Missed It By That Much
Are you old enough to remember the TV series Get Smart? If not, then maybe you saw the recent remake in the theater. Maxwell Smart was a bungling spy who always seemed to muddle his way through every episode. His quirky nature and crack support team were his only weapons.
Every time he got into a tight spot, he would just plow forward. Always confident in his ability and ever reliant on his faithful sidekick, 99.
When ever he would get out of a tight situation or come close to catching the bad guy he would say; ‘missed it by that much!’ Then he’d put is fingers just an inch apart to add emphasis to how close he was to success.
I loved that show and it reminds me a lot of the way I feel sometimes in the real estate business. Sometimes I negotiate a deal and I just miss getting it. But if the numbers aren’t right, I walk away. I’m always mindful of the fact that you should never fall in love with the property, you should fall in love with the numbers.
If the numbers aren’t right, then walk away! And sometimes for me, just as it was for Maxwell Smart, the bad guy will come back around! I have to chuckle when I see a deal that I made an offer on 6 months ago come back around.
The bad guys pop up out of the wood work, but this time they want to play ball. I put my crack team on it! I send out my own special 99 to scout the deal all over again and see if the numbers are the same.
What I’m trying to say, is that it’s okay to miss out on some deals. Many times being as patient as Maxwell Smart and having a crack team around you will make the difference in making a profitable deal and just missing getting taken by the bad guys!
I like old Maxwell. He was confident and unafraid, but he was smart. He had his team and plowed forward, but he also made sure to always come out on the safe end and he continually left the bad guys scratching their heads.
You to can be the Maxwell Smart of real estate. Get out there and get started. Find your 99, a team member that will watch your back. You don’t have to be perfect, smooth or cool, you just have to get out there. Then make some offers and be mindful that the sellers are the bad guys and it’s your job to make a bad situation good.
Most importantly, if the numbers aren’t right, WALK AWAY! Trust me, 6 months later the bad guys will come back looking for you and this time you might just be able to turn them to your way of thinking!
Michael Gross is the President of Dividend America Mortgage and has been in real estate for over 20 years. He has been a builder, a Realtor, an appraiser, and currently he is a lender and an active real estate investor. He uses all of his experience and knowledge to show individuals how to properly use a mortgage as a tool to help create greater wealth through real estate investing. For more information on residential and small commercial loans please call 770-350-7373 or email mgross@dividendamerica.com
