Interesting comments, I think there is alot of difference between someone watching TV as a form of enertainment and escapism (personally I don’t enjoy it, Im too hyperactive to sit still), and someone (the average citizen) watching TV because they think they are going to learn something!!

I just meet way too many people who’s only knowledge comes from watching the idiot box. Too many people have no idea about anything, whether it be their own financial situation or what they should be eating. They do things, buy things make descisions because the TV told them to.

First there was religious dogma, then there was televison. When are people going to wake up, start questioning instead of accepting all recieved information and start thinking for themselves?

Xenia

We buy properties in all conditions. Can offer Immediate Cash Settlements, No Real Estate Agents Required
[email protected]
phone 0412 437 582

Interesting Gatsby!
I agree, it is akin to painting your eyeballs. Infact, there have been scientific studies showing a greater brain activity when people stare at a brick wall than watching TV!

You don’t have to be socially isolated by not watching the crap others watch.
I don’t watch TV ever, but I find that I am not really a social outcast. News and current affairs are presented in such an abstract way, that you can pick up the whole story in a couple of seconds from overhearing people talking. Its like an infection, its in the community, it just comes to you whether you waste your time on it or not.

Cheers

Xenia

We buy properties in all conditions. Can offer Immediate Cash Settlements, No Real Estate Agents Required
[email protected]
phone 0412 437 582

Hi Gatsby,
yes I agree, being a real estate investor is not a proffession most people understand. I also find that people that own one negatively geared rental properties also also call themselves investors and think they have something in common with you. Thats, OK, I usually tone my responses down to suit. The biggest problem I have is even before getting to the stage where I explain to people what I do.

People that knew me when I was in medical science can’t understand why I left my career to buy real estate, they think I must be greedy or money hungry to do that, they don’t even give me a chance to get into strategies of investing. But as Wayne and Daz mentioned on this thread, Im starting to see it as an insecurity on their part.

KP, I kind of am offering a service, if you have something to sell, I can make you a cash offer and you dont have to go through agents, for sale signs, waiting etc. Provided it fits my criteria. I also have some investor clients that I flip properties to if I dont buy them myself. A few people on this forum have sent properties to me to have a look at.

Although we have offered the asking price and immediate cash settlements before in a hot market just to secure a property (if our due diligence suggests that we can make money on the asking price). Our strategies work better in a cool market, if people have had a property listed with an agent for several months with no results, they come to us and we can offer a private sale, sometimes they end up better off than if they had sold with an agent, if you consider agent fees, advertising etc. I manage to pick up one or two properties a month. not huge compared to some people on this forum, but enough to keep us busy full time.

Cheers

Xenia

We buy properties in all conditions. Can offer Immediate Cash Settlements, No Real Estate Agents Required
[email protected]
phone 0412 437 582

Thanks everyone for the tremendous responses. I agree with not discussing money and I would never tell people (unless they are in the same loop) that hey, I just made $50K profit on that property deal. I just find myself squirming to get away from the question everyone asks.

“So what do you do for a living?”

How does everyone else answer this one?

I have LIED in the past and just told everyone that I am a stay at home mum. Can’t use this one anymore because hubby has just left his job also and is a full time investor. Because the next question is, “oh so what does your partner do”? Thats where I get stuck, because as soon as I say, we buy real estate for a living, we’re back to the money thing!

So for those of you on this forum who are full time investors and have no other jobs, here’s a question for you.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING? Or WHERE ARE YOU WORKING NOW?

Just another point, its especially difficult with relatives and friends that KNOW we have just left our proffessions.
Here’s a response recently from a family member, “After 10 years of University and all that hard work, you gave it all up to chase money, dont you have enough, you better be careful, its like a drug, you will always be chasing it”

I don’t know about you guys but the only way I find myself responding to this statement, is defensively. He’re is a typical response from me, “yeah, like you are working for free in your job, or you know in my proffession I used to work for charity (NOT). I don’t like it and its not in my character to be rude, but I find that I have little tollerance for illiteracy and stupidity.

There is no avoiding the subject, at family functions, it always finds us.[angry2]

Responses please, I would like to hear how other people deal with things.

Xenia

We buy properties in all conditions. Can offer Immediate Cash Settlements, No Real Estate Agents Required
[email protected]
phone 0412 437 582

Hi Don and Liz,
the returns are 12.6% and all shops have new leases. since it is still under contract, I dont think its a good idea to put the address up, but I can tell you after it settles. [biggrin]

We buy properties in all conditions. Can offer Immediate Cash Settlements, No Real Estate Agents Required
[email protected]
phone 0412 437 582