Charleston Real Estate Investor's Association

Please join me in welcoming Frank Donatelli to the Active Rain family!

Frank is a Property & Casualty agent with Christian-Co Insurance Agency in Charleston.

In the Coastal areas of South Carolina, a good Property & Casualty agent is an important

part of your team...so, if you have a question about Homeowners Insurance

(or Renter's coverage) , or the next time you are asked for a reliable, dependable

local Charleston Insurance Agent who can provide great service at an affordable price,

I humbly ask you to remember the name, "Frank Donatelli"

I appreciate him...you will too! 

Bobby Wallace

Charleston Real Estate Investor's Association

Reason #1: Grandparents sometimes start celebrating Halloween early.

Reason #2: Grandparents and grandchildren have more fun than the parents!

Hope you have as much fun on Halloween as Emma-Leigh (8 months).

"Monopoly on Steriods"

That is the description most used to describe "Rich Dad Poor Dad" author, Robert Kiyosaki's board game that will change the way that you look at your finances and your life.

Each month, we hold a friendly CashFlow 101 tournament in a relaxed setting so that our members can learn more about investing...and "kick up their heels" a little bit, and each time that we host an event, we hear comments like:

"What a game! I made it out of the Rat Race.... If you didnt get the chance to play, you missed a good time. I hope to do it again soon."

Brian O.                                            

"What a cool game! It took me a while to get "in the game", but once you get a feel for it, it's fun. I learned several things while playing this game, particularly about myself and the way I approach investing. I will probably invest in this game, it's too much fun."

Sheryl L.

"This game teaches you so much about your financial tendencies, buying/selling patterns, and they way you perceive deals. "

David R.

"Lots of fun!!! I can definately see how this game can help to change one's mindset on investing and cash flow"

Karen R.

"I really enjoyed playing cash flow with other investors tonight. I learned a lot from the game. Our group was great!! I can't wait until the next time I get to play."

Delaina C.

We assist new members to increase their financial intelligence and experience by playing the game and
understanding the strategy...and last night we crowned a new Charleston CashFlow Champion!

Please join me in congratulating our new Charleston SC CashFlow 101 Champion, Valerie Singley!

CHARLESTON SC: -- Thirty five year old Joe Mercadante stumbled across a Free Real Estate Investing Report that has helped him create enough monthly income in 12 months to quit his high paying corporate job. 

     According to Joe, "I started investing in properties using the strategy outlined in this free report. I have accumulated 20 homes that combined are paying me $4,363 of cash flow each and every month.  Plus I have locked in $580,442 of profit. I plan on quitting my 9 to 5 job next month and will be able to live off of the income from my properties!"

     Joe was amazed at the profits that could be obtained using this simple investing strategy. He said that he never wanted to invest in real estate because he didn't want to spend his evenings and weekends fixing up homes.  Joe isn't very handy and he didn't enjoy installing toilets, laying tile and painting.

     Luckily, Joe read a real estate investing report entitled, "How to Make $232,016 Each & Every Year Investing in Real Estate without Touching a Screwdriver" and learned a simple strategy for profiting from investing in nice homes in nice areas.  Joe stated that the majority of homes he had invested in were in move in condition.  In a few cases, his homes were so nice that he had rented his properties before he even got his keys at the closing.

     Joe liked this approach because it didn't require him to have the financial risk of having to pay the mortgage, taxes and insurance costs for a property during a rehab project.   

     Investors buying properties today are locking in significant profits because they are buying at discounted values. When the market rebounds, these smart investors will have large profits from the increase in home values.              

    If you would like to have the same free report Joe used to start his real estate investing and have a minimum of $15,000 to $20,000 to invest in real estate, call the real estate information center at 1-800-896-0402. Leave a message with your mailing address. Or visit http://www.112284.com

Recently, I was going thru some really old family photos and realized that in almost every photo of my Grandparents - they were working. My Grandmother ran a small rural country store; my Grandfather was a journeyman carpenter; they were always working, either on their jobs, on their house or in their yard.

As I think back, I realized that they had an incredible work ethic and were probably the reason that I began developing my values, beliefs and work habits at a early age. For example:

At age 7, I was collecting used newspapers and selling them to fish markets to support my comic book habit.

At 10, I moved up to selling Grit (a national newspaper) and my local Dillon Herald. (Mom freaked when she found out that the reason that I was able to sell so many papers was because I stood on the yellow line at the traffic light in the middle of a six lane highway!)

Since I was big for my age, at 14 I was able to finagle a job at the local movie theatre (the other guys were afraid to climb the ladder to change the letters on the Marquee three times a week).

Thanks to a older cousin, when I turned 16, I was able to get a job at 16 at the South of the Border tourist complex as a gas station attendant (Yes, they actually had guys who would pump your gas, check the air in your tires, and clean your windshield)

I have never been without a job for a whole week since I was 7 years old.

What's my point here?

That something so invisible and intangible as your work ethic can affect you (positively or negatively) for most of your adult life .

Some people are lucky enough to inherit it... (I think I got it from my Grandfather, who died on his way to work)

A few people learn it..

A lot of ActiveRainer's have it...(Those who have it recognize it in others)

Many people never get it...

Who did you get your work ethic from?

His name is James Harrison!

James "out played, out witted, and

out lasted" over 30 challengers at the

recent Charleston Real Estate Investor's

Association CashFlow 101 Tournament.

 Cashflow 101 teaches players how to get
out of the Rat Race and how to place the money
you earn , so that your money works for you,
instead of you working for your money.

It is noted for its real world practicality and application.
Cashflow 101 is an education board game that does
not feel like an "educational" game.

