Australia travel update: Blogging from Newcastle airport. Will be in Sydney tomorrow for a couple of days trying to catch an interview or two. I promised to start calling my lenders, now that I have income. I need to get a new Skype headset for that. Anybody have one to spare?
Foreclosure, Real Estate Agents and Me…
I was interviewed by Trevor Smith of BlueCollarAgents.com about my experience with real estate agents. I ended up writing lots of juicy details and lessons from my foreclosed deals so I wanted to share the full interview here.
Last time I wrote about real estate agents I pissed off a few (didn’t mean too). Hey, I’m just keeping it organic.
Enjoy:
1.) When you were in the process of buying your investment Properties how many real estate agents did you work with? How many did you work with while you were trying to liquidate your properties?
I tried many different things. Some homes I did FSBO, some I listed with agents. I worked with probably about 3-5 different agents. I’ve also had some homes where one agent didn’t work out and I got another one.
2.) Did the agents that you worked with while purchasing your properties know that you were buying 8 homes? If so, what was their reaction?
Most of the properties I bought where not doing through an agent. I like to buy direct from the home owner. I did use agents to buy 2 properties I think. They both knew I was an investor and have other properties and plan to buy more. They didn’t know anymore than that.
3.) What kind of advice/warnings did your agents give you about your investment strategy?
They didn’t. They just presented the properties and sayed how it would be a good deal.
4.) What was your best experience with a real estate agent?
Best experience was with the agent who attempted to help me short sale one of my properties. She was one of the few in the area who had the knowledge and experience to do this and she worked VERY hard. Unfortunately as often happens with short sales, it got denied by the bank at the last minute. That was after MONTHS of work. I appreciated her efforts very much.
As an investor I know how to do short sales myself and I know its not easy. The most time consuming part is being on hold with the lenders every day to try to hurry the decision along. It can get very frustrating because the decisions are made by a committee.
The agent kept me informed about everything and was not only professional but also sympathetic throughout the whole time. I would recommend her to anybody facing foreclosure in Sacramento area who wants to sell on a short sale.
5.) What was your worst experience with a real estate agent?
Worst experience was when I hired a young lady to be my agent on the sale of my Dallas property. Asked her one simple question. “What price would you have to price it at in order to get this property under contract in under 30 days?”. The project was already over budget and I couldn’t afford to keep making payments. So I needed a quick sale. Hence my challenge to the agent.
So after she gave me a price I asked another simple question: “Would you be willing to do a 30 day listing agreement then?”. That was to have her put her money were her mouth is. She agreed, saying that she’ll have no problem in getting a purchase contract in under 30 days. I had a feeling that she just wanted my business though.
That feeling proved true. After a few open houses and other marketing efforst on her part she still didn’t have anybody interested in buying. Right around the 30 day mark I decided to give her a little bit extra time on the contract. However, she started complaining about the houses still needing repairs done and something about the trash that was left out for too long.
That was trash that my contracts forgot to clean and it was taking a little longer to get in contact with them. I’m in California at this time and wasn’t able to baby sit the contractors. So it was taking an extra week or two to get the trash removed. Plus the trash was not on the front of the house. It was on the back and it was neatly off in the corner. We’re talking just some construction materials and stuff like that OUT OF VIEW from the street.
Ok I’ll give it to her on the trash, a little bit. However, when she starts complaining about the house having features that make it hard to sell, that really got me. She has seen the house several times BEFORE signing the listing agreement. She came to my FSBO open house and had a good look around. So she knew full well what she was getting into.
All in all, I don’t hold it against her, too much. I think she just overpromised and realized she could’t sell it in 30 days. I just wished should would be honest about it and not try to make up lame excuses.
6.) Did you ever have a moment when you felt that an agent talked you into a real estate deal that wasn’t in your best interest? If so, how did he/she do this?
Yes, kind of. On this particular deal I got 50 grand cash back at close built into the package when it was presented to me. Out of the 8 deals this was the biggest amount cash back. It was packed and actually advertised as $50,000 CASH BACK AT CLOSE deal in an email that went out to members of this investment club that I was a part of. Well at that time my deals where already not looking so good and I need to raise extra capital to finish repairs and pay mortgage payments. It was too good of a carrot to pass up. So I took the bait and went for it.
The deal was already under contract by another investor (working in conjuctions with the agent) and they where offering an assignment of contract for an upfront NON-REFUNDABLE payment of $7,000. With that payment I would have the ability to close on this deal with my own loan and get my 50K.
Here is where I think the agent could have done a better job. They knew I was a beginner investor/flipper and I feel they could have done a better job making sure I was aware of this deal being more or less a trap. Here is why. The appraisal seemed kind of inflated but they justfied and said it was legit. They low-balled the list of repairs.
And they didn’t explain to me that in this neighborhood, there would be no where I would be able to rent out the house for what my 100% finance mortgage payment would be. IN fact I would be in the negative over a thousand dollars per month. They said I can probably do a lease option and get more per month but still it was a short sighted deal.
