There are literally millions of homes for sell Nationwide. Someone out there needs your help! Somone out there needs you to solve their problem!

For those of you that could care less about cold calling and absolutley hate it. Click Here for the alternative solution!

Warning: This is the Most Dangerous Real Estate Video ever...

2008-07-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Warning: Proceed with caution!

This is Part 2

If you missed Part 1, don't worry because Part 2 will release everything.

You need to watch this Part 2 video now. You'll probably end up watching it twice... That's how crucial this is.

See Below...

Turn Up Your Speakers and Realax!

Urgent Video: For Newbie Investor Eyes Only-

2008-07-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

This Message is Urgent!! Watch the video below that I created for you!

After you watch the video go to www.LamarBuysHomes.com and Contact me

Today Only: JULY 10th, 2008. (New Date!)

I'll be up real late tonight, so contact me NOW! This could really take your Real Estate Investing Career to the next level. I'm sure you've heard that before, but I only speak the truth and if you're on my Investor List, then you should know I'm shooting you straight. I'm willing to personally call you and speak with you about this.

------------------------------------------------------------

Also, The 1:36 Second Life Changing Video. Check it out now & join our Special Group on Facebook. No Cost to you at all for this group! 200-300 people signed up for this group in 2 weeks. That should say something about how Powerful this is and it's No Cost, No CATCH!

What is Web 2.0?

2008-07-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

"Why You Should Jump On The Web 2.0 Wave?"

"It's mostly FREE anyway...!!"

Update!! I listened to a special Web 2.0 Social Media Marketing call with Alisha Wright. My Mentor interviewed her and it was spectacular!

Check this out before you read my study.

No Selling on this call, just pure content: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/22585

-----------------------------

Let me start off by saying, that Web 2.0 is getting bigger & bigger and it cannot be ignored any longer! I'm only going to touch on a piece of Web 2.0 and how it pertains to Real Estate Investing and more importantly why you should care! So, let's start off with the meaning of Web 2.0, because I'm sure the question is just burning you inside...

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Click Here to Return to the June Silver Platter Deals Newsletter
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

What the heck, is Web 2.0, right?

WARNING: DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED. THIS IS SIMPLE TO SET UP AND MAINTAIN!

Some say WEB 2.0 is just a buzz word....

Some say it's garbage....

Some say they have no idea or they could care less...

------------------

But I say, it's INGENIOUS!
I say it's Common Sense!
I say it's one of the largest tools you can use online!

**********************************************************************
I ASKED OTHER INVESTORS WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT IT ...
**********************************************************************

I ran 2 small Polls online about Web 2.O and here are the results.... Not too many voters, but check out the comments to see what other investors thought:

Poll Results/Comments 1: http://www.reiclub.com/forums/index.php/topic,37202.0.html

Poll 2 Results/Comments: http://www.wannanetwork.com/discussion/showthread.php?p=50375&posted=1#post50375

As you can see, everyone had there input and it was much appreciated either way.

**************************************
The Wikipedia Definition of Web 2.0
**************************************

If we look at the wikipedia definition of Web 2.0, here is what you'll see:

Web 2.0 is a term describing the trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and hosted services, such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.

*******************************************
The Main Elements in this definition are:
*******************************************

Enhanced Creativity
Information Sharing
Collaboration Among Users
Web Based Communities
Social Networking
Wikis
Blogs
Folksonomy

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Click Here to Return to the June Silver Platter Deals Newsletter
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Now if someone had no clue what folsonomies (social tags), web-based communities, wikis, blogs, etc... were, then this definition may appear vauge. But for those of you who know exactly what this definition is saying, this definition will likely appear to be broad!

At any rate, I'm going to dig into this definition and pick it apart for you in case it was unclear and I'm going to show you how it can apply to Real Estate Investing and turn into huge RESULTS for your biz. I'm talking on a level where deals and leads are coming to you from all angles, on a level where you can:

grow a nice size investor list to market your properties to or products.
Network with other Investors (Learn, Teach, and Grow with other Investors)
find motivated sellers faster (Or more importantly, have them find you! :-D )
even find motivated buyers faster! (Or have them find you! :-D )
Make money Faster!!! (You only make money by closing deals or sales, however you must plant the seeds!)

