Trick or Treat, a First Time for Everything

There's a first time for everything. At every stage of our life, we are learning, exploring, growing. Just like our little 18 month old granddaughter who experienced trick or treating for the first time, for her, it was walking up to her neighbor's door and knocking, waiting for her first her chance to say the words, "Trick or Treat" that she had been practicing. She prepared for this big event in her life, with the help of her experienced parents and grandparents. Her costume was on, her new red sparkly shoes fit perfectly, and her hair was braided.

She was a perfect little replica of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.

Our older grandchildren were pros at Trick or Treating and went out with confidence, understanding the game. It also took preparation for them, they were dressed in their costumes: Spiderman, Tinkerbell, Mario and a Princess.

1. Preparation proceeds success.

2. Practice makes perfect. (Or at least improvement).

3. Go a head and give it a try!

They experienced success too. Whether it's your first time Trick or Treating, or planning any life event, the same principles apply. John and Laura Holbrook are constantly studying and preparing for the next Real Estate investment they will add to their portfolio and invite you to join them. They have experience and success, and are happy to share that with you, it's as simple as "Trick or Treat"!

You just have to knock or give them a call.

Waiting for You! 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath Duplex For Rent in Junction City Oregon

2 Bedroom, 1 Bath Duplex, Available November 1, 2011. Washer Drier hook-ups. Nice yard, off street parking. Recently painted, carpeted and new kitchen cabinets. $725 Month, with $725 Deposit. Located at 120 W. 2nd Ave. in Junction City, Oregon, near major cities Eugene and Corvallis. Call 541-466-5150 or text 541-990-2635 if interested.

Hawaii Condo! Here we come! Want to come along?

These are some of the condos that John and Laura Holbrook are interested in. They are located in Makaha, Oahu and are one of the best kept secrects because they have their own beach access, they are not crowed and you can buy one for around $80,000. The monthly fees are lower than most on the islands because they are located away from the normal tourist areas, which is another reason John and Laura like them, (no hustle & bustle).

Joseph and Crystal Nielsen owns one of these condos and feels it's a good investment.

Laura, just after an ocean swim, is enjoying some time on the beach with her son Joseph who took 5 year old grandson Rayco snorkeling in the bay right by the condo. Daughter Tamara is playing with 3 year old Anaza in the bay. Having a bay protected from the waves of the ocean is a nice feature.

John and Laura are talking to friends and family members about possibly investing here.

Lazy J Motel, the Diamond in the Rough, Coos Bay Oregon

To begin with, Laura doesn't like the name Lazy J, because there is nothing Lazy about it, but I'll save that for another post.

Be thinking of a better name for it.

The Lazy J is a motel in Coos Bay Oregon. It's a landmark. Until it was gutted by a fire, it was a nice little 12 room motel. John Holbrook and his wife Laura have wanted to make the Lazy J into a thriving motel like it was decades ago. John talked to Coos County this week and found out that something has to be done on the Lazy J to insure the building permits keep current, so John is planning a trip to "do something" on the place. With the economy the way it, some of the plans to renovate the Lazy J have had to change. With the Holbrooks owning the adjoining property on two of the property lines, they feel there is more opportunity to enhance the value by having easier access to the Lazy J, which is right off of the famous Highway 101. It might come as a surprise, but the property has a beautiful view of Coos Bay with it's deep ocean port, ships and tug boats, reaching almost as far as the eye can see, clear across the bay to the North Bend bridge.

As progress is made on the motel, posts will appear. Be sure to comment or make suggestions.

The Lazy J will be a place that many will enjoy, so let us know what your pleasure is.

Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge - North Bend, Oregon

Some facts about the North Bend bridge:

Originally named simply the Coos Bay Bridge, this historic engineering landmark was dedicated posthumously in 1947 to its designer, Conde B. McCullough.

This 5,305-foot steel cantilever truss bridge was the longest structure on Oregon’s highway system when constructed in 1936. To ease design conflict between the steel truss and the arch spans, the cantilever was constructed with curved upper and lower chords.

John and Don attends Greg Pinneo Seminar

John Holbrook and Don Pinnock went to the Greg Pinneo seminar in Portland Oregon over the week-end. Along with making new networking contacts, learning unique Real Estate stragedies, understanding better how to manage stress and organize a successful day and life.

This is a quote that was talked about at the seminar:

How we start the day, how we frame the day, is how the day will go.

They learned about the Big 5:
1. Acquisition strategies; principles that govern wealth creation.
2. Finance.
3. The art form of negotiation.
4. Construction and management.
5. Mindset.