Yeah I would get the 50K and but would never be able to resell it for what I bought it for, EVEN after sinking 10-15K into repairs (I believe that was their estimate).
Here is where my fault came into play. I trusted the agent too much. Yes, we DID the a home inspection but I never bothered to look at the property before buying. I was traveling at that time I believe doing a deal in another state. So I had the agent let the inspector and and get the report back to me. The agent walked the whole house with the inspector and she later reported her findings to me. I feel they were still kind of low-balling the repairs but I didn’t find out until I later looked at it with my own contractor. So I made a mistake there.
OH and by the way… Hehe.. Did I mention that agent also acted as a mortgage broker on this transaction? I should have never done that because it create a conflict of interest. Who know what they may have been telling the lender just to get this deal done. So the agent made commission on both sides of the transaction. And then there was the 7K assignment fee that went to the original investor/buyer on the contract that was assigned to me. At least I think that’s where that 7K went. I really don’t know.
It was a pretty crazy deal to say the least.
7.) What would you say was the average commission you paid (or agreed to pay) agents to sell your home during the pre-foreclosure/short-sale process?
On a short sale I didn’t have much of a choice because the bank kind of determines what they are willing to give to the agent. Since they are losing money they try to low ball the agents too. Even though the agent works 3 times harder on a short sale with less of a chance of selling it as a regular house.
I believe the bank was ok with 4% or 5% split between both agents. So the poor agents where definitely worked for less money and higher risk on these deals. That’s why I appreciate any agent that is willing to do a short sale.
8.) Did you ever use or think about using a discount agent to sell your property(ies)? If so, how did they do for you?
Yes I tried a discount agent or a flat-fee listing agent a couple of times. For example paying only a flat fee of $250-500 to get listed on the MLS and I do all the work. I’ve had some good experiences and some bad. Overall I would only use a flat fee broker if I have the time/money to do all the marketing myself and the market is favorable.
Yes, you save on the fee with these brokers but if you don’t know anything about marketing or selling real estate it’s a very bad move for an average home owner and beginner investor (like myself). In a down market it’s even worce because your inexperience will show even more.
Also putting up your own marketing dollars coupled with lack of experience could cost you a lot more in the end. A good and established real estate agent already has the connections and the experience to move a house quickly and they pay for their own marketing usually. You as a homeowner/investor don’t have to put anything up except a larger commission once the house sells.
I would recommend most people stay away from flat-fee or discount brokers. Unless you know what you’re doing or willing to pay for a learning experience (which could end up being not so fun in the end.)
My follow up…
I read the interview again and I realized I’m coming across as knocking “discount brokers”. I was specifically talking about “Flat-Fee brokers”. Hopefully that makes sense.
Discount brokers - meaning brokers that provide FULL service at a discount price - is a good thing. Because it creates competition in the industry.
FlatFee brokers are doing a good thing too because they are giving people an option to do their own marketing and simple put you into MLS.
I just wanted to warn people that Flat Fee brokers is not always their best UNLESS they are knowledgeable in the RE sales process.
But overall its great to have more choices in the industry!
. . .
Again, thanks to Trevor Smith of Blue Collar Agents .com - a blog about discount real estate brokers & agents.
. . .
Question for everyone…
How Can I Building a Network of Short-Sale Friendly Agents to Refer People in Foreclosure?
I get people all the time emailing me and asking me to refer a good local agents to do a short sale. I need to have a systematic way to help these people.
Of course, I want to get referral commissions from this or a marketing fee (whichever way we can do it legally).
However, more than money I want to actually HELP these people in foreclosure and refer them somebody who will treat them right.
Any ideas?
85 Comments
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Snore… yes, what about the Utah payment?
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MURST! Haha suckers I claim the title to this one…
Ok, now for the real questions - Casey are you going to call cashcall?
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I don’t think you can use agents anywhere for investment advice. Many agents I have encountered are not property investors. They are purely sales people.
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Hi Casey,
Love your honesty, thank you very much. I don’t know if you’ll be able to answer, but here goes. I got stuck in a home, made some mistakes - the agent was my brother. He talked up the deal very nicely. Easy to fix, quick to turn, etc. Well, long story short I have put $50K into my home which I paid $200K for and it has only increase $7K in value in one year. I was ‘assured’ by the agent, my brother, that the home could be ‘listed’ for $295K after I did the repairs. Ha!! The home inspection did not reveal termites, slab issues, and even said the home had aluminum wiring when it is copper. I feel like I got swindled, but I am a big boy and willing to stand my ground. I was wondering how I can make money with the equity in my home without going further into debt? Any ideas would be great, cheers! -
WOW.
Haterz get their comments in FASTER then the Supporterz!
Your book will be a success for sure. every hater will buy it. and they will ensure that your story goes on and on…. and you will be a big success!
please let me know when you get back to the states!
i’d come to a book signing anywhere within 100 Miles of NYC!
Paydex
:)
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Enough with the trolling.
What interest rate is your corp charging you?
