The final hours of 2010 are here. This is when we all should make our final reflections on the past year, and see what we need to repeat, and what we need to change in the following year. Here are some tips for getting 2011 started off right.
1) Write down your goals. Goals are much much more likely to be achieved when they are written down and reviewed consistently. Write them down and post them where you can see them on a regular basis.
2) Make a commitment. You have to commit to your goals if you want to achieve them. It can't be just hopes or dreams. Believe you can do it and commit to it until you see the results you desire.
3) Connect with your "why". Unless you have a strong "why" backing up your "what", you will not stay in it for the long haul. Losing weight, increasing your income and building your knowledge are all great goals. But what is the reason that you want to achieve these things? Is it to be more healthy so you can live a better life? Is it to have more freedom or time with your family? Identify what your why is and connect you goals with it. Make sure your daily activities are connecting with your why, and you are much more likely to stick to it and put in the extra effort.
4) Ask for help. If you don't know how to get to where you want to go, find someone who can help you. Find a mentor for your business, or a physical trainer to help you get in shape. Seek out whoever it is that you think can help you the most in achieving your goals. Don't be shy. Remember, "If You Never Ask, the Answer is Always 'No'". People are usually willing to share their knowledge and experience, so take advantage of that and just ask for help. If you don't know anyone personally, find a mentor via books and audio programs and learn from them.
5) Don't give up. Nothing worthwhile is easy. Don't give up. Stick with it until you achieve the end result you are seeking. Remember your "why" is a big part of this equation. Do whatever it takes to get it done.
I hope these tips can help your 2011 get started on the right track. Happy New Year!
Living Without Regret
2011 is just days away, and now is the time that people reflect upon the past year and make goals as to how to make the next year better. Upon reflecting for myself, the process led me to what will be my theme for 2011, and even beyond. That theme is this: Living Without Regret.
What does that mean? Think back over your last year or so. What have you done that you wish you hadn't done? More importantly, what have you not done that you wish you had done? This is the crux of what this theme is aimed at. Most likely, those things you think of will bring up regrets of wishing you had done something differently, or taken action when you didn't, or of passing up an opportunity instead of embracing it. No more. Live without regret.
So how do you go about achieving this theme of living without regret? It starts with looking at your choices on a daily basis. You have to recognize and be aware of when you are doing these things that are later causing you to have regret. Are you purposely avoiding talking to someone about a business opportunity? Are you putting off taking action steps to reach your business goals? When you become aware of the specific things like this that you are doing, you can make the conscious decision at that time to move beyond your fear or whatever is holding you back and just do it. You can cut off the chance of regret down the road by taking the action right away. You know if you don't do it, you will regret it. So be aware of those situations and live without regret. Don't worry about what will happen as a result of you taking action. Just know that even if it doesn't work out as planned, at least you will know that you took action on it. You can live with something not going right, but try living with the regret of never knowing because you never tried.
Now, we all have regrets, so please don't beat yourself up if you are reading this and you're thinking about all the things you wish you would have done. The past is the past. You can't change it, and dwelling on it does not solve anything. All you can do is learn from it, move on, and go from this point forward with the mindset that you are not going to let that happen anymore. You are going to take action, do those things you've been putting off, and make sure you are living in a way that you will not regret never having put forth the effort.
Here's to your 2011. Make it the best year yet. Make decisions, take action, take steps to reach your goals every day. Live without regret in 2011 and beyond.
What does that mean? Think back over your last year or so. What have you done that you wish you hadn't done? More importantly, what have you not done that you wish you had done? This is the crux of what this theme is aimed at. Most likely, those things you think of will bring up regrets of wishing you had done something differently, or taken action when you didn't, or of passing up an opportunity instead of embracing it. No more. Live without regret.
