Posted on March 9, 2010 @ 7:12 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Ran outa time today, and everyone, including me has been having ‘puter problems. Mine began with, of all things, hinges on the laptop. Seems they’re similar to us, you know, backbone connected to the neck bone and all that. Dave Shafer’s havin’ his ‘puter problems too, but he’s takin’ care of it and should be back in the saddle quickly. Max Whitmore is a whole ‘nother story. Apparently he’s so special, the manufacturer must make his new machine with a few 007 gadgets added to the hardware. I knew his stuff was complex, but it seems a couple of his apps require custom-built touches. Who knew? Also, after plowin’ through a few IT guys, he was booted to the engineer types who figured out what was corrupting his old machine.
Allow me to give you a real life almost real time example of Murphy’s Law. As I’ve written here before, Max Whitmore, Tom Vanderwell, and me have been workin’ with the technical guy (GeekDude) to create a subscription site for our more in-depth work. It was ‘posed to be up and running by around the first of the year. It’s been one thing after another — not to mention all three guys are in different states, different generations, (42, 73, 58) and with different technical skill levels. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on March 5, 2010 @ 7:27 pm - Written by BawldGuy
The summer of 1961 had me ripped from the nurturing womb of the SoCal beach community and rudely transplanted into East Blast Furnace L.A. — more commonly known as Norwalk. And for the record, I wasn’t consulted. I hereby cast my ‘No’ vote — better late than never. ‘Course, after the first couple weeks at my new school, New River Elementary, I was happy as a bug in a rug. Nothing like a cool new teacher, new buds, and makin’ your bones on the playground to turn that glass into being half full. 
During that first summer the neighborhood kids, about half a dozen or so, accepted me into the Behrens Avenue Regulars, a name I just now gave ‘em. Though I spent a decent amount of time with those guys, the lion’s share was spent playin’ baseball with the other athletes in the extended neighborhood — if we had enough guys. We usually played over-the-line which only required 4-6 guys. I mention that only cuz it resulted in me not being a total outsider on the first day of school. As you well know, being the new kid can be, um, stressful. My first day saw me walkin’ to school with my sister, a lowly 3rd grader — not the first impression I had in mind. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on January 30, 2010 @ 4:00 am - Written by BawldGuy
A kid seven and a half, goin’ on eight doesn’t have a clue when paradigm shifts are descending on his world like the perfect storm on George Clooney’s fishing boat. Those days I was trippin’ around the beach with my best buddy, Chris, turnin’ in bottles for the 3-5¢ deposit. Rare was the day we didn’t combine to clear 20-30¢, which was enough for each of us to have a Coke, a Snickers Bar, and if we were really lucky that day, a Nestles Crunch.
Imagine a couple kids today, seven and eight, walkin’ the streets of a SoCal coastal community alone, body surfing with only surfers to watch ‘em, and all on a Wheaties breakfast — with a Coke and candy chaser. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on January 13, 2010 @ 7:40 pm - Written by BawldGuy
My good friend Tom Vanderwell will soon begin writing here — if I play my cards right. Meanwhile, he’s a top loan officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He’s married to the same gal since forever. They have five kids, two of which were adopted about six years ago from Haiti.
The orphanage at which he found these two little angels is known as God’s Little Angels. So you can imagine his response to the news an earthquake measuring 7.0 hit near the orphanage.
He wrote a superb post over at BloodhoundBlog, another site at which we both contribute from time to time. I urge you in the strongest terms to click the link, read the post, and if so moved, donate a few bucks to this most deserving cause.
Here’s what I’d love to happen. If only 50 of my readers would head over to the Bloodhound link and donate $50-100 or so, it would mean so much to the orphanage. The kids are literally sleeping in the driveway ’till someone tells them the building is safe. Also, more ‘brand new’ orphans, (what a horrific phrase) will almost surely begin showing up.
I won’t go on here, as Tom’s post speaks for itself. So please, head over there. Here’s the link again. To those who follow the links and find it in their hearts to donate, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
If you’d rather skip the links and donate here, that’d make my year.
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Add this to your site
God bless you. Have a good one.
Posted on December 11, 2009 @ 9:18 am - Written by BawldGuy
Though I’m finally at the point where writing a book chronicling my years as an investment broker, plus more than a little of what I’ve learned, I keep being prodded (bullied?) to write an eBook first. That won’t be a problem, as I’ve given myself 10 years to do the ‘real’ book right.
I’d love to write about stuff important/interesting to me, but would no doubt be better advised to write on topics about which you guys wanna read & learn. It would please me greatly, and I’d be eternally grateful if you’d drop by here to let me know your preference(s).
Thanks so much for your input.
Posted on November 24, 2009 @ 6:26 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Some random thoughts about what I’ve been hearing/seeing/livin’ recently.
Interest rates have dropped this week. 30 year conforming fixed rates can be had for roughly 4.5-4.62%. So if you’re in the market to buy a home, I’d find one and lock the rate — sometime around 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Investors not ’saddled’ (How stoopid is that?) with four loans will currently pay in the low 5’s. The best fixed rates I’ve seen for investment long term in my 40 years — period. So if you’re contemplating makin’ a move, ya might wanna light a fire under yer booty, cuz it ain’t gonna last. Ya heard it here first. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on August 24, 2009 @ 8:25 pm - Written by BawldGuy
I’ve admitted over and over here, that I’m dyed in the wool Old School. When I was encouraged to write about what I know online over three years ago, I thought they were kiddin’. Little did I realize what it would eventually lead to. Ultimately it’s what allowed me to take Brown and Brown Investment Properties more or less nationwide. ‘Course so far there’s only six states in our version of ‘nation’.
As San Diego prices have fallen, we’ve altered our stand on local property. Though San Diego income property is still not what we’d grade as A+ – it’s now sporting numbers worthy of serious investors. So we’ve decided to reenter the local market, acting as agents for buyers and sellers of investment property as we did from 1977 until 2004.
Here’s how you can help me out. I need your thoughts on websites offering local MLS searches. We’ve been busily researching various ideas as it relates to the San Diego investor — along with those who’d like to explore investing here from outside. One of the tools under consideration is a local MLS search on the site. It would be limited (if possible) to residential income properties, mostly small ones. We don’t wish to confuse traditional homebuyers.
What are your thoughts on trading your email address for the ability to search?
Would it be important to have analytical tools available for your use on properties found using the MLS search?
Also, would videos on various real estate investment topics be of value to you?
I appreciate all you have to say — thanks in advance for your thoughts. Also, if you have an idea I’ve not addressed, please tell me about it.
Call me as always with your real estate investment questions. 619 889-7100 — have a good one.
Posted on August 20, 2009 @ 10:06 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Just a brief reminder — you very rarely get a second bite at the retirement planning apple. You’re 35? Good on ya. Here’s a bulletin: Time, regardless of how immortal you may feel today, simply isn’t your friend. Don’t believe me, believe those who’re 45 at your company. If they started contributing to their company’s Qualified Plan (401(k) ) when they were 25, by the time they’d passed 40, they were feelin’ like world beaters. Time? They had 15-25 years to grow their already impressive portfolio just a few short years ago.
Wonder what they’re thinkin’ now? The lesson all of us learn as we age is that time, like the tides, come and go regardless of anything else in the universe. We all get caught in the backwash of Black Swans at least once in our lives.
Time can be our best friend or our worst enemy. Read the rest of this entry »