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“How Can I Building a Network of Short-Sale Friendly Agents to Refer People in Foreclosure?”
I’m sorry, you’re going to have to rephrase that question in English before you get any answers.
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This is getting dumber. Instead of catering to the readers and those that, in a sense, are buying a product from you, you instead shove more and more of your “i’m gonna be a blogger, but only if I don’t have to answer to my audience” down our throats…. and we’re starting to vomit it back up.
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It’s a new paradigm, and everybody who doesn’t buy, now, will be priced out forever. Anybody who does buy will be rewarded with a lifetime of riches, as their property will continue its 30% yearly price increase.
Renters, and anybody born in a future generation, will not be able to afford a $10,000,000 starter home in 15 years. They will live in tent cities, and Hondas.
This asset bubble is different than all of the others - it will never slow down, or pop. The gains are permanent.
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Hey Casey,
You keep saying you want to help people in fourclosure.
What exactly have you done recently to help people in forclosure ?
Lemme know.
I got the dallas deal knocked down to 40% below mkt. Lemme know if your interested,
Loads O Money
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casey, is someone ghost writing this for you? the writing style seems to be different lately. it doesn’t hook me in as much.
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Hey Kid:
“I get people all the time emailing me and asking me to refer a good local agents to do a short sale.”
Really?
Do these people actually know who you are and what your track record in this regard is?Will wonders never cease…
” I need to have a systematic way to help these people.”
Hobbit, do you have a systematic way to help yourself?
(Legally, that is.).“However, more than money I want to actually HELP these people in foreclosure and refer them somebody who will treat them right.
Any ideas?”
Well…yeah, puppet. Try telling them who YOU dealt with, and then steer them in the opposite direction.
Believe me…everyone involved will be eternally grateful to you.
And pay Toby something for his comment coolie duties…wouldn’t want him goin’ buck-wild crayzee and goin’ Hater on you, would you?
How can you trust people that you don’t pay, kid?
asw: manbag
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I know you probably won’t post this, but …
Wow, actual content. We’ve already seen most of it thought. Maybe a few new details like the $7,000(!!!) assignment fee.
“I worked with probably about 3-5 different agents.”
“I did use agents to buy 2 properties I think.”This is why buying eight properties in four states in less than six months is stupid. You can’t even remember how many agents you had for crying out loud.
“Unfortunately as often happens with short sales, it got denied by the bank at the last minute.
That was after MONTHS of work. I appreciated her efforts very much.”
Was this the one where you didn’t bother to send the paperwork till the last minute and SuperCute Amy dropped you? It’s hard to tell with eight properties.
“That was trash that my contracts forgot to clean [up] and it was taking a little longer to get in contact with them. I’m in California at this time and wasn’t able to baby sit the contractors. So it was taking an extra week or two to get the trash removed. Plus the trash was not in the front of the house. It was in the back and it was neatly off in the corner. We’re talking just some construction materials and stuff like that [which was] OUT OF VIEW from the street.”
How long did the contractors finish before you put the house on the market?
Did you promise the realtor the trash would be picked up before house went on the market?
Do you realize that normal and sensible people don’t just drive by before they buy? That they get out of their cars and look the entire property over?
Do you realize that having trash anywhere on the property makes it very difficult to sell?
“I just wished she would be honest about it and not try to make up lame excuses.”
Pot. Kettle. Black.
I can’t post the entire next question/answer. You got scammed at least three times on this property.
1. First you paid the $7,000 assignment fee to get it from the “investor” in your club. You say that the investor was working with your agent. That’s true, they were working to scam you. They succeeded. They knew you were desperate and needed the money and thought you would “pocket” $43K.
2. The property was overpriced even before you tacked on the cashback to the value of the loan. Let me guess, did you real esate agent provide you with comps that showed the house was worth what they were telling you. It wasn’t.
“Here is where I think the agent could have done a better job. They knew I was a beginner investor/flipper and I feel they could have done a better job making sure I was aware of this deal being more or less a trap. Here is why.”
You dimwit. Sorry for the harsh language, but that’s what you are. You agent was scamming you the entire time. They were pushing you into the trap. Your agent should never, ever be working with or for the seller.
“Yes, we DID the home inspection but I never bothered to look at the property before buying. I was traveling at that time I believe doing a deal in another state. So I had the agent let the inspector [in] and get the report back to me. The agent walked the whole house with the inspector and she later reported her findings to me.”
The agent probably acted as the inspector as well. And you probably paid a ridiculous fee to the “inspector”.
3. Your agent pocketed the commision on sale(3%) and the loan(???). At least you realize that she probably falsified your paperwork. HE HE, it’s not funny.
I’m also guessing you paid the seller’s commision and had to grease some skids somewhere for the cash back money.
“At least I think that’s where that 7K went. I really don’t know.”
You must have written a check for 7K. How can you not know to whom it went? From the sound of it the original owner might have sold the “contract” on their own home to you, then the home itself!
