Posted on May 31, 2008 @ 8:57 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Just looked at our next Texas location and it rocks. Too early to spill the beans, but we’ll be putting our boots on the ground very soon. Hint: It’s on the A-List of areas having appreciated more than 7% in the last 12 months.
Also, a buddy living in another region has convinced me to fly up there to check out the ‘unreal deals’ available. Gee, haven’t heard that one before. Worth a flight and a day or two to find out though. We’ll see.
Off the cuff — follow me on twitter, I’m @BawldGuy. Just go to twitter.com — it’s free, and you’ll like it. Go to my profile and see who follows me and who I follow. If you do the same, you’ll find out what folks in the business around the country talk about with each other.
Also off the cuff here — so many of my clients have been sorely disappointed by the performance of mutual funds in their 401(k) plans. They complain how they’ve heard most of their adult lives how the returns were in the range of 8-12% annually, when their real life results haven’t reached even 5% yet. Now we have a 20 year study which proves just that. (More on that this week.)
No time here to expand on the thought, but it’s nice to finally have a 20 year study on which to fall back, know what I mean, Verne? Verne’s not laughing — guess he’s in mutual funds. Here’s the last train to Capital Growth for those San Diegans interested.
I’d love to talk with you about getting started with your own Purposeful Plan — one heading straight for a very cool retirement. You can find me by clickin’ here, then waiting for my always quick response. I need a fix, so hurry up, wouldya? Much appreciated.
So it’s Saturday, which means there’s a video, right? Then I put ‘train’ in the title, geez. Settled on The Monkees, a band for whom I’m still in the dark. How in Aunt Millie’s old robe did they ever do so well? Dateline should do an investigation, ‘cuz there’s gotta be a conspiracy buried somewhere. Anyway, it so happens they did have a song about a train, so that’s the one I’m usin’. Sorry in advance.
Posted on May 18, 2008 @ 11:38 pm - Written by BawldGuy
As I wrote earlier this week, I’m in Phoenix for Unchained. Though I’m an ‘instructor’ here, their word, not mine, the opportunity to learn is almost overwhelming. I’m not a tech guy by any stretch of the imagination, but some of these folks? If I studied what they did for a year, I still wouldn’t no what they’ve forgotten. You can’t put a value on that, ‘cuz if you did, nobody could afford it.
It affects how I do business and the value I’m able to offer my clients. It’s a huge deal. Already there are folks showing me how to bring Brown and Brown’s service to higher and more effective levels — always a good thing. We’re always looking to improve what we deliver to our clients. Good enough, simply isn’t good enough, know what I mean, Verne?
Our main concern is always measured in terms of end results for our clients. Let’s just say I’m jazzed within an inch of my life after what I’ve seen and heard today. And there are still a couple days left. We’re gonna get even better.
Very cool.
Though I’m on the agenda for Tuesday morning, it pales in comparison to the learning I’ve been afforded here. I’d love to walk away after my turn in the barrel knowing I was at least able to match the Gold Standard set so far.
I don’t know who the smartest person in the room is, but it certainly hasn’t been me. Some of these tech people make me feel like Forrest Gump’s slow little brother. Geez.
Posted on May 2, 2008 @ 3:10 pm - Written by BawldGuy
It’s not even 2 o’clock yet and the cell is already smokin’, ready for a charge. Geez. It’s Friday, and I’ve already worked nine days this week. (whining infant in background) I’m draggin’ just a bit.
Here’s a thought I woke up with though, concerning the latest rise in commodity prices. Think back to the years when NASDAQ was on its near vertical rise — give or take ‘99-’01. It hit the wall like a crash test dummy. It’s my opinion we’re about to see the same thing with commodities. Much of the price increases are a direct result of speculators dominating the exchanges. There are some very experienced and knowledgeable folks who’re saying exactly that and more. They’re also calling for Bernanke to intervene with the same strong leadership displayed with the Bear Stearns problem.
The commodity market wasn’t designed to be taken over and almost completely controlled by speculators whose only agenda is to control the market to their own ends. Bernanke knows what’s going on. I wonder what he’s been thinking?
Regardless, look for the prices of commodities to come down big time. When? Sorry, but the ol’ crystal ball remains in the shop. My take is it won’t be that long though. We may be seeing cracks already.
Meanwhile, I’m officially calling an end to the work day. (Fat chance of that gaining much traction.) Anywho, crank up the volume as high as it goes, and hit the floor dancin’.
Posted on April 26, 2008 @ 9:24 pm - Written by BawldGuy
From back in the day, comes one of those memory pingin’ songs — Barbara Ann, by The Beach Boys.
It reminds me of my first Saturday in the business as an 18 year old Know It All who in reality was a Know A Whole Buncha Not Much.
Here in Paradise, it was in the upper 80’s today. The Boss decided Cuban food was in order for dinner. This, after enjoying a lazy afternoon leaving voice mails in Texas and Canada, and reading my latest novel in the satellite office down the street. In wanders a couple of my all time favorite clients. Seems a trip to their New Hampshire condo in the ‘village’ is on next week’s agenda. The two donuts made the day perfect.
Works for me. If there’s a better life than living in San Diego and helpin’ folks retire magnificently, I wouldn’t know what it would be. The cherry on another Saturday in Paradise? Runnin’ across the Barbara Ann, and driftin’ back to that Saturday back in ‘69. Ah, good times.
Sit back and relax, crank yer speakers up a bit, and listen to one of the all time memory pingers.
Posted on April 12, 2008 @ 1:29 pm - Written by BawldGuy
I hesitated more than a little before publishing this post, as it’s never my intention to make folks feel badly, even if unintentionally. The thoughts in this post come from a good place in my heart. The San Diego (or Palo Alto?) real estate investors owning income property have seen the changes happening in real time. I’ll confess my slowness in seeing the writing on the wall here. Let’s face it — we’ve been spoiled since, well, forever.
What’s been more resilient than California real estate? There are some regions sporting a similar track record, but when the roll is called, it sure doesn’t take very long. We, me included, have been lulled into a false sense of security by decade after decade of solid if not spectacular returns on our investments here.
Still, it’s not that the page has turned, but the book, and therefore the story and its ending has been changed.
This is the weekend, so I’m having some fun at San Diego’s expense, and mine too, to be sure. 20/20 hindsight tells me Read the rest of this entry »