*****************************************************
In all actuality this can be applied to any business.
*****************************************************

First everything I've made bold above is the true basis of this definition. It's not vague at all, however it is a very broad definition. Not to worry though, because that's a good thing. I'm not going to go into some big drawn out boring speach on Web 2.0.

First, I"m just going to break it down in the form of the 5 W's.

Who: YOU!
What: The Internet (World Wide Web) & Web 2.0
When: Every second of every hour of every day! 365/24/7
Where: Well, there are sites like Blogger.com, Myspace, YouTube, etc. In fact do you recognize any of these logos below? Look closely...

Why: Why Not? More and more people are getting online everyday. There is a statistic floating around online that says 80% of people look for their homes online! Meaning they check out the internet, find a home they like, look at the pics and whatever information they see, then they likely contact the person who owns that online listing, so they can schedule an apointment to go see it in person.

Hmmm.....

If 80% of home buyers are searching for homes online, then why wouldn't you capitalize on that? Not saying that the 20% won't put $$ in your pocket, but I mean really.... Look at the numbers, it only increases the odds! And who the heck says that you can't have an online presence and an offline presense.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Click Here to Return to the June Silver Platter Deals Newsletter
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

How: Now how do you utilize this Web 2.0 stuff in your Real Estate Investing World, right? It's simple, you'll use it for Online Marketing.

******************************************************************
Is Barack Obama using Web 2.0? Why the heck should I care???

******************************************************************

Well, let me explain... People wonder how Barack Obama was able to raise so much money for his Marketing Campaign. Now whether you support Obama or not (and I'm not here to push you to the right or to the left), you have to admit that he is running a damn good marketing campaign. One of the reasons he has become so successful is because of the power of the internet. Is Barack Obama using Web 2.0? Yes, my friend he absolutely is. Maybe he doesn't even realize it... or maybe he does. Who knows and who cares... The fact of the matter is that you can do the same thing on a much smaller scale and still reap huge results.

If you look at his site he has practially everything that the wikipedia definition says:

First of all the appearance of his site (web design that aims to enhance creativity...) isn't too shabby, in my opinion. (Now let me be the first to tell you that you don't have to have fancy & pretty web designs to be successful with your own online real estate investing presence, however it definitely won't hurt...)

http://www.mybarackobama.com/

Second, look at his issues tab.... Now he's telling everyone his stance on each issue (Information sharing with text & Video You tube and other video sites) and he also has a BLOG!

ISSUES: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

BLOG: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog

Imagine you having a Real Estate Investing Website that would allow you to share information with your users/ visitors and plus they can read your blogs and see what you are about...

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Click Here to Return to the June Silver Platter Deals Newsletter
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Another thing he is doing is allowing his supporters to create their own blogs, schedule events in their area, donate money, etc. (collaboraton among users) This is effective in everyone spreading the word about Obama and essentially more and more people are going to donate to a campaign that they believe in and contribute their ideas and information to his web -based community.

What type of Web Based Communities are there in the Real Estate World?

Advertising Sites

http://www.craigslist.com/

http://www.backpage.com/

http://www.kijiji.com/

http://www.oodle.com/

and the list goes on...

Discussion Forums

http://www.reiclub.com/

http://www.wannanetwork.com/

http://www.dealmakerscafe.com/

http://www.biggerpockets.com/

http://www.creonline.com/

Yahoo Real Estate Groups

Google Real Estate Groups

and the list goes on...

Let's see how else is Obama using Web 2.O....

Another thing Obama is utilizing very well is Social Networking. This is probably the largest source of his success online. If you look at the corner of his home page, you'll see that he has a list of social networking sites.

*********************

Diversify Your BIZ!!

*********************

He is on all the big name sites:

http://www.facebook.com/ (I'm on facebook too! Just search for J.Lamar Ferren or Lamar The Investor)

Myspace (Obama has over 400,000 friends, Mccain has over 50,000 friends...See for yourself....Now I'm not saying that Myspace is dictating the election, but I am saying that one canidate seems to be a little more effective at social networking than the other. With that said, at lease Mccain is doing something online. Probably why he was able to run alone on the republican side... Who knows, I'm not even going to begin to talk politics...)

Check out my myspace page: www.Myspace.com/lamartheinvestor

YouTube

I just put up a youtube channel that I will be updating very soon: www.YouTube.com/lamartheinvestor

Flickr

I'll have my page Coming Soon!

Digg

I'll have my page Coming Soon!