John and Don, long time friends, enjoyed traveling the hour and half in the car from Brownsville to Portland (Oregon).
Don is an electrician by trade, just venturing into the Real Estate world. John has a couple of decades under his belt in the Real Estate industry, both believe in the importance of continuing to grow and learn.
Before they headed "back to the ranch" John took Don by a fourplex he owns in St. Helens Oregon. He explained the process used to acquire that property and how he manages it along with his wife Laura and family Peggy and Steve Howell.
John always takes time to visit his 93 year old mother, Lucille, when he's in St. Helens, who still lives in the house John grew up in.

Junction City Duplex

We have a two bedroom, two bath duplex for rent in Junction City, Oregon. It's ready to move in right now! If you like a nice big kitchen with tons of cupboard space and an extra large livingroom, you may like this place. This property lends itself to a roommate situation, since it does have two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Split cedar shakes for sale

Split cedar shakes on pallets, stored in barn and shop. Also known as shingles. Purchased them for barn siding but decided not to use them. We are going to use siding like the original on the red barn instead

Now we have all these shakes we need to get out of the way.
Selling for 1/2 retail price. 80 Squares - $4,500. Buy some or all.

Still available 3 Bedrm 2 Ba Home in Sweet Home, OR

We have a nice three bedroom, 2 bathroom, garage home for rent in Sweet Home Oregon. The house has hardwood floors and has been recently painted.
$775 with a $775 deposit.
Sweet Home Oregon is a beautiful town. They just had the Sweet Home Jamboree, a music festival that attracts country western music stars and fans from all over. This year Lady Antebellum graced the stage.
Sweet Home also has two lakes that offer fishing and other water sports.
Not far from Lebanon, Albany and Eugene, Sweet Home is a bedroom community where people like to live.
We allow pets upon approval.

Las Vegas, John's Invitation to Marco Rubel's Seminar

John enjoyed his time in Las Vegas at the Marco Rubel seminar. He was invited to the seminar so he could share his success story on stage. John was excited to share his story, using the no money down and cash back at closing method. After John's presentation on stage, people flocked around him to hear more about his success and how he applied the method of buying Real Estate with no money down, and then receive cash back at the closing.
John asked Marco if he could take a picture of him with the cards he used to help him learn the English language when he came over to the U.S.A. from Croatia. John has a lot of respect for Marco, his success in Real Estate and his work ethic.

Landlord Study Hall: Pets vs. Service Animals in Rentals

John and Laura enjoyed their first Landlord Study Hall. There was discussion on pets vs. service animals. Basically a service animal is not considered a pet in the rental world. Landlords must very careful when referring to these animals, there are strict laws protecting the rights of service animals which range from seeing eye dogs to comfort animals, all service animals are allowed in rentals and cannot be discriminated against or called PETS.

The question was asked, "Can a pet deposit be applied to service animals?" The answer: NO.
Can pet rental be applied to service animals? The answer: NO.

How does a landlord know if the tenant has a pet or service animal? Answer: Service animals have legal documents, like a doctor or agency that has qualified the need for the person to have the service animal. A tenant can be asked to show these documents, along with proof of the animal's current licence and the shot records (for proof the immunizations are current.
If a service animal becomes vicious to other tenants, if the tenant does not clean up after the service animal in the yard as defined in the rental contract, the tenant can be given notice and ultimately can be evicted if the problem is not corrected.
Property insurance companies can no longer discriminate against any breed if it's a service animal. They can if a dog is not a service animal, our property insurance will not cover 5 breeds of dogs, but service animals are exempt from that.

Junction City Duplex in Junction City, Oregon

This duplex is for rent in Junction City Oregon. It is over 1,000 sq. ft. has a very large kitchen, living-room, two bedrooms, two bathroom. Nice grassy yard and shady tree.

Attending Landlord Study Hall tonight in Portland

Excited about the Landlord Study Hall in Portland tonight. Will share the new ideas we get when we return.

The Ladies of the Relief Society Luncheon

 

Laura, Pam, Ludean, MarySue, DeEtte, Steve & Carol, Rich, Kathy, Wendy and many other friends put on a luncheon for the ladies at church for a special educational event and humanitarian service project.