So how do you go about achieving this theme of living without regret? It starts with looking at your choices on a daily basis. You have to recognize and be aware of when you are doing these things that are later causing you to have regret. Are you purposely avoiding talking to someone about a business opportunity? Are you putting off taking action steps to reach your business goals? When you become aware of the specific things like this that you are doing, you can make the conscious decision at that time to move beyond your fear or whatever is holding you back and just do it. You can cut off the chance of regret down the road by taking the action right away. You know if you don't do it, you will regret it. So be aware of those situations and live without regret. Don't worry about what will happen as a result of you taking action. Just know that even if it doesn't work out as planned, at least you will know that you took action on it. You can live with something not going right, but try living with the regret of never knowing because you never tried.
Now, we all have regrets, so please don't beat yourself up if you are reading this and you're thinking about all the things you wish you would have done. The past is the past. You can't change it, and dwelling on it does not solve anything. All you can do is learn from it, move on, and go from this point forward with the mindset that you are not going to let that happen anymore. You are going to take action, do those things you've been putting off, and make sure you are living in a way that you will not regret never having put forth the effort.
Here's to your 2011. Make it the best year yet. Make decisions, take action, take steps to reach your goals every day. Live without regret in 2011 and beyond.
If You're Not Uncomfortable, You're Not Growing
We all want to be comfortable. We want to have a comfortable place to live and live a comfortable lifestyle. We want to be in comfortable surroundings and be around people we are comfortable with. But too much comfort is not a good thing, and will keep you from achieving as much as you are capable of.
If you are comfortable every day, in everything you do, it means you are not stretching yourself. You are not going beyond your "comfort zone". Let me say this plainly: You CANNOT grow if you are always within your comfort zone. Growth, learning and really living comes from being outside your comfort zone.
There are experiences you will never have and things you will never achieve if you are only doing things that are within your comfort zone. By only living within your comfort zone, you are robbing yourself of the potential of these great experiences and achievements. Also remember that in any worthwhile endeavor, you are going to have things that you need to do that are outside of your normal comfort zone. There is no getting around this. You have to accept the fact that some of the things you want to achieve are going to require you doing things that you do not want to do. This includes things that make you uncomfortable, but also includes doing the things that you just don't feel like doing; but that aspect is another topic in itself.
The good news is, as you start to do things that are outside of your comfort zone, your comfort zone grows. You start to feel more comfortable doing things that were once things that you dreaded doing. Don't assume that people you see that don't seem to have the comfort issues that you do have always been that way. The person that networks a room and talks to everyone without any worry has probably not always been that way. One step at a time you can change what you are comfortable with and what comes easily to you. The key is to stretch yourself beyond where you feel comfortable, and eventually those things will be just as natural to you as breathing.
I encourage you to do something every day that is outside your comfort zone. If you consistently test and stretch it, it will grow, and it will give you the confidence and more opportunities to move forward on your goals. It could start as small as saying hi to a stranger, or if that is already easy for you, it could be calling a prospect you have been putting off calling. Wherever your comfort zone currently is, there is something you can do to make it grow. Get out there and get uncomfortable!
If you are comfortable every day, in everything you do, it means you are not stretching yourself. You are not going beyond your "comfort zone". Let me say this plainly: You CANNOT grow if you are always within your comfort zone. Growth, learning and really living comes from being outside your comfort zone.
There are experiences you will never have and things you will never achieve if you are only doing things that are within your comfort zone. By only living within your comfort zone, you are robbing yourself of the potential of these great experiences and achievements. Also remember that in any worthwhile endeavor, you are going to have things that you need to do that are outside of your normal comfort zone. There is no getting around this. You have to accept the fact that some of the things you want to achieve are going to require you doing things that you do not want to do. This includes things that make you uncomfortable, but also includes doing the things that you just don't feel like doing; but that aspect is another topic in itself.
The good news is, as you start to do things that are outside of your comfort zone, your comfort zone grows. You start to feel more comfortable doing things that were once things that you dreaded doing. Don't assume that people you see that don't seem to have the comfort issues that you do have always been that way. The person that networks a room and talks to everyone without any worry has probably not always been that way. One step at a time you can change what you are comfortable with and what comes easily to you. The key is to stretch yourself beyond where you feel comfortable, and eventually those things will be just as natural to you as breathing.