Twitter

Here's my Twitter page: www.Twitter.com/lamarinvestor

Eventful

LinkedIn

BlackPlanet

Faithbase

Eons

Gleee

Migente

...And Much more!

Talk about diversity!!! Do you know how many people visit these sites every day? 365/24/7

Try Millions upon Millions!! No exageration!

Imagine if you had an online presense of this magnitude. Oh and did I mention that it's all free. Yes it will take time, but if time is that important and you don't have the time to focus on setting this up, then start small, or hire someone to do it for you. The point is to get it started. You don't have to do as much as Obama, but something is better then nothing, right? And if you think one is enough, then you can forget it. You can't put all your eggs in one basket. You have to diversify yourself!

Think about it.... If you have people subcribe to your website, subscribe to your social networking services, subscribe to your blog.... Wouldn't that increase your chances of building relationships! It's common sense...

I signed up for twitter the other day and I had 11 people follow me in 2-3 days. That wasn't much at all, but then again maybe it was. If you get on average 5 people per day following you, then you'll pull about 150 people/month.

Same goes with all the other social networking sites. People can request to be your friend. I signed up for Real Estate Investor.com and made 13 contacts in 2 days and all I did was sign up. I didn't even get a chance to get into the site because I was working on this newsletter at the same time.

So think about it if I'm pulling in 150 friends/m from varous sites, (By the way you'll need to be active in order to accomplish this) then all I would need to do once I get a property is put it out to all my friends...Here's the kicker! One property is being blasted to hundreds of people who also know hundreds of people that know hundreds of people, etc, etc, etc.... (By the way make sure you stay within the guidelines of each site or you'll be violating spam guidelines. Do it in a respectful and ethical manner and people will respect you better)

You can't tell me that's not powerful.

And if you're a "blogger" (so I call myself these days...) like me and you like to share you're thoughts and Ideas, then people will get to know you and start giving you feedback, whether it be acutally on your blog (hint hint...) or via email.

This is not hard to set up at all. Again, you can do it in a matter of minutes. Do a couple each day, or you can do one a day... Just Get it All Set Up! Take it one step at a time!

Oh wait....I almost forgot.... If you're wondering how sellers and buyers will find you, just think about google. Everytime you post an ad, write something in a forum, write a blog, etc... Search Engines will be crawling your content like crazy. Plus there are active sellers and buyers who are looking for information like yours and they get involved in discussion forums too. They ask questions like.."How can I get a home with bad credit?" and "How can I sell my House Fast" or How can I list my home with a Realtor, etc.... I've seen it for myself and I always send the a PM and direct them to my site in a respectful manner. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. It doesn't hurt to ask if they need your services.

Another thing is referrals! It huge. All those people in your network will start sending business your way, whether it be buyers, sellers, investment deals, other investors, etc.

Anyway, I think you get the picture. :-) If not, then I'm sorry I cannot stress to you any more how huge and effective Web 2.0 is and this is just the Tip of the iceberg. I didn't even get into Search Engine Optimization and things of that nature. This is just a brief overview in my opinion and I hope it was informative.

Leave me some feedback and tell me what you thought!

Oh and if you want an even better analysis of Web 2.0 when it comes to Real Estate Investing, then check out Colin Egbert at http://www.realestateinvestor.com/reiwealth (Much better analysis... If you didn't see how huge Web2.0 was from my quick little overview, then you'll definitely see it here: http://www.realestateinvestor.com/reiwealth

Have a good one!

To Your Success,

J.Lamar Ferren

New Breed Real Estate Investor

www.LamarBuysHomes.com/investors.php

Happy 4th of July from Lamar The Investor!

2008-07-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Today is the day to celebrate our FREEDOM! I hope you are enjoying the holiday and spending it with your loved ones.... I know I am! :-)

Anyway, if you have time maybe you can check out the Declaration of Independence below! This is what started it all!

Have a good holiday!

J.Lamar Ferren
New Breed Real Estate Investor.

Ps. See Below!

The Declaration of Independence
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776.THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
WHEN in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless these people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

*********************************************************************
WE, THEREFORE, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Worst Advice: Put Your Dreams on Hold...

2008-05-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

"Lamar, You need to Put Your Dreams on Hold..."