Laura in Utah

Laura had a wonderful time in Utah April 5-12, 2011, she attended a Nu Skin summit, visited friends, attended the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sunday afternoon.
In this picture, Laura is standing in front of the Salt Lake City temple on what is known as Temple Square in Utah. It is amazing architecture! Some consider it one of the wonders of the world because of the harsh conditions and sparse resources in Utah at that time.
The temple represents the pioneers, including some of Laura's ancestors, who settled the Utah territory in the 1800's. It is constructed of granite stone from a quarry in the near-by Rocky mountains that loom protectively over the Utah valley.
Quick facts: Temple Announcement: 28 July 1847
Site Dedication: 14 February 1853 by Heber C. Kimball
Groundbreaking: 14 February 1853 by Brigham Young
Public Open House: 5 April 1893
Dedication: 6–24 April 1893 by Wilford Woodruff
Temple Locale
Positioned on Salt Lake City's center block, known as Temple Square, the spires of the Salt Lake Temple rise amid downtown high-rises and super malls. Sharing the block are the North Visitors' Center and South Visitors' Center; the Tabernacle, home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir; and the Gothic-style Assembly Hall. East of the temple is the masterfully landscaped Main Street Plaza, complete with reflecting pool. Beyond the plaza is the Church's world headquarters, known as the Church Office Building, and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building—a multipurpose Church building, which has become a popular wedding event center. The Church's Conference Center, an architectural masterpiece, lies directly north of the temple. Every holiday season, Temple Square is transformed into a highly popular display of hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights.
Temple Facts
The Salt Lake Temple was the fourth temple built in Utah.
With its distinctive spires and statue of the angel Moroni, the Salt Lake Temple is an international symbol of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest temple (most square footage) of the Church.
Original plans for the Salt Lake Temple called for two angel Moroni statues—one on the east central spire and one on the west.
The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build with its highly ornate interior being completed in just a year.

Rental Office at Austin Park Plaza Apartments

It's nice to have a clean, welcoming rental office at Austin Park Plaza Apartments, with a helpful, friendly face to greet each person.
"It's all about the people!".

Austin Park Plaza Apartments Management Team

Here's John and Laura with the Austin Park Plaza Apartment Management Team. Left to Right. Luvia, Manny, Laura, John and Jesse. It's all about the people!

Park Plaza II, The Newest Addition

It just made sense to invest in the property next doors to Austin Park Plaza Apartments and the logical name for the property was Park Plaza II.

How Do We Manage Property In Texas, While Living In Oregon?

We get this question all the time. The answer lies in having amazing people. One of these amazing people is Manny Perez, who has been our manager in Texas for 15 years. How do you say awesome manager in one word? Manny!

Texas, Austin Park Plaza Apartments

Another purpose for John and Laura's trip to Texas was to work on their apartments, Austin Park Plaza Apartments and Park Plaza II. John has been working with the City of Austin to get the bank along Little Walnut Creek repaired after it was damaged during construction of the city's new clean water system. This has been a long process, but it seems after 5 long years, the city is about to repair the bank.

What's your MONEY BLUEPRINT?

One of the exciting things John and Laura did while they were in Texas was attend a seminar called

"Millionaire Mind Intensive"

This was an event John planned, as Laura is not as keen on seminars as John, however, it seemed that Laura enjoyed it as much as John, or nearly.
The name of the seminar MMI sounds odd, but in reality, it was about accepting wealth for the purpose of improving your life and the lives of others. Many times people feel unworthy of wealth for a number of reasons. This seminar explored reasons and excuses people have that prevent them from becoming wealthy, that were developed early in life, known as your "Money Blueprint".
Fortunately people can begin to change their "Money Blueprint", once they are aware of it.

Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile vs. President John F. Kennedy

Why does Laura perk up when somebody mentions the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile and President Kennedy? It goes back a long ways. It has to do with making choices, and understanding the consequences of our choices. Here's the story:
When Laura was a young child, her daycare provider asked if she and the other children would like to see the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, who was visiting nearby, (she lived in Oxnard California), or the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile, who was also visiting near-by. The children, including Laura, unanimously voted for the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile. Laura, now 54 years old, remembers fondly the Weiner Mobile and the small wiener shaped whistle she and the other children were given during their Weiner Mobile tour.
However, given the choice today, she would have chosen differently.
The Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile was visiting Salem, Oregon this week, an easy drive for Laura, she was tempted to pay it a visit, "for old times sake". She cannot visit President John F. Kennedy, that opportunity is lost.
Why is this story so significant, and how does it relate to your choices, from Real Estate to hot dogs? Having someone who can offer their experience, wisdom and honest opinions can make a big difference, especially from someone who cares about you and our future.
John and Laura are experienced Real Estate investors with decades of experience. They would be happy to listen to your Real Estate questions.
Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile or President John F. Kennedy? What would you choose?

