January 6, 2013
Downtown Battle Creek, Holiday, Seasons Attractions, Battle Creek, Exhibits, Parks, Snow, Winter Leave a comment
Recently I was driving through downtown, and saw they had ice sculpture carvings on display in Mill Race Park in downtown. I was not able to get by there and get some photos this year, but I thought that being that it is January, and cold, I should at least share some photos of ice sculptures from previous years. So here are a few from my collection that were taken in downtown a few years ago:
January 2, 2013
Books, Real Estate Author, Books, Business, Home Ownership, Land Contracts, Real Estate Leave a comment
As a Realtor and now an author, I just finished my second book entitled: Land Contract Homes for Investors. It continues on the topic of the first book I wrote on this subject (Understanding Land Contract Homes: In Pursuit of the American Dream) and expands upon the viewpoint of the investor and how they can take advantage of the opportunities in seller financing.
Seller financing offers opportunities for buyers who need time to repair a credit history before they can qualify for a conventional home loan, or even one of the incredible government type loans such as FHA, Rural Development or VA loans.
Seller financing through the means of a Land Contract provides a bridge between a time when someone has shaky credit,
and when they will have recovered credit and qualify for a lower interest conventional loan of some sort. This second book on the subject expands into the benefits for investors, and encourages them to really look at the investment potential of seller financing through means of a Land Contract or ‘Contract for Deed’ as it is sometimes called.
The book covers how to examine an investment home, get started, find capital and even what is most important in the Land Contracts themselves. A new investor will also learn how to market and find qualified applicants, as well as how to screen applicants and what records are important to keep on file.
More importantly this book addresses the subject of profit versus purpose, and how the true purpose behind an activity of investment real estate is helping people become homeowners, and fill an ever constant demand out in the world for housing.
People will live somewhere. They will either rent or buy a home, but they will always need to live somewhere. This book discusses how to make this activity a win-win scenario for everyone.
January 1, 2013
Books, Future, Projects, Real Estate, Writings Author, Books, eBooks, Future, Goals, Plans, Projects Leave a comment
As far back as I can remember, even when I was a little child, I wanted to write books. When I was 9 years old, my brother helped me self publish a series of small books out of a box of scrap papers my mother had given us to draw on. We spent days on this project, drawing pictures, writing content and gluing a binding on it to make it look like a book to give to our parents as a gift.
Over the years I have had many book projects and ideas that I wanted to write, and many that I started and a few I
completed, but would always bog down when it came to publishing them. I never quite took that next step. I cannot say it was monetary concerns all the time, but it was more so just not taking the steps to finding a publisher, etc. I always had envisioned publishing my own works.
In 2012 I decided I was going to achieve this dream, and worked six months on a project to write two books in real estate on the subject of Land Contract Homes, as this was something I was constantly asked questions about as a Realtor. The first book I published is entitled: Understanding Land Contract Homes: In Pursuit of the American Dream. This book covers the subject from both a buyer and seller perspective. The second one was a supplemental book that took up the subject from entirely an investors perspective, with the hopes of encouraging investors to consider seller financing to make it possible for more people to become home owners. This book is entitled: Land Contract Homes for Investors.
I also established my own publishing company for my written works, and will be working on expanding that in 2013. The website for this is still under construction. Currently I am working on two other writing projects. One is a book on my years as a sales manager, which has a working title of: The Art of Sales Management: Lessons Learned on the Fly.
The other book is a memoir on my 15 years as a Stained and Beveled Glass artist in Atlanta during the 80′s and 90′s, and it’s working title is: Memoirs of a Stained Glass Man. I am hoping to publish both of these in Kindle eBook format in the first quarter of this year, and follow them up with more books on sales, marketing and real estate throughout the year.
So I look ahead to the New Year with a positive outlook, and have some ambitious plans for 2013. I hope all of you who may read this have a prosperous and happy New Year!
January 1, 2013
Beauty, Future Dreams, Future, Goals, Plans, Tomorrow 1 Comment
Are you ready for the New Year? 2013 is here! 2012 is done! What will be your plans for the New Year? What dreams have you had that you need to dust off and take on this coming year? Have you taken time to examine this? It is always a good idea to take the day as you have it now on New Year’s Day and draw yourself up a list of goals for the coming year. What will you accomplish? Where are you going? Take some time today to do just that, and have a prosperous New Year!
What will be your goals for 2013?
December 31, 2012
Americana, Beauty, Downtown Battle Creek Battle Creek, Beauty, Sunsets 1 Comment
I happened to be driving at the right time with my camera by my side a few months ago, and captured this photo of the sun setting over downtown Battle Creek. I thought this would be a fitting photo to post on my final blog entry here for 2012. I hope everyone looks back on this year with warm thoughts, and tries to remember only the good things in life, and forget all that might have been bad. Look ahead to the future, and make your dreams come true in 2013!!!
December 28, 2012
Beauty, Holiday, Parks & Venues, Seasons Battle Creek, Event, Holidays, Outdoors, Seasons, Snow, Winter Leave a comment
I think every year winter never seems official until we get our first big snow. One that lasts all day long, and buries your car while you are at work. One that makes you try your electronic starter, and marvel at the miracles of technology. Winter finally painted its brush strokes across the Battle Creek and Michigan landscape the day after Christmas in all its glory.
Kids across town with the week off from school, I am sure, are excited to try their new sleds. Or build snowmen, or throw snow balls. The pristine snow in the parks will soon be broken, but this is winter. And it has come home to Battle Creek, at a wonderful time of the year. Enjoy!
Winter snow returns to Battle Creek, Michigan
December 25, 2012
Americana, Books, Real Estate Americana, Author, Books, Home Ownership, Land Contracts, Real Estate Leave a comment
I recently published my first book on the subject of seller financing in residential real estate entitled: Understanding Land Contract Homes: In Pursuit of the American Dream. This book covers the topic of Land Contract Home sales, and how they are executed. It addresses not only how they work, but also what are the common misunderstandings buyers have about this type of financing.
The idea for this book came about from the many inquiries I have had into the subject over the years from prospective buyers seeking Land Contract Homes, but were unprepared to really engage in obtaining one. I thought it would be a useful tool for people wanting to use this method of financing to have a better understanding of how they work, and how it can be used to their advantage.
I also cover in this book how Land Contracts are a modern day bridge many times between not owning a home, and conventional financing for those with poor or rocky credit history. It allows one a time period to perform on a house payment, re-establish or repair their credit during a window of time, and then be able to take advantage of the lower interest rates offered by conventional financing.
Understanding Land Contract Homes: In Pursuit of the American Dream seeks to educate both buyers and sellers on the subject of seller financing, as well as offer insight into some of the origins of the ‘American Dream’ concept as defined by our founding fathers.
It has always been my desire to champion the cause of home ownership for first time home buyers, and this is just the first in what I hope will be many books to educate people on the process and options out there. In this time in history we all need a leg up, and so I hope this book will also inspire people to buy their own home, even when they thought such a goal was a long way off into the future.
Cereal City Real Estate Connection Southwest Michigan Realtor Blog Battle Creek Realtor Blog Breath Catch… Michael’ Delaware’s Blogspot