This was by far the worst advice I have ever received. It was about two years ago before I got out of the Army. It was from a Supervisor of mine, who shall be left unnamed. You see, when I was getting out of the Army, there were some people encouraging me and supporting my decision, but there were a whole lot of people trying to stop me from getting out. I was hearing so many excuses about why I should get out!

"You're so young...you already did 5 years, why not stay in and do 20 years, then retire!"

"You have a family to think about, stop thinking about yourself."

"It will be tough for you to find a job on the outside."

"No civilian job will offer you the same benefits as the Army will."
blah blah blah blah blah!

All these excuses and much more were drilled inside of me everyday. I was starting to get a little fearful, if I was making the right decision.... Could I really handle the Civilian World? After all, the army was all knew. I joined straight out of High School....

My supervisor sat me down in her office and decided to have a one on one conversation. I started telling her about all my dreams and goals that I had planned after I got out of the Army and the direction I wanted to go in for my family and I. Now my supervisor, who was in the Army for well over 20 years, told me that I needed to stop being selfish. She told me that my dreams were finished. (Just to remind you I was 23 at the time.) She said that the job I was planning to get wasn't paying enough...(which it does...), then she started going into telling me, how I need to support my family better, by really thinking through this tough decision. She said, You need to put your dreams on hold." You have a family to think about now! It's not about you!
Once, I heard those words, I was pissed! There was no way in hell I was going to just put my dreams on hold at the age of 23, or any age for that matter. I don't care how young or old I am, I will always have a goal in mind and I will always go after that. So, I said to her...."I can't do that. I can't put my dreams on hold. That's crazy!"

Her intentions may have been good, but...the advice was not for me...

She said, "OK, I just don't want you sending me an email 6 months later, telling me how you should have listened to me...I've had many people do just that, you know"
Now, I never said it was all about me. In fact, the decision I made didn't have too much to do with me...However I was to be included, nonetheless. The decision I made was for my family and I. I knew deep down inside that everything would be OK. I had a nice job lined up. I planned to really kick my Real Estate Business into hard gear and on top of that it was a Family Decision, so I was far from being selfish. In spite of all the great benefits, the awesome job security, and the $22, 500 Reenlistment Bonus (6 more years. lol), I stood my ground and said, "NO!. I said no because I kept my eye on my goal. There was no way in hell I was going to be swayed by excuses and Dollar $igns.
Now fast forward to today, (about 2 years later)....and I'm still working that nice job I had lined up. I kicked my Real Estate Business into Overdrive! Hence this newsletter... And my family is doing just fine. I never looked back! I never needed to send her an email about how I made such a horrible decision, because it wasn't. In fact, it was a great decision. It was tough, but that decision literally changed my LIFE! No Excuses! I'm doing it. Whatever it Takes!

How many excuses are in your life now and are holding you back from accomplishing your goals?

How much of an influence do they have over you?

How long will it take for you to let them go and pursue you goals?

Have you made decisions that have completely changed your life?

Were those decisions through fear of excuses in your life or was it a decision made through determination?

A Moment of Silence....Happy Memorial Day!

2008-05-26T12:18:00.000-07:00

It is now 3:00pm EST. Could you please take a moment of silence for the brave men & women who have sacrificed there lives for their country. It only needs to be for 1 minute. If you're reading this after 3pm, then that's ok, you can still take a momentof silence....it will be ok.

I hope you enjoy your day with Family and friends...

Now for my little War Story :-)...

When I was in the Military, fighting in Iraq & Kuwait for the first time, was a strange experience.

Imagine being 19yrs old, millions of miles of way from what you know as civilization.

Imagine leaving behind a pregnant girlfriend(now wife) and seeing the tears roll down her face, as you driveaway (maybe forever), and being told that you'll get to see her soon, there's a War to fight!

Imagine seeing and hearing about soldiers dying everyday, knowing you might be next.

Imagine hiding under bunkers everyday because of incoming scud missles soaring in from above. The only warning we got, was some guy on the loud speaker saying, LIGHTNING, LIGHTNING, LIGHTNING!

Some soldiers didn't even get a warning...

Imagine working with the locals of Iraq & Kuwait for the first time, wondering if they were going to turn on you, or if they were talking about you in there own languge. (By the way, I befriended many of them.)

Imagine your Commander in Chief standing in front of America saying, "Mission Accomplished"!! Then 2 months later you get military orders extending you for up to 1 year. Then your superior tells you, looks like you're not going to be able to be there for the pregnancy. Sorry...