Welcome Gwen!

We are happy to welcome Gwen back in our home office. She is a former employee, who recently returned to our company. We feel it's a good sign when an employee wants to return and join our team! She has her old job back as office manager! Come by and say hi to Gwen!
It's great to see her each morning!
Welcome Back Gwen!

Laura's NYC Investment: Sorial Handbag

Laura is moving into her new handbag today. She found this beauty in NYC this week. She's not into brands that show their names, she chooses brands that are discrete. Sorial, a newer brand, fit her style.
shopsorial.com

Do your due diligence whenever making a purchase from houses to handbags!

What Laura looks for in a handbag:
1. Sturdy handle, secured well to the bag, double stitching, metal fasteners are ideal.
2. Strong fabric liner inside, so it doesn't tear easily.
3. Well sewn, no threads hanging off.
4. Handle adjustable to long or short, or two handles (different lengths), unless it's a clutch, then small or none are ok.
5. Ability to close bag (zipper, snaps etc.), so belongings don't fall out.
6. Outside pocket, or opening for easy cell phone & other handy item access.
7. A nice option is small metal feet on the outside bottom, but many nice handbags don't have these.

A New Handbag: Laura's Investment in NYC Real Estate

While Laura was in New York City this past week, she wanted to look into investing in Real Estate. She's always on the lookout for a good deal. She narrowed down her investment to a very small parcel: A new handbag. Yes, a tiny piece of NYC, a new handbag! She's now a property owner in New York City. She plans on moving into her new handbag tomorrow. She is excited about her new investment, and thinks it will be something she enjoys for a long time. Anybody who has invested in a handbag lately, might share her excitement over owning this piece of Real Estate.

NYC

Laura is in New York City visiting family. She is amazed by the different cultures there, they vary from the ones that include people being very rude to people being very nice. It seems you get both extremes in big doses when there are so many people sharing the same space on the sideway and subway. She prefers the first type.
Real Estate prices are very high in NYC, such a drastic difference between the Northwest coast and the East coast.
It's an amazing city, lots of history and patriotism in the sights, especially the Statue of Libery.
It's a wonderland for shopping!
She's having fun!
John is home on the ranch, keeping the animals fed and cared for.

Family, helping at the business

 

Family Business

One of the many rewards of owning a business, is family. In our Real Estate management and investing business, we have several family members help us in a variety of ways. One thing we know for sure, is that our family is always there for us, which is wonderful.
Our daughter-in-laws and daughter, are helping us design a brochure and power point presentation. Rachel is the photographer. Crystal, Tamara and Rachel are our models. We don't have to go very far to find beautiful, smart women, they are right here in our family!

Making Room for New Experiences, Does it make you smile?

Do you love the real estate you own? I think we should inventory the property we own and decide if it is a positive or negative asset. We own a piece of property I have started to dislike. It feels more like a liability than an asset. Could that mean it's time to sell? It definately means it's time to evaluate.
Just like on a personal note: Getting rid of clutter is the beginning of making room for new experiences. Opening up space, mentally, physically and spiritually. Just by clearing off a pile of clutter and replacing that location with something I enjoy, brings a type of new life to the room and to my life.
During a conversation with a friend about my quest to clear clutter from my life, she said, "If it doesn't make you smile, get rid of it."
I can look over at a formerly cluttered counter and see a beautiful orchid growing happily and sharing it's joy with those who pass by. A definate SMILE.

Problems: Learn from them, they are good teachers.

A property we sold, just fell out of escrow. Why?
We are evaluating the way we accepted an offer from someone with pretty bad credit, but a super desire to own the property. They hoped their enthusiasm to own this property would overcome the credit problem, we did too. But it didn't.
Challenges like these can be used to guide us into improvment, that's progress. Everyone has problems, but not everyone takes the time to learn from the them ... they are good teachers.
It's the last day of Janaury 2011, the first month of the new year is coming to a close. Am I happy with how January went? Yes!

Goals!

It's the new year. Take some time to write down your goals! There is power in writing down goals.

Laura at her computer

 

Mt. Home Management Office Staff

 

Park Plaza II, Our Newest Property!

John and Laura and everyone at Austin Park Plaza are excited about our newest member of the Park Plaza family: Park Plaza II. This is a property that is next doors to Austin Park Plaza which really compliments the Park Plaza family. Welcome to Park Plaza II.