I encourage you to do something every day that is outside your comfort zone. If you consistently test and stretch it, it will grow, and it will give you the confidence and more opportunities to move forward on your goals. It could start as small as saying hi to a stranger, or if that is already easy for you, it could be calling a prospect you have been putting off calling. Wherever your comfort zone currently is, there is something you can do to make it grow. Get out there and get uncomfortable!
Persistence - The Difference Maker
What's the difference between those who are successful and those who are not? Between those who get what they want and those who only want? There are many differences, such as mindset, obtaining the right knowledge, keeping a positive attitude and other attributes. But a huge factor - a difference maker - is persistence.
Persistence is carrying on when things get tough. When you fail, instead of giving up, you keep pushing forward. Persistence requires a vision; something that will drive you forward when those obstacles get in your way. With a vision of something you truly desire to see to the end, nothing can stop you. You make it your mission to get through anything to get to the other side and finish.
Here's the thing about success that most people that are not successful don't understand. They look at people that are successful and they see the final result, and only the final result. They do not see the years or decades of work and failure that were put in to get where they were. Unsuccessful people simply give up too quickly. Things get tough or they have one failure and they say to themselves that it is too hard or that they can't do it. I could go into many things to help get beyond this and help you to keep moving forward, and I will, but for now remember that persistence is what pays off in the end. You have to put in the work and be willing to keep going "until". If your destination, your vision, is anything worth achieving, you are not going to achieve it overnight, and certainly not without any bumps along the way. But anything worth achieving is worth struggling to get. When you get it, all the work it took to get there makes it worth the while. It makes the struggle not seem so bad, and it makes you appreciate it much more when you have arrived.
Persistence, never giving in, never giving up until you achieve your vision, is just one characteristic of those that are successful. But it is one you must seek to have if you want to make the most of your abilities - of which you have many. Persistence is not everything, it's not the only thing; but it is the difference maker.
Persistence is carrying on when things get tough. When you fail, instead of giving up, you keep pushing forward. Persistence requires a vision; something that will drive you forward when those obstacles get in your way. With a vision of something you truly desire to see to the end, nothing can stop you. You make it your mission to get through anything to get to the other side and finish.
Here's the thing about success that most people that are not successful don't understand. They look at people that are successful and they see the final result, and only the final result. They do not see the years or decades of work and failure that were put in to get where they were. Unsuccessful people simply give up too quickly. Things get tough or they have one failure and they say to themselves that it is too hard or that they can't do it. I could go into many things to help get beyond this and help you to keep moving forward, and I will, but for now remember that persistence is what pays off in the end. You have to put in the work and be willing to keep going "until". If your destination, your vision, is anything worth achieving, you are not going to achieve it overnight, and certainly not without any bumps along the way. But anything worth achieving is worth struggling to get. When you get it, all the work it took to get there makes it worth the while. It makes the struggle not seem so bad, and it makes you appreciate it much more when you have arrived.
Persistence, never giving in, never giving up until you achieve your vision, is just one characteristic of those that are successful. But it is one you must seek to have if you want to make the most of your abilities - of which you have many. Persistence is not everything, it's not the only thing; but it is the difference maker.
If You Never Ask, the Answer is Always "No"
Let me state this clearly: If you never ask for something, I can guarantee you that 100% of the time you will not get. Every single time you do not ask, the answer will be a "No"? How could it be anything else if there was never the opportunity for it to be a "Yes"? Whether it is asking for a sale, asking a business partner for funding, asking someone to mentor you or any other question of proposition, there is only one possible answer if the question is never asked.