Imagine after the "Mission being Accomplished", hearing more and more soldiers dying ever day and watching CNN only report half of it.

Imagine standing in a long line for literally hours, just to make a 15 minute phonecall, to hear...It's a Boy!

Imagine soldiers asking you, "Hey SGT, when are we going home." and all you could say was, "Soon..."

Some may think I'm complaining, but I'm just letting you know what it's really like. We sacrifice more than just our lives, but we don't hold it against anyone. We don't go around bragging or throwing it in your face. It wouldn't be right for us to do that.

I along with other soldiers, took every mission they threw our way with care & passion because we knew the rest of America and our families were counting on us.

Although I didn't WANT to DIE for America, I was willing to, if that was what it took to protect the freedom of America.

We accepted Death as a price to pay, just to protect your freedom!Many people think we're crazy, and maybe some of us are :-), but we just want your Support!

In reality, we took an oath and we stand by our word.

This We'll Defend!

Army Strong!

Happy Memorial Day!

Former SGT J.Lamar Ferren, Sr.

Ps. I got out the Army because my obligation was complete and for various other reasons, but I will never regret the experience I had...and I will Never Forget those who payed the ultimate price....

http://www.lamarbuyshomes.com/

http://www.forsalebylamar.com/

The Hot Deal has Arrived!

2008-05-08T00:05:00.000-07:00

It has finally arrived and I doubt it will last long! There isa thin line between a risky deal and a No Brainer! This my friend,is a No Brainer!

Unfortunately, My partner shot down my idea of naming yourprice on this one, BUT I'm sure you wouldn't frown on getting aproperty for 60 cents on the dollar, right?

On top of that, I'm sure you wouldn't frown upon $68,000 in InstantEquity and Monthly Cashflow!

Plus, I even prove to you that you can invest in this deal from anystate!
I've also added a special bonus that will practically guaranteeyour success in making money with this deal!

Hurry! Because this is going out to my entire Investor List and ifnobody snatches it up within the next 48hrs, then I'm putting itout to the world! Again, this will not last long!

http://www.forsalebylamar.com/listing.php?id=18

Your Friend,
J.Lamar Ferren, Sr.

New Breed Real Estate Investor

Ps: If you're standing on the sidelines watchingdeals like these fly by, and you haven't even completed your firstdeal, then this is your time to shine! This isn't a risky deal.It's simply a No Brainer!

Hot Real Estate Deal Coming Soon!

2008-05-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to send you a quick email about a Hot Wholesaledeal I have coming very soon!
I'll give you a heads up on some details...It's located in Decatur, GA.

(I'll prove to you why that doesn't matter, even if your out of state)

Rehab costs will be about $20K
After Repair Value is less than $200K and more than $150K.

(You'll find out exactly how much very soon)

And I might even give you the opportunity to name your price.

I'm still thinking about that one, as it would be a first. If I doallow you to name your price, I'll even throw in a hint for you. My partner will probably slap me for this, but when you make an offer, it should be less than...

****You'll Find out Soon**** (Whoever comes close gets the deal!)

Who tells you stuff like this?? Only someone who wants to see you succeed and have fun.

A New Breed Investor!

Plus, I don't have any bosses when it comes to this biz! I run myown show! I'm in control of my life. (At least untilmy wife comes on board...)

Anyway, there will be an assignment fee involved, but I'll make it fair enough, so the deal will still be attractive for you.Remember, I might let you name the price. I really don't expectthis deal to last too long...

I'll even help you find a Handy Man Service! I'm even going to offer my services to help you get the property filled fast, by assisting you with the marketing after you finish the rehab.
Only if you want!

You should expect this email Very Soon!

I'll let you know well in advance either way.

Nobody has this information yet, as I'm only keeping it exclusively to my Investor List. If nobody bites within 24-48hrs after I release it, then I'm releasing it to the World!

Have a good one!

Your Friend,

J.Lamar Ferren
New Breed Real Estate Investor

Ps: Do You Have the Real Estate Investor's Secret Weapon? Find out more by Clicking HERE

Getting Paid 3 times on 1 Deal!!

2008-05-07T08:43:00.002-07:00

What if I told you that you could get paid 3 times on 1 real Estate Deal? We're talking literally thousands of dollars here. I'm not bluffing.