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so you thought you were smart enough to buy without agents. then you decide that when you do use an agent, they’re taking advantage of you, even with you buy a property out of the area and do no research of your own.
oh yeah, it had something to do with a whole lot of shiny back at closing. absolutely brilliant!
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I need to get a new Skype headset for that. Anybody have one to spare?
You have income. Buy one, moocher.
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“And they didn’t explain to me that in this neighborhood, there would be no where I would be able to rent out the house for what my 100% finance mortgage payment would be. IN fact I would be in the negative over a thousand dollars per month. ”
So you’re blaming the agent for your own failure to research the area in which you were buying. Casey, you’ll never succeed until you start taking responsibility for your mistakes. Grow up and go home.
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Casey,
Good on you for making moves towards (or atleast contemplating) paying your lenders back. You need to think about the larger strategy you will be using to pay back your debt - you cant pay it all back with the money from this blog. You say you will use the blog/book money for leverage - in what? are you planning on investing again? getting a job? How much will you need to invest? (you will get almost no money from your book deal….) With all these questions it looks like your blogs are increasingly lacking ‘juicy details’…..
Too bad the weather in Sydney is horrible at the moment.
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Real estate agents? I don’t read this blog for agent shopping tips, I’m trying to figure out how to borrow $2 million and not have to pay it back or even get a real job. Why not start with what you know?
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Casey-
Others say boring, but this is actually some real experiences you’ve conveyed, so is better than many of your recent posts. We’ve heard some of before, but assume you are getting new readers all the time.
I especially like question 6 because you admit your mistakes in trusting an agent. You say, “I never bothered to look at the property before buying..”
Hopefully, your book is written in this spirit..
The true value of your story is not the results, but really your own reflections on the experience, specifically, what went wrong, so others can avoid the same mistakes…This is obviously a very important lesson
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Hey Casey,
I have a spare headset, I import them from asia and wholesale them here in the land of aus.
email me an address and I’m happy to express post one too you in Sydney!
Alternatively I can meet you in the north-west or Sydney CBD.
AzZa
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Good to see you’re in a manic phase now that you’re making a few bucks.
I bet you get a lot less excited about posting after the next call to your creditors. We’re all curious about how much you actually owe, so please let us know what that total is once you get it sorted out.
Short sale agents? Who wants to put in that much time for a client that doesn’t have the authority to approve the sale price? Most agents in that arena would rather just work for the banks.
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Here’s an idea to juice up your blog in a sweet organic way:
Use your notariety to get talkcast interviews with other investment train wreck guys and gals. Like David Crisp in Bakersfield, Zared Rasmussen (spelling) the 21 year old mortgage broker from Vegas who was in a national magazine (Swaby wrote about that guy - one of his few articles worth reading), and those nurses in that Temecula scam. It would be interesting, and build up your traffic.
Later you can move on to interviewing more successful investors.
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FINALLY - the answer to question number five above……. No doubt about it - THAT was written by none other than Casey Serin.
Other recent posts obviously weren’t.
I missed your delusional sense of good business practices, the inability to take advice from people in the RE business, and your ability to blame ANYONE other than yourself for your own mistakes.
“SHE over-promised”
“SHE didn’t know what she was getting into”
“money where mouth was”
“lame excuses”Classic Casey!!!! Yay!
(Hey Casey - that trash may have been behind the house before you even bought it - was this one of your sight unseen deals?)
Welcome back, and keep on rockin!
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Obviously ghost-written. You are trying way to hard to sound like Casey
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you can use ur cellphone to call for international calls free
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*yawn*
oh, sorry I fell asleep while reading that pile of crap.
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Thanks for your overuse of the word “organic”. I’ll have to throw it in some conversations now with the youngfolk, now that words like “whatevs” and “paradigm” have run their course, know what I’m sayin’?
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Casey - your in Sydney now, Im in Melbourne. Can you please come visit me
Please.
I want your autograph. Im not joking. I actually mean it!!
Youve got my email addy,
Rob
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Does anyone know how what plugin casey uses to show a excerpt on his blog on the main page and then a read more link? thanks
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The sharks, they are a jumpin’ in Caseyland Down Under.
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OK, you are clearly suffering from something much worse than bipolar disorder. I’m beginning to agree that Narcissistic Personality Disorder is absolutely correct. You’re also displaying some clearly sociopathic tendencies, especially in this last post, as you seem to have no concept of taking responsibility for your own actions. It’s also becoming clear that you seem to have gone into this whole thing with the clear intention of comitting fraud in order to generate income. How do you have the nerve to blame other people for your clearly fraudulent actions? I could not believe that you were willing to place blame on the real estate agents when houses that you committed fraud in order to purchase did not sell. That’s mind-blowing and in a realm of irresponsibility all its own.
“I just wished should would be honest about it and not try to make up lame excuses.”
I’m speechless at that one. -
Casey,
When you get back to Sydney: BOOST JUICE. Trust me. Order the Watermelon Crush.
Let me know what you think.
What do you think of the Aussie babes? Pretty hot, huh?
aack!!
S_t_C
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What Utah payment?
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And where is all of this money coming from?