Many times we are afraid to ask for something because we are afraid of the answer. We are afraid they are going to say no. But let's think of this from a different perspective. What if they do say yes? If you never ask, you have zero chance of getting a yes from someone. Simply asking raises your chances of success infinitely. You may still only have a very slight chance at getting a yes, but at least there is a chance. Don't hesitate wondering if someone is going to give you a no as an answer. If they do, who cares? It was already a no before you asked, and all you did was confirm it. If you never asked, you would never have known for sure. But who knows? They could say yes, and it could end up being the best question you've ever asked.
You also have something to work with when you get a no, versus having nothing at all to go on when you don't know what the first response is going to be. A no does not necessarily mean no forever. It could mean no for right now, it could mean they need more information or it could mean they don't understand. Whatever the reasoning, at least you have something to work with and you can start dealing with the objections. Without the knowledge of their original yes or no answer, you have nothing to go on.
So make sure that whatever endeavors you are in, ask the questions you are currently hesitating to ask. Ask for more than you think you can get. Ask for the sale when you think there is no chance they will go for it. One thing is for sure, they will definitely not go for it if it was never proposed to them.
Many times we are afraid to ask for something because we are afraid of the answer. We are afraid they are going to say no. But let's think of this from a different perspective. What if they do say yes? If you never ask, you have zero chance of getting a yes from someone. Simply asking raises your chances of success infinitely. You may still only have a very slight chance at getting a yes, but at least there is a chance. Don't hesitate wondering if someone is going to give you a no as an answer. If they do, who cares? It was already a no before you asked, and all you did was confirm it. If you never asked, you would never have known for sure. But who knows? They could say yes, and it could end up being the best question you've ever asked.
You also have something to work with when you get a no, versus having nothing at all to go on when you don't know what the first response is going to be. A no does not necessarily mean no forever. It could mean no for right now, it could mean they need more information or it could mean they don't understand. Whatever the reasoning, at least you have something to work with and you can start dealing with the objections. Without the knowledge of their original yes or no answer, you have nothing to go on.
So make sure that whatever endeavors you are in, ask the questions you are currently hesitating to ask. Ask for more than you think you can get. Ask for the sale when you think there is no chance they will go for it. One thing is for sure, they will definitely not go for it if it was never proposed to them.
Setting Your 2011 Goals
It's approaching that time of year again...already. It seems as though 2010 has just begun and already we are staring at 2011 being right around the corner. Now is the time to sit down and reflect on your 2010. How has the past year been for you? What goals did you reach? What goals did you not reach? Why? Spend some time analyzing the year, so you can use that knowledge when planning your 2011.
Before the end of the year, lay out your goals for next year. What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to change? Do you want to make more money? Do you want to get in shape? List the things that you want to achieve.
Here are some tips for setting your 2011 goals:
1) Don't make goals that you think you should make. Make goals you actually want to accomplish. This is part of the reason so many people fail at their goals so quickly. Their "new years resolutions" are what they think they should do, not what they actually want.
2) Go beyond skin deep. Don't just list what you want. Make sure you understand and list why you want it, and it has to be about more than just "surface" issues. For example, increasing your income is a great goal, but what is your overall objective in doing so? Is it being able to give more? To spend more time with your family? You must identify your "why"'s to keep you going when times get though.
3) Post your goals where you can see them. If they are not in front of you consistently, they are not nearly as likely to be reached.
4) Focus. Don't try to reach every goal in one year. Pick a couple you need to work on or that are foundational for your other goals and focus on those first. Use them as building blocks for your future goals.
5) Share your goals. Don't keep them a secret. Let those around you know what you plan to accomplish. Have someone hold you accountable. Even just telling people your goals increases your chance of success, as you now have other people besides yourself that know if you have or have not done what you said you would.
6) Have a plan. Goals without a plan are just a hope and a wish. You must have a plan of attack to be able to reach them. Without one it will take much longer, if you reach them at all.
I encourage you to actually that some time to put some thought into what you want your 2011 to be like. Put it on paper, use these tips, and make 2011 your best year yet!
Before the end of the year, lay out your goals for next year. What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to change? Do you want to make more money? Do you want to get in shape? List the things that you want to achieve.