 It is much more realistic and engaging. It teaches
accounting, finance, investing, goal setting, and
decision making skills. Players have fun and barely
realize they are learning those skills.

The Charleston Real Estate Investor's Association
will host their next CASH FLOW 101 game on
October 28th at Shoney's Restaurant on
River's Ave. in N. Charleston, SC.

 The doors open at 5:30 PM with the game
starting at 6:00 PM and ending around 9:00 PM...

 Picture the game Monopoly, only on steroids.

It is much more realistic and engaging. It teaches
accounting, finance, investing, goal setting, and
decision making skills. Players have fun and barely
realize they are learning those skills.

You may not realize the value of having fun,
playing a board game about investing in real
estate using play money, but here is the best
part...CASH FLOW night is run and moderated
by some local, very knowledgeable and willing
to share their experiences in real estate investing
people.

 Hope you can join us! (It's FREE)

 Reserve your seat by visiting: http://www.charlestonrei.com

 P.S. Come visit us and see if James Harrison,

the BEST Cashflow 101 player in Charleston SC

can defend his crown and hold onto his title!

Close your eyes for a second, take a deep breath...and think back to the day that you saw a Doctor standing there with a huge needle preparing your school vaccination injections!Did your heart skip a beat ? 

Did you want to run away?

Were you scared almost-to-death?

(I was)

Now, keep your eyes closed; visualize what it was like when your parents sent you off to school on your first day:

Excited?

Apprehensive?

Unsure as to how you would be welcomed?

(I was)

Now, eyes still closed, don't peek..inhale..exhale real slow and think back to the very first dance that you attended..and remember just how bad you wanted to slow-dance with what-was-their-name ?

Palms sweating?

Cold and clammy?

Nauseous?

Afraid you were going to faint/pass-out?

(I was)

"First time" memories can last a long time, that's why, when I think back to the first time that I spoke in front of a group of people (age 11); or years later, as a teenager rushing into hospital when my "First born" was sick ...and not to long ago, attempting to navigate and "fit-in" with a networking group called "ActiveRain" that a friend had briefly talked with me about, I remembered just how nervous and unsure I was!

That's why I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my newest friend, Renee Gresen who just this week, after considerable urging and reassurance, joined the Active Rain community !

I did not want Renee's "first experience" with Active Rain to be scary, so please, take a second and rather than comment on my post, send Renee a "Welcome to the neighborhood" note at http://activerain.com/reneegresen  (Sorry about the link -I am still learning too!

I appreciate you!

Please join me in welcoming Jeremy Mills to the Active Rain community! Jeremy has recently joined our Charleston Real Estate Investor's Association, and is eager to learn everything that he can about real estate.

I feel confident that they will enjoy learning from all of the great information, ideas and members that Active Rain has to offer.

If you need to borrow money for your deals, Jeremy can be an excellent addition to your team.

Yesterday, life was good in Charleston!

Yesterday, I was truly blessed to have gotten the opportunity to play golf with a good friend of mine at a golf fundraiser hosted by the Citadel Foundation.

Was I lucky to have gotten out of work to play golf? 

Maybe.

Was I blessed to have gotten to play at one of my favorite Charleston golf courses, the beautiful Patriot Points Links over looking the the bay of the Charleston Harbour?

A little.

Was my highlight making a par, on what many consider the hardest hole; the signature #17, a 139-yard, par 3, requiring a tee shot to an island green.

Not even close.

The highlight of my day was getting the opportunity to meet Marc Buonoconti!

The son of legendary All-Pro and Hall of Fame linebacker and former Miami Dolphin Nick Buoniconti, and a gifted athlete in his own right, Marc started as linebacker for his college football team at The Citadel, South Carolina's premier military institution. In 1985, he sustained a severe spinal cord injury in a game against East Tennessee. At only 19 years old, Marc's long road to recovery began, as did his commitment to freeing people from their wheelchairs forever. 

Since his injury, Marc and his family have raised tens of millions of dollars to support clinical and basic scientific approaches to finding a cure for paralysis.

And yesterday, as I listened to Marc joke with former Citadel classmates; share words of encouragement with several current Cadets, and talk about the Foundation and their commitment to people suffering from spinal cord injuries, there was something in his voice..a strength, a conviction, a calmness, call it what you'd like...

I realized three things:

(1) Marc Buoniconti is someone "SPECIAL"..

(2) Marc Buoniconti's still tough..

(3) I am happy & grateful that I had the opportunity to meet him!

If you'd like to learn more about the Miami Project, their website is

http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu

"Did you know?" the voice on the other end of the telephone asked.

"Who is this?" was my initial response, quickly followed by "Did I know what?"

That's how the conversation began this morning with a local real estate agent (Let's call him Bill) who is a member of the  Charleston Real Estate Investor's Association.

"Did you know that the restaurant that our local real estate club meets at once a week, has just been listed on the Charleston MLS for $1,900,000?"

I could hear the frustration and intensity in "Bills" voice...so, I tried to choose my words carefully as I tried to recall something - anything from my thousands of hours of training in handling objections that could  help me handle this call as gently and tactfully as possible, and all I could come up with was:

"Apparently you have some reason for asking that, may I ask what it is?"

Answering a question with a question, didn't that work for Tom Hopkins 20+ years ago?

Unfortunately, It didn't serve me well, because I spent the next 20 minutes, listening to "Bill" rant and rave about "How unfair it was" and "How this restaurant owner was so disloyal" to the 20-25 real estate agents who patronized his restaurant every week, for almost a year because the "ungrateful" restaurant owner didn't even consider one of our members to list his $1,900,000 property. 

WOW!

A $1,900,000 listing that got away...

Seller not loyal...

Agitated, betrayed agent...

What would you say?