ASW: CashCall
Speaking of anti-spam words: is any of this cash going to CashCall?
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Do your research before going with real estate gurus, mentors, agents, and stock guru.
You’ve been screwed by so many people… it’s not even funny. -
“should would be honest about it”
That’s your new motto bro, you are unbelievable.
Pure trolling here, I’m losing whatever smidgin of respect was remaining at this tired point fast.
I’m starting to root for the FEDS!
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It would seem to me that the people you are rubbing shoulders with are quasi entrepreneur types, obsessed by cashing in on the mostly worthless link exchange “hit” mentality that to my mind is making much of the web worthless. I don’t in the least dislike or have anything against you, but I think the way you conduct yourself in your current situation will taint your career in the long run. As someone else pointed out, this Yaro guy pushes his site, yet another (albeit thinly disguised) “Make money quick” off the back of your high traffic (Whatever anyone might say, that is what it is, and it ALWAYS involves the person interested telling OTHER PEOPLE how to do the same thing), ..it never ceases to amaze me, these people who “KNOW” how to play it with Google and SEO). It seems as though nothing on the web is currently worth more than the sum of the people who see it. I think it was Nietzsche said something about the “Many too many” ruining things for everyone. Volume doesn’t equate to quality. This might be out of the scope of commenting on your current predicament, but does anyone else not feel the same. Is not giving everyone on the face of the earth, with a little bit of marketing knowledge, the opportunity to put their upended worth on the screens of thousands not diluting the true value of the web? Personally I dislike this “Web 2.0” mentality. Facebook; look me up; look at my pics, find me on My Space; check out my Flickr; and while your at it, see me n You Tube… On another note, Casey, from the little I have read, by all accounts you are a fairly talented web developer. I’m a web developer too, and I work my a** off to do good work for people for good price. I would imagine, working flat out, you would have to turn down work if you started offering your services for freelance work, as many others and I do. I know you have got your debt, and I do hope that through your blog you can make the money to sort yourself, but just something to think of on the bigger picture…. Good luck man
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would be more interested in what advice the mortgage brokers were giving you on these purchases. clearly you couldn’t afford what you were doing and unlike the real estate agents, they could see your full picture, I’m assuming none of your debt was seller financed.
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Hi Casey,
If you can’t find a Skype headset you can try buying an International calling card for $10 or $20 which will give you a huge amount of talking time.
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What about taxes, have you done those yet?
Are you homeless at the moment or are you sponging off someone new in Australia?
Do you think it’s irresponsible to leave your burdens with “others” while you trot around the globe mooching off people?
No one is here for your real estate advice. We’ll take your real estate advice when you’ve become a success at it. You got an audience because you showed the gory details of your flops. Where’s the gore lately?
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“I need to get a new Skype headset for that. Anybody have one to spare?”
You have money to travel round Australia but no money to buy a Skype headset which would allow you to face up to your financial responsibilities.
How convenient. -
Great interview
Wow that was exciting. Whats next? Why don’t you get interviewed by your painter and discuss different types of paint? Maybe you could put up a web cam and watch the paint dry?
The shark has been jumped.
The minute you became determined to become the best blogger you fell apart. Please do the opposite of whatever you are thinking. This site is web polution.
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You’re chasing money and deep down, you really don’t want to help these people. Otherwise you wouldn’t have got into REI in the first place… Be honest with yourself and God and good things will come. Remember, “Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ.” Col 3:23-4
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“be honest about it and not try to make up lame excuses.”
Listen to yourself, child.
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Are you in the airport to leave and come back to the USA or are you going to another country to hide out?
And yes, I would lkike to know about that Utah payment!!!!
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How can you call yourself an investor after what you said in the interview under “worst real estate agent experience”? You have no clue whatsoever about buying/selling or business in general!
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You don’t need a skyset. You could email.
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Three pages of text about you whining how others should do your due diligence for you. Unbelievable.
Talked to CashCall yet? Maybe you can get Gary Coleman on the line. SWEET MEDIA!
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“be honest about it and not try to make up lame excuses.”
Once again Casey, you have left me speechless.
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Casey,
I think the info on agents is relatively objective. It should be important to note that agents are not bad in and of themselves. I submitted an offer last night at 9 PM on a condo I’m wanting to buy to live in for a few years. I’ll probably make it a rental unit down the road.
My agent has been nothing but good to me. If I had been going it alone, I’d of had to contact a separate person for each listing I wanted to view, scheduled an appointment, etc. It was really convenient to have a single person to go to. I have no complaints whatsoever.
Now I’m just waiting on the call to see if they accept the offer we submitted
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Dear Mr. Serin,
This blog seems to have taken a turn for the worse. The last few posts have been extremely long and boring. I enjoy visiting your site and reading your stories, but things have gotton quite mundane. Could you give us an update on what is going on with your family? I know you said that you can’t but we would really like to know. Any plans to go on tour with the book?
-J. Murse Manbagger
asw: wheatgrass
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“millions and billions of…stars”
-Carl SaganUm. Question.