Here are some tips for setting your 2011 goals:
1) Don't make goals that you think you should make. Make goals you actually want to accomplish. This is part of the reason so many people fail at their goals so quickly. Their "new years resolutions" are what they think they should do, not what they actually want.
2) Go beyond skin deep. Don't just list what you want. Make sure you understand and list why you want it, and it has to be about more than just "surface" issues. For example, increasing your income is a great goal, but what is your overall objective in doing so? Is it being able to give more? To spend more time with your family? You must identify your "why"'s to keep you going when times get though.
3) Post your goals where you can see them. If they are not in front of you consistently, they are not nearly as likely to be reached.
4) Focus. Don't try to reach every goal in one year. Pick a couple you need to work on or that are foundational for your other goals and focus on those first. Use them as building blocks for your future goals.
5) Share your goals. Don't keep them a secret. Let those around you know what you plan to accomplish. Have someone hold you accountable. Even just telling people your goals increases your chance of success, as you now have other people besides yourself that know if you have or have not done what you said you would.
6) Have a plan. Goals without a plan are just a hope and a wish. You must have a plan of attack to be able to reach them. Without one it will take much longer, if you reach them at all.
I encourage you to actually that some time to put some thought into what you want your 2011 to be like. Put it on paper, use these tips, and make 2011 your best year yet!
Having More Follows Becoming More
The late Jim Rohn put it best when he said that in order to have more, you must first become more. Take a look at your goals, what you would like to accomplish, and ask yourself truthfully if you are the kind of person that can get there. What I mean by that is, have you committed to growing into the person you need to be to accomplish those goals? Have you spent the time studying, the hours preparing and planning and have you invested in obtaining the knowledge that is required to get to where you would like to be?
Too often we make goals of accomplishing great things, but we look only at the goal itself and not and who we need to be to accomplish it. Let's use the example of the goal of becoming a millionaire. What are you doing to become a millionaire? I don't just mean having the money. What are you doing to become that type of person? Being a millionaire is not just having a certain amount of money. It is about a mindset, about a work ethic, and about being a certain type of person. Most people that are not millionaires think that it's just about the money, that it's just about having the zero's in the bank account. This brings me to another great quote that Jim Rohn was told by his mentor Mr. Shoaff. He told him, "Set a goal to become a millionaire for what it makes of you to achieve it."
The point of course is that you first must become that which you are trying to achieve. If you want to be a millionaire, you must start thinking and acting like a millionaire. If you want to be a business owner, you need to do the same. You must change your mindset and your actions to be those that match up with where you want to be. This process must start first, before you achieve your goals. It does not happen the other way around. If you think that you will achieve your goals and then magically you will be that person, you are badly mistaken, and you will most likely run into many troubles and possibly never reach them. You must first become; only then will you have.
Too often we make goals of accomplishing great things, but we look only at the goal itself and not and who we need to be to accomplish it. Let's use the example of the goal of becoming a millionaire. What are you doing to become a millionaire? I don't just mean having the money. What are you doing to become that type of person? Being a millionaire is not just having a certain amount of money. It is about a mindset, about a work ethic, and about being a certain type of person. Most people that are not millionaires think that it's just about the money, that it's just about having the zero's in the bank account. This brings me to another great quote that Jim Rohn was told by his mentor Mr. Shoaff. He told him, "Set a goal to become a millionaire for what it makes of you to achieve it."
The point of course is that you first must become that which you are trying to achieve. If you want to be a millionaire, you must start thinking and acting like a millionaire. If you want to be a business owner, you need to do the same. You must change your mindset and your actions to be those that match up with where you want to be. This process must start first, before you achieve your goals. It does not happen the other way around. If you think that you will achieve your goals and then magically you will be that person, you are badly mistaken, and you will most likely run into many troubles and possibly never reach them. You must first become; only then will you have.
Real Estate Investing - Foreclosures
As I've said before, NOW is the time to be investing in real estate. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity we have before us. Here is the latest foreclosure report from RealtyTrac. Take a look for yourself.