>>> Find out HERE

On top of that, what if I could practically guarantee your success, by personally helping you make that happen. I'll be buy your side the entire way, until your proprerty is filled or until you tell me to go away.... Whichever comes first!

I'm a key believer in providing value, as I know I'll get the same in return. That's not the only reason I do what I do, but it's the most important.

To find out more about this deal, Click HERE

Your Friend,

J.Lamar Ferren
New Breed Real Estate Investor

Ps. If you haven't even completed your first deal yet, then this just could be it! Click HERE

Sometimes, Real Estate isn't all about the $$

2008-03-09T00:43:00.001-08:00

Hey Everybody,

Lamar here, and I wanted to share something with you that kind of touched me on a personal level.
You see sometimes it's not about how much $$ you make in Real Estate.

It can also be about what you can do for others, with that $$...

What if instead of making Real Estate work for your life, you could make Real Estate work to touch someone else's life.

What if you could touch the life of an entire family...?

What if you could touch the life of an entire village...?

That's exactly what Frank Mckinney and one of my Mentor's did...

Check out this email my Mentor sent out to his Investor Database about how he, Frank, and some of his friends touched the hearts of an entire village and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Like I said this really hit me on a personal level! It's not always about how much you make in Real Estate.... See below

A Day In Haiti

Hello Friend,

My name is Mark Evans Dm and I want to say Thank You to all who have participated and continue to participate in the projects that I offer and will continue to offer.

I wanted to give you an excerpt from an email that my friend Doug sent me that I would like to share with you before you proceed.

"On this day in the countryside of Cap Haitian, Haiti the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere life was given to a whole community of people. Ange Village (Village of Angels) was dedicated. The generosity of donors to The Caring House Project Foundation brought education, shelter, sanitation, clean water and the possibility of self-sustainability to a large number of children and adults.

Hope was given to many who may have been at the brink of despair; shelter to many who may have been sleeping under cardboard and plastic; clean water and toilets to many who have lived with the illnesses that come from their absence, dignity to many who have never been able to earn themselves a living; and, most importantly, education to as many as 500 children who would surely have been condemned by ignorance to repeat the horrible cycle of poverty that has ensnared their families for many generations.

On this day we were able to witness the possibility of Hope where so much despair exists."

Me Mark Evans DM getting off the plane in Haiti, after a 3 hour flight from Ft. Lauderdale it started at 5 am.

Cap Haitian, Haiti Airport and Customs Check-In

Food For The Poor Executive Director - Angel Aloma (our guide for the day)

Cap Haitian Street Scene

Cap Haitian Street Scene (notice the Bank)

Cap Haitian Street Scene - open trash/sewage channel (a common sight)

Mark Evans DM in a Cap Haitian dump/swamp (people live there!)

My good Friend Doug Doebler in the swamp (notice the blank look)

We were already overwhelmed and had only been there an hour

A morning Church service in the dump

(notice the armed guard...they were with us all day)

Raised trail into the dump/swamp, along with squatter homes

Homes in the dump/swamp

(and we were told these were the "nice" ones!)

Other homes in the dump

(we were told these people were luck to have roofs)

Typical home sitting on a mud/trash pile

(which is the only way it stays dry)

Mud/Stick house in the swamp

Is there hope for Haiti?

YES, there is...see more photos below...

Girl selling charcoal to survive

(most of Haiti is de-forested due to the production/sale of charcoal by the homeless)

We were treated to a wonderful breakfast with

Frank McKinney and Catholic Arch Bishop Hubert Constant

Ange Village (Village of Angels)

Built by donations from The Caring House Project Foundation & Frank

McKinney's visiting donors - a complete, self-sustaining village like this for 500 people

(and it only costs $400,000 +/- to build and supply)

United Nations armed guards who were at the village for the day

Frank's first look at the completed Ange Village

500 orphans & families from the swamp/dump now occupy this self-sustaining village

Ange Village children singing for us when we arrived

Frank is overwhelmed at the crowd there to meet us and formally dedicate the Village

There were over 600 in attendance on this 90+ degree day. The woman in the hat and black shirt is Kelli Kennedy with the Associated Press (she was with us for the day).

Her story about our trip is being published in newspapers around the country.

Arch Bishop Hubert Constant leading the dedication service.

The Church helped choose the children & families to live in the

new Village and is part of the support system for the Village.