When do you plan on returning home?
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Casey, you may be indeed:
“The World’s Most Hated Blogger”
However, I don’t agree with the notion that “all publicity is good publicity.” I definitely have, in the past, enjoyed any of your actions that served to piss of the true haterz (not the critics) Heheheheehehehe…but this whole environment, the way it stands now, may not be such a healthy situation for you and yours.
My unsolicited opinion is as follows:
Casey, you may be inadvertently attracting all this negativity into your life (personal and professional). I am sure that you have a high stress tolerance, but I really think that the more this continues, the more difficult it is going to be to succeed.
I was introduced to a book by a friend the other day that I think you should check out. It is called “The Secret”…actually written by an “aussie” I think…Rhonda Byrne. You can check out the website at www.thesecret.tv
I read the book and watched the DVD within the last 24 hours and the positive effects on my “thoughts” are already outstanding. I can even send you a copy of the book or DVD when you get back in town. email me if you are interested.
You are a brilliant guy when you put your mind to it and I also STILL believe that you have great potential.
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Casey says:
“As an investor I know how to do short sales myself and I know its not easy.”
Exactly how many short sales have you completed successfully? For yourself or anyone else?
You are not an investor, and you cheapen the reputation of every investor by calling yourself one. You have absolutely no credibility when it comes to any type of real estate or foreclosure advice.
Stick to what you know, which is blogging, web development, and being lazy. If you can make a living and pay back your debts while being lazy, more power to you.
BTW, you just admitted that the RE agents didn’t pressure you into buying, or tell you buy properties simultaneously in order to avoid being caught for fraud. That weakens your defense when you get prosecuted for loan fraud, which I think will happen. I hope it does, not because I don’t like you, but because you broke the law and need to pay the consequences.
Make sure to check out Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef while you’re there, they will be good memories when you’re in prison for your crimes.
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Tere is was a predy cold web think nown as www.westber.com You sould us it bfore posing on you mesage four read.
Sepll Ckhercer
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Kanguru: That is the most awesome screen name! LOL!
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HEY CASEY,
REMEMBER THIS BLAST FROM THE PAST:
89. Casey Serin
December 10th, 2006 at 11:41 am
I’m seriously thinking of taking down all my ads… that will convince people that i’m not trolling but just trying to tell my story… yeah I will give up some revenue but its not about the money on this blog, never has been. -
I used to check this blog maybe hourly. Now I find it daily or every two days and don’t seem to be staying as long.
Not a complaint or a comment that losing me is of any particular consequence. Just an observation that may suggest you review your content and find what drives it up.
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Is Marty writing this crap now?
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You need to give us more information.It has to be some bad news too.We love the train wreck.
Only 53 replys you can do better.
http://www.icantsellmyhouse.blogspot.com/ -
#4 - ” I was wondering how I can make money with the equity in my home without going further into debt? Any ideas would be great, cheers!”
With all due respect, I don’t think asking someone who was successful at getting foreclosed on eight homes on how to gain equity on a home is going to get an answer that actually helps you.
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Okay, you deleted my last comment about how this blog is boring and no longer has any useful information (did it ever?).
I know why I keep coming back. You’re a bit on the hot side Casey. That’s the only reason I figure anyone would keep coming back - myself included.
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I have to agree with #11, you’re posts are NOT as juicy as they once were and it doesn’t even feel like you’re writing is the same anymore and myself, as a reader, get the sense that you sold this blog to someone and they are posing as you.
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Casey,
You don’t need a headset. You need prepaid calling card and a payphone.
You know what I’m talking about… you live(d) on the West Coast. You see these calling cards all the time in every liquor store and 7-11, advertising cheap international rates to Guatemala or whatever. Cheap international rates!!
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Casey, deleting each and every post that isn’t in your best interest is the best way to keep us, your “captive traffic” away.
Just sayin’. You have deleted almost all of my posts for 3 days.. even though they appeared for 3 hours or so.
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#54 , Mocha
“Casey, you may be inadvertently attracting all this negativity into your life (personal and professional). I am sure that you have a high stress tolerance, but I really think that the more this continues, the more difficult it is going to be to succeed.”
WOW…”inadvertently attracting all this negativity into your life”.
Inadvertently??? Wake up Mocha…he is write a blog so the whole world can read about his train wreck.
Whats your address, we will send you a book on correct descriptive adjectives, cause “inadvertently” ain’t the right one, sweetheart!
Thanks for your amusement.
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Casey:
You are boring write about Cash Call, the Blue Ball or the missed payments…
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I thought you were going to be transparent?
Besides putting around trying to be famous, what are you doing?
What’s you financial status? How much debt are you in? What are you generating in revenue?
Or, are you totally just ignorant of your responsibilities and trying to stay as far away as you can in some desperate attempt to escape?
Give us an update on the real stuff… Not the “It’s a wonderful life of Casey.” We want the dirt.