11/2010 PRESS RELEASE
IRVINE, Calif. - Nov. 2010 - RealtyTrac® (realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for October 2010, which shows foreclosure filings - default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - were reported on 332,172 properties in October, a 4 percent decrease from the previous month and almost exactly the same total reported in October 2009. One in every 389 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month.
"October marks the 20th consecutive month where over 300,000 U.S. homeowners received a foreclosure notice," said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer at RealtyTrac. "The numbers probably would have been higher except for the fallout from the recent 'robo-signing' controversy - which is the most likely reason for the 9 percent monthly drop in REOs we saw from September to October and which may result in further decreases in November."
Foreclosure Activity by Type
A total of 100,575 U.S. properties received default notices (NOD, LIS) in October, a 2 percent decrease from the previous month and a 19 percent decrease from October 2009 - the ninth straight month where default notices have decreased on a year-over-year basis.
Default notices were still up on a monthly basis in several states: Florida LIS were up 2 percent from the previous month; Ohio LIS were up 10 percent; and Illinois LIS were up 24 percent. Meanwhile, NODs decreased on a monthly basis in California (down 9 percent from the previous month), Nevada (down 17 percent), and Michigan (down 18 percent).
Foreclosure auctions (NTS, NFS) were scheduled for the first time on a total of 138,361 U.S. properties in October, a 3 percent decrease from the previous month but still a 6 percent increase from October 2009. Scheduled auctions decreased month-over-month in 26 states and the District of Columbia, while 16 states posted year-over-year decreases in scheduled auctions.
Lenders foreclosed on 93,236 U.S. properties in October, down 9 percent from the record high in the previous month but still up 21 percent from October 2009. Bank repossessions (REOs) decreased month-over month in 33 states and the District of Columbia, while 14 states posted year-over-year decreases in REOs. Including October, lenders have foreclosed on an average of more than 91,000 properties each month this year.
Nevada, Florida, Arizona post top state foreclosure rates
Nevada continued to document the nation's highest state foreclosure rate in October, with one in every 79 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during the month - nearly five times the national average. A total of 14,205 Nevada properties received a foreclosure filing during the month, a decrease of 13 percent from the previous month but an increase of nearly 3 percent from October 2009 - the first year-over-year increase in Nevada foreclosure activity since September 2009.
Florida foreclosure activity increased on a year-over-year basis for the second straight month following five straight months of annual decreases, helping the state to maintain the nation's second highest state foreclosure rate for the third month in a row. One in every 155 Florida housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month, 2.5 times the national average.
One in every 165 Arizona housing units received a foreclosure filing in October, the nation's third highest state foreclosure rate for the third month in a row. A total of 16,538 Arizona properties received a foreclosure filing during the month, a decrease of 3 percent from the previous month but an increase of nearly 24 percent from October 2009 - the second straight month where the state's foreclosure activity increased on a year-over-year basis following seven straight months of annual decreases in foreclosure activity.
Other states with foreclosure rates ranking among the top 10 in October were California, Michigan, Utah, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois and Colorado.
Five states account for more than 50 percent of national total
California alone accounted for 20 percent of the national total in October, with 66,475 properties receiving a foreclosure filing during the month - a nearly 12 percent decrease from the previous month and a decrease of 22 percent from October 2009.
A total of 56,858 Florida properties received a foreclosure filing in October, the nation's second highest state total and accounting for 17 percent of the national total.
With 19,288 properties receiving a foreclosure filing in October, Michigan posted the nation's third highest state foreclosure activity total and accounted for nearly 6 percent of the national total. Michigan foreclosure activity decreased nearly 12 percent from the previous month but was still up 17 percent from October 2009.
Foreclosure filings were reported on 16,969 Illinois properties and 16,538 Arizona properties in October, with each state accounting for roughly 5 percent of the national total.
Other states with foreclosure activity totals among the nation's 10 highest in October were Georgia (14,850), Nevada (14,205), Ohio (13,233), Texas (13,008), and Washington (6,346).