The lady that donated her family's land to build the Village - she

will continue to live in the Village and oversee it's operations.

Frank McKinney & Caring House Project donors receive a gift from the Village

residents, which was a beautiful painting of the Village.

Frank McKinney and two children cut the ribbon to dedicate the Ange Village

Children are very happy to greet us - many are orphans and used to live in the dump.

Now they have homes, education, food & medical care in Ange Village.

Children lined up to shake our hands and say "mese" (like "merci"),

which is "thank you," in creole this was a very overwhelming feeling going threw the children with there hands out just wanting to touch you.

Mark Evans DM with two Village girls. I thought of my nieces back home in Ohio when I saw these two little girls running around holding hands.

Egg-laying chickens

Ange Village's goal is to be self-sufficient - eggs from

these chickens will be used for food and will be sold.

Chicken area (eating chickens are being delivered soon).

Goats & other animals as well as a talapia fish farm are also planned.

Food for the Village (and to be sold) create funds to purchase other needed items.

Village meal center to the right & typical home to the left

Ange Village typical home

Doug getting attacked! What fun! We handed out 800 Beanie Babies!

(the kids went nuts, as you can see!)

Doug Doebler with a big smile after seeing the completed Ange Village.

Happy Children!

Lucky occupants of Ange Village

Here is a great smile that represents that hope I spoke about earlier!

Today is your Day. No more Excuses.

A Partner In Your Success,

P.S. - If you have not got your copy of "The Insiders Secrets of The Worlds Most Successful Real Estate Investors" you can do so by clicking here

P.S.S. If you would like to learn more about the Caring House Project Foundation you can go to the main page by clicking Here:

Real Estate Investors Beware

2007-12-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share this with you all. It's a fairly old article (1 year), but the information it has is still helpful and will remind you to Keep your Guard up when doing deals out there. After you read the Article, you'll see a way that you can Reduce The Risk below. Be Careful and continue to be successful in your Real Estate Biz!

Here's that article I ran across:

Anyone online today probably receives a regular stream of investment scam e-mails. You've seen them: the wife of a Nigerian minister seeking to get millions of U.S. dollars out of the country, or the Zimbabwean land crisis, offering substantial commission fees for "honest assistance" to help transfer money. And, the ever-popular opportunity to help a foreigner invest in the "stable economy of your country." You might wonder who responds to these scams, and the answer is that many do, otherwise they wouldn't continue to exist. In 2003, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received 124,509 complaints, of which more than 63,000 were related to fraud and represented a loss of US$125.6 million. As real estate professionals, you may be a greater target, given your work with investors and entrepreneurial business opportunities.

Financial investment scams can also be much closer to home. Perhaps you've been asked to invest in a real estate deal by a colleague or friend. It might be presented as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or simply a personal favor—someone needs your help and, in doing so, you too will benefit financially. Such opportunities can be legitimate as determined by a thorough investigation of the opportunity. But the risk of responding to personal pleas for assistance is that when you know or trust someone, you may not be as diligent in your research. Quite simply, your radar for a scam is probably turned off.

The CIPS Network is a great business tool and resource for its members, but like any group, it can be misused when an individual in appropriately uses personal contacts. To protect your financial interests, the following tips are provided to help you assess investment opportunities. These tips are provided by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

With any investment, whether promoted in person, by mail, telephone, or on the Internet, a wise investor should always ask questions, and get written information. Take notes so you have a record of what you were told, in case you have a dispute later.
Is the investment registered with the SEC and the state securities agency in the state where I live or is it subject to an exemption?
Is the person recommending this investment registered with my state securities agency? Is there a record of any complaints about this person?
How does this investment match my investment objectives?
Where is the company incorporated?
Will they send me the latest reports that have been filed on this company?
What are the costs to buy, hold, and sell this investment? How easily can I sell?
Who is managing the investment? What experience do they have?
What is the risk that I could lose the money I invest?
What return can I expect on my money? When?
How long has the company been in business? Are they making money, and if so, how? What is their product or service? What other companies are in this business?
How can I get more information about this investment, such as audited financial statements?

Sound like good, logical advice? Of course it does. But when you're talking to someone you know and respect, you may feel awkward posing these questions. Investment opportunities from friends and acquaintances should be approached exactly the same as if you were approached by a stranger. If you want to learn more about fraud and how you can prevent it, there are dozens of web sites to help you. Search on "Internet fraud" in your browser.