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Jeff 65 –
Calling cards are kind of like Ramen. They’re OK for some people but not for Casey. If someone doesn’t give him a Skype headset he won’t call anyone — creditors or (cough) otherwise — and it’ll be all our fault! Much like the rest of this debacle.
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I need to get a new Skype headset for that. Anybody have one to spare?
>
Yep for $49.95 I’ll give you a brand new headset and guru to tell you how to use it, act now time is running out!It was on the back and it was neatly off in the corner. We’re talking just some construction materials and stuff like that OUT OF VIEW from the street.
>
So long as the home buyer didn’t tour the back yard you were ok. Oh well no problem you being out of state and all.However, more than money I want to actually HELP these people in foreclosure and refer them somebody who will treat them right.
Any ideas?
>
I got crazy ideas, but I can’t tell them to you. Gotta play it out for a while. -
What happened to the $1000 per week, cash on the table, your promised?
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Casey,
You have had multiple chances to make something of yourself, but they’ve all failed. Is it because you can’t understand when opportunity knocks, or is it because failure is your focus?
I suppose it makes no difference, you have a little monkey to review, and decline comments.
Your monkey is effective at deletion, but probably not so good at understanding organic SERPs.
So, monkey, do you delete this because it states what you are, or do you allow it because you don’t understand the greater dynamics?
Everyone loves a dancing monkey, take some credit for your “work”.
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aack!!
Hey Casey, maybe your next stop should be E. Europe:
Bulgaria: Real estate agents get 15% commissions
Dnevnik, 26 Jun 2007, Online:-Bulgarian real estate agents are making commissions of as much as 15% on the sale of holiday properties, while the national average commission for real estate sales is 3%. Bulgarian estate agents handle only about 37% of domestic property sales, of which there were 56,000 in Q1 2007. Residential prices in Bulgaria increased 20% in Q1 2007 and will probably go up another 10% before the end of the year.
thpptt!!
S_t_C
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Casey,
I wondered in here from a random googling. I haven’t read your whole blog–just a few posts–most notably, “From Foreclosure to Success: 120 Days.”
The thing I find most hilarious is how overwhelmingly negative people are. Particularly the ones who have 6-figure jobs and think they’re better than you because of it.
Sadly, they’re blinded by their salaries, which likely STILL fall short of what they deserve. Generally, people are worth exponentially more than the peanuts their companies kick back after milking them–regardless of how seemingly large those nuts are. Sadly, few people truly appreciate this reality.
You see it.
More importantly, you have the passion/guts to do something about it. A quality most people struggle to learn, you possess naturally. In the end, you will likely be wealthier than 98% of those who comment in this blog. Plus. I’d bet money that you’ll get there by 35.
When you do… write about it so I can laugh along with you.
Others have probably advised this but in case you haven’t yet listened (or if a like-minded person finds this comment), I want to reiterate that you should read “Think and Grow Rich”… immediately.
Here’s one of my favorite quotes from it that applies well here:
“No more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty.”
Profound words. I’d also highly recommend:
The Millionaire Next Door
(There’s no reason why any competent young person who reads this book can’t go on to become a millionaire)The New Psycho-Cybernetics
(”The Secret” doesn’t hold a candle to this)and any time-management book or audio series by Brian Tracy.
Best wishes,
- Kevin
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Casey,
I must say, while I think this post reitterates some of the mistakes that you made which were monumentally selfish and ignorant, this is the type of content that you should be posting on this site.
It is helpful to people to find out where you went wrong. When you stray down the path of posting all kinds of tripe on here, you diminish the value of the blog. You cannot reserve all that content for books that you want to sell because you’ll lose your audience. Congrats on figuring that out.
In other news, I am a real estate agent and investor and I’m GLAD that you are explaining to people the difference between a good and bad agent. Many agents will take offense to postings about them because they want to make their money by charging you for the privilege of using the proprietary MLS system. The fact is, there is a great disparity in the value of the services that each agent will offer you, and rather than constantly seeking the lowest commission rate, people should take a good look at what is being offered to them and what value there is in that. Unfortunately, most people don’t know what goes into selling a house, and therefore, they can’t ask the right questions. Keep sending them in the right direction, and eventually, they’ll find their way.
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#4 Kenneth Dunham— your question to Casey would seem like a perfect topic for this blog and for him to reply to… the problem is that he never replies and does not want to provide the information that he keeps telling us this blog is about… or going to be about.
Interesting question though, and one that I would visit a blog that tried to give answers to!
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M-O-O-N!! THAT SPELLS FROMUNDA FROM DOWNUNDA!!
LAWS YES!!
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Casey,
I am begging you to put some REAL content on this blog sometime soon. Yes the pics of koalas are cute, but….I can get those if I google images.
I started reading your blog the day you took it down so I am not a long time hater etc. But now I can’t stop reading. This is like a bad play somehow.
April
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@# 67…(and make that MOCHA, extra whip cream with a swirl)
In the famous words of Casey Serin…”How long have YOU been a hater?” Hehehehehehehehe… .
By INADVERTENTLY attracting “negativity” into his life…I am NOT talking about the lil “negative words on a screen” here at IAFF and other sites!!!