Top 10 metro foreclosure rates in Nevada, California and Florida
Foreclosure activity in Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev., increased less than 1 percent from October 2009 and the metro area continued to post the highest foreclosure rate among metropolitan areas with a population of 200,000 or more - one in every 70 housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month. Reno-Sparks, Nev., also documented a foreclosure rate in the top 10, at No. 9 with one in every 122 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October.
With one in every 96 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., posted the nation's second highest metro foreclosure rate for the month. Other Florida metro areas with foreclosure rates in the top 10 were Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach at No. 7 and Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 10.
Modesto, Calif., posted the nation's third highest metro foreclosure rate, with one in every 102 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October. Other California metro areas with foreclosure rates in the top 10 were Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario at No. 4, Stockton at No. 5, Merced at No. 6, and Vallejo-Fairfield at No. 8.
All top 10 metro areas posted month-over-month decreases in foreclosure activity, and seven of the top 10 posted year-over-year decreases in foreclosure activity.
Report methodology
The RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report provides a count of the total number of properties with at least one foreclosure filing entered into the RealtyTrac database during the month - broken out by type of filing. Some foreclosure filings entered into the database during the month may have been recorded in previous months. Data is collected from more than 2,200 counties nationwide, and those counties account for more than 90 percent of the U.S. population. RealtyTrac's report incorporates documents filed in all three phases of foreclosure: Default - Notice of Default (NOD) and Lis Pendens (LIS); Auction - Notice of Trustee Sale and Notice of Foreclosure Sale (NTS and NFS); and Real Estate Owned, or REO properties (that have been foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank). The report does not count a property again if it receives the same type of foreclosure filing multiple times within the estimated foreclosure timeframe for the state where the property is located.
U.S. Foreclosure Market Data for Top 10 States - October 2010
If you have not started to get in the game yet, start NOW. Here are some tools that can help:
RealtyTrac-Search our list of nationwide foreclosure listings.
Education-Try this education program for starters.
Learn, learn, learn and get out in the world of investing before this time passes! There will always be opportunity, but don't let this amazing time pass without getting involved. I will be posting more tips, strategies and resources very soon to help you grow in your education and give you the tools you need to succeed.
11/2010 PRESS RELEASE
IRVINE, Calif. - Nov. 2010 - RealtyTrac® (realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for October 2010, which shows foreclosure filings - default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - were reported on 332,172 properties in October, a 4 percent decrease from the previous month and almost exactly the same total reported in October 2009. One in every 389 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month.
"October marks the 20th consecutive month where over 300,000 U.S. homeowners received a foreclosure notice," said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer at RealtyTrac. "The numbers probably would have been higher except for the fallout from the recent 'robo-signing' controversy - which is the most likely reason for the 9 percent monthly drop in REOs we saw from September to October and which may result in further decreases in November."
Foreclosure Activity by Type
A total of 100,575 U.S. properties received default notices (NOD, LIS) in October, a 2 percent decrease from the previous month and a 19 percent decrease from October 2009 - the ninth straight month where default notices have decreased on a year-over-year basis.
Default notices were still up on a monthly basis in several states: Florida LIS were up 2 percent from the previous month; Ohio LIS were up 10 percent; and Illinois LIS were up 24 percent. Meanwhile, NODs decreased on a monthly basis in California (down 9 percent from the previous month), Nevada (down 17 percent), and Michigan (down 18 percent).
Foreclosure auctions (NTS, NFS) were scheduled for the first time on a total of 138,361 U.S. properties in October, a 3 percent decrease from the previous month but still a 6 percent increase from October 2009. Scheduled auctions decreased month-over-month in 26 states and the District of Columbia, while 16 states posted year-over-year decreases in scheduled auctions.
Lenders foreclosed on 93,236 U.S. properties in October, down 9 percent from the record high in the previous month but still up 21 percent from October 2009. Bank repossessions (REOs) decreased month-over month