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, your options for reporting it will depend on the country in which you live. In the U.S., you may report fraud to the FBI, the National Fraud Information Center, or other government and non-profit organizations, depending on the type of fraud. Check with your local law enforcement agency for specific guidance.

by Carol S. Weinrichb
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, How Can you Reduce the Risk?

Send me an email and I'll personally let you know...

Think your not at Risk? Think again!

Do you hand your credit card to servers at restaurants?
Do you sign your credit card?
Do you supply personal information over the internet?
Do you leave mail at your home or business for the postal carrier to collect?
Do you shred unwanted mail containing personal information?
If you said yes to at least one of the above, then you should definitely do something to reduce the risk. If you said no to everything above, then good for you, your practicing some good steps to reduce your risk, but what about all the other questions that weren't even asked. Think about it and Reduce the Risk Now!

by J.Lamar

Watch out for People who can ruin your Real Estate Career, in a heartbeat...

2007-12-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

This isn't for everybody, but somebody will feel what I'm saying on this.

Something motivated me to post a bulletin today about a subject that really pisses me off.

It's called Dream Stealers! (Negative People) People who can ruin the dreams and goals you go after, in a heartbeat.

I'm sure you've come across one, or maybe a couple. It's a shame what people could fit into this category. Who am I referring to, right? Well, sorry to say, but it could be your "closest" friend, your mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, significant other, etc. I'm not saying these people themselves are negative, it's just that their thought process, can be negative, which in turn, could have an impact on your dreams & goals!

Just imagine if you had a $Million$ dollar idea, or a goal you've been seeking ever since you were young, or even one you just made for yourself. Then you walk up to your Parent(s) or your closest friend, or your spouse/significant other and spill your guts to them about what you want to achieve. Once you've finished explaining, what happens next...You start getting these common responses...

"Yeah ok, keep on dreaming"

"It's too good to be true, let it go"

"You'd be better off trying to win the Lottery"

"Yeah good luck, Hope it's not a SCAM"

"What makes you think, you can do something like that"

"Your too old"

"Your too young"

"Your not ready for something like that"

"Oh Lord, Here we go again. This is like the time when you tried to..."

or the most ignorant response,

"ha ha ha!! LOL"

They might even throw your past failures in your FACE!

Then what do you do. You crawl back into your shell and never do whatever it is you want to do. You start questioning your judgement, you might even give up on that goal! Or, you just keep coming back to them, expressing your dream more clearly, hoping that they would change their mind and give you the support you deserve. You throw your dream UP (Swoosh!) ...and they just shoot it down! (BOOM!)

Why do people share their dreams and goals with Dream Stealers? Could it be because they look up to that person, or they've always looked to that person as someone they can "count on".

Here's a blunt question about Dream Stealers? Are they speaking to you through failed experience or ignorance?

Now don't get mad at me, but I mean really, How can someone give you advice on something they've never tried themselves, or never even looked into? Their first time hearing about it may be when you brought it to their attention. Or maybe they are speaking to you through someone else's failures or even their own. Sad...but true! It's amazing how some people can run off at the mouth about any topic, but have no idea what they're talking about. They'd be better off saying, "Well, it sounds like this is something your really passionate about...I don't know too much about that, but Go for it, I got your back. " (I think that would be cool, but it doesn't always go down like that)

So what do you do?

I'm not saying to never listen to these Dream Stealers again or to completely cut them off. Obviously, they're someone of value to you or you wouldn't have shared your dreams or goals with them.

My suggestion....Just limit what you share with them. Research your dream or goal, make sure it can be done, and do it! I know you get excited when you have that new idea or you're ready to start that new business or goal and you want to tell the whole WORLD!! But the time will come. Instead, share your thoughts and ideas with people that can relate. People that are doing exactly what you want to do! People that have been there or who are doing it everyday. See what kind of advice you get then. Get a Coach or a Mentor. Watch how fast you see results. Watch how pumped up you'll get to start going after that dream or goal of yours. Then you can kick back and tell those Dream Stealers a thing or two. So the next time, someone comes to them for advice, they won't steal that person's dream, they'll just reflect off of your Success! Think about it...

Your PAST does NOT equal your FUTURE!

Ok, I'm all better now!

-J.Lamar