I am talking about the negative circumstances that occur in Casey’s REAL life!!!
What is that saying? “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never touch me.”
Haterz…do we even know how THEY live THEIR lives???
I would like to see the haterz put up blogs exposing EVERY detail about THEIR personal and professinal lives…good and bad…and see if they won’t get similar comments.
Haterz hide behind a computer screen and “write” angry words on a screen at Casey whom we all do not even know.
You know what? I hope you haterz all have huge driveways in the “cyber mansions” you all live in to park your “high horses.”
Look…I will not let you even “mess up my groove!” I am trying to follow through with the suggestions from those teachers in the “The secret.” Actually, Now, I am recommending that book not only to Casey but to all IAFF readers. Some of you cold sure use some”good vibrations.”
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Mocha, trust me, it would bore people silly to have every detail of my life blogged.
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MOCHA:
“You know what? I hope you haterz all have huge driveways in the “cyber mansions” you all live in to park your “high horses.””
Nope.
I live in a shack down South where I torture “lil” animals for fun.
Between postings at EN and here, I mess around with the “human meatbags” I keep as pets chained up in my cellar.
(At least, that’s where I keep the ones that I’m fond of).You should visit sometime.
We can explore the fun of being “stereotyped” together.
It would be “psycho-fabulous”!asw: juice
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A loss of a job, death in family, medical expenses and other life-altering situations can happen to anyone, causing us to
fall behind in our mortgage loan payments.If we neglect paying our credit cards it hurts our credit rating; if we neglect our home loan payments the lender
will foreclose, and repossess our home. We are often embarrassed to talk about our money problems, but that approach doesn’t solve anything.
Credit Repair could help you get back on track in the futurePut your pride on hold and get serious about avoiding foreclosure. Contact your lender as soon as you know your payments will be late.
Never ignore the lender’s letters and do not assume you are in a hopeless situation. Lenders do not want to foreclose, and will usually work with you to get your account back on track.Below are Solutions for Temporary Problems
1. Reinstatement When you are behind in your mortgage payments but can promise a lump sum to bring payments current by a specific date.
2. Motgage Forbearance. You are allowed to delay payments for a short period, with the understanding that another option will be used afterwards to bring the account current.
Lenders sometimes combine Forbearance with Reinstatement if you know you’ll have the funds to bring your account current by a specific date.3.A mortgage Repayment Plan If your account is past due, but you can now make payments, the lender may agree to let you catch up your home loan by adding a portion of the
past due amount to each current monthly payment until your account is current.Solutions for Longer-Term Problems
1. Mortgage Modification If you can make your regular payment now, but cannot catch-up the past due amount, the lender may agree to modify your mortgage.
One solution is to add the mortgage behind amount into your existing loan, financing it over a long term.
Modification might also be possible if you no longer have the ability to make payments at the former level.
The lender might modify your mortgage to extend the length of your loan, or take other steps to reduce your payments.2. Selling Your Home If catching up is not a possibility, the lender may agree to put foreclosure on hold, giving you some extra time to attempt to sell your home.
http://www.webuyhouseseasy.com/listings/index.php can help by purchasing your home.3. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure The lender may allow you to give-back your property, in turn forgiving the debt.
This does negatively affect your credit record, but not as much as a foreclosure. The lender may require that you attempt to sell the house for a specific time
period before allowing this option; the option may not be possible if there are other liens against the home. http://www.webuyhouseseasy.com/sell_house.htmIf these options aren’t available and time is against you. Contact a realtor and have your house listed on MLS (mutly listing service) immediately.
It is better to sell your home and keep a mortgage foreclosure from affecting your credit rating so that you can qualify for a mortgage and buy a house again in the near future rather than
the far future. -
Help for Texas and more
Sandy Pope
512-923-5214 cell or 512-267-2616 office
buyfromsandy@yourfinallyhome.com
Is the value of your home going down as well?
Do you owe more on your house than you could sell it for?
Has life made making your mortgage difficult, if not a strain?You don’t have to file bankruptcy or face foreclosure. There is now a solution “Short Sale”. You may have heard about it, but what is it? A Short Sale occurs when a homeowner owes more on their property than the property is worth, and the bank is willing to accept less. Let me help you save your credit. Would you like more information about Short Sales or if you have any questions, please give me a call or email me.
Sandy Pope
512-923-5214 cell or 512-267-2616 office
buyfromsandy@yourfinallyhome.com -
Casey,
Just trying to catch up on your blog. Have not been here for six months and it seems quite a bit has changed in that time. Interesting post but your idea “How Can I Building a Network of Short-Sale Friendly Agents to Refer People in Foreclosure?”
{Of course, I want to get referral commissions from this or a marketing fee (whichever way we can do it legally).}
is a bad idea unless you actually get licensed. You may be able to start up a paid online directory for agents to get listed on but if a real estate broker agrees to pay you a referral commission or “marketing fee” and you don’t have a license… that would make me wonder about the real estate broker.
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