Why is it that most people buy when prices are high and run away when prices are low?
BUT, WHAT IF HOUSE PRICES KEEP DROPPING?
Here’s a BUT question I encountered a lot while searching for property in Florida in late 2010. Seemed like the conventional thinking was property prices were going to drop to zero. I remember a particular encounter when this question popped up. It was during a bank visit to see about getting a loan. They wouldn’t talk to me about a loan but they did talk to me about setting up a wire transfer service.
As I started filling out the forms to set up the wire transfer service, the young lady at the…
What do you call it when your daughter uses your ‘joking around’ advice and it works?
Many years ago my daughter Chez came home from high school and announced, “Teacher says I have to wear navy blue pants. These black pants are not allowed.”
We had just arrived in England. My daughter’s new school reminded me of Hogwarts, right out of Harry Potter, complete with creepy dark bricks, sharp gables, corner high rising turrets, and skyward reaching chimneys.
“Navy blue is practically black,” I stated, “Your pants could pass for navy blue.”
“Dad you’re colorblind,” Chez said. Then she ran off and came back with a pair of dark colored shorts, held them up to her…
Answer: When your daughter makes it official!
I recently discovered I’m old. Let me tell you how this discovery came about.
It happened one early evening. I sat in the comfortable chair in our living room, quietly watching TV, minding my own business, not bothering anyone, causing no trouble, and generally, being a ‘good boy.’ Then my twenty five-year-old daughter walks past and throws a standard white envelope in my lap and delivers a proclamation as follows:
You are officially old!
I had thoughts as follows, ‘Huh? Old? What? Officially old? What’s she talking about?’
I tore into the envelope and found a white plastic card and…
Need an excuse for missing work? Here’s one.
NOTE: I’m writing the follow-up to my current book, ‘ The Adventures of an Air Force Medic.’ My ‘work in progress’ answers the question, ‘What crazy adventure does Sean Mitchell (main character) get up to next?’ This article is a snippet from my first draft.
Setting: Ohio State campus, circa 1985. I’m on an active duty air force engineering scholarship; going to school is my ‘job.’ My co-scholarship buddy Len (not his real name) missed school the day before and gave this cockamamie explanation for why.
Don’t want to risk it!
Tuesday morning at the coffee table gathering place, I had a pressing question for…
Candlestick Park, Summertime, and no coat.
This is an excerpt from my latest book, ‘The Adventures of an Air Force Medic.” It’s fiction but based on my two years as an air force medic in northern California back in the early ‘80s.
Jane and Gail dropped by our dorm room. Leandro and I, sitting on our beds talking, looked up to watch the excited ladies make a grand entrance. Jane announced, “I got tickets to the Dodgers-Giants game, you want to go?”
All of the sudden my hearing got a lot better. My ears changed shape, going from round on top to pointed, like Dr. Spock…
It never got approved, I wonder why?
As a young air force medic, way back in the early 1980s, I remember writing a ‘new and improved’ medical ward night shift checklist. I couldn’t wait to show my boss, Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Elen, when she arrived with the rest of the day staff team in the morning.
When I presented my ‘awesome’ checklist to Elen, she gave me feedback as follows: “Apparently you don’t have enough to do on night shift. Well, I’ll fix that!”
For some reason, my new and improved night shift checklist never got implemented. But, I reckon it’s a gem. So, any of you…
Two ‘firsts’ in one trip: First time to San Francisco and first time driving an ambulance.
This is an excerpt from my book, ‘The Adventures of an Air Force Medic.” It’s based on my two years as an air force medic in northern California back in the early ‘80s.
Lt. Sharon Taylor called down the medical ward hallway, “Sean, Elen wants you. She’s in the ER.”
“OK, on my way,” I replied and headed downstairs to the emergency room.
I walked and wondered, ‘What’s Elen want me for? What’s she doing down there anyway? She hardly ever hangs in the ER; it’s not like her …”
I turned right onto the big wide emergency room hallway…
Not sure of the best way, but here’s how I did it.
My book, Dreams of the Philippines: Escape from Clark Air Base, is fiction but based on a trip I took to the Philippines as a young air force lieutenant way back in 1989.
The challenge facing me as an author — how do I take the real life trip and create a story; a story worth telling? Here’s how I tackled this challenge.
My adventure to the Philippines back in 1989 didn’t have a compelling story line. OK, maybe it did, but I couldn’t find it. What it did have was a bunch of isolated stories. Stories I wanted to…
Not sure of the best way, but here’s what I did.
I’m in the marketing phase of my latest book and discovered a few things about making a promo video you may find helpful for your book marketing efforts.
First of all, here’s the promo video I created.
Before I discuss how I made the video, let me share some characteristics/features as follows:
- Video is 30 seconds. Working with ‘Books Go Social’, they recommended keeping video to 30 seconds. I figure, that’s good advice.
- Video has motion. I figure if there’s motion — some action taking place —…
Hint: Much the same as getting started at anything.
This article is an excerpt from my book Working my “BUT” off!: Reflections of a property investor, chapter titled, “But, How do I get Started?”
Getting started in property investing is pretty much like getting started in anything.
“How so?” You ask.
- Well, how do you get started riding a bike?
- How do you get started playing basketball?
- How do you get started playing the guitar?
In all cases, you have to do it. You have to get on the bike and ride; pick up a basketball and shoot; pick up a guitar and play. At first, you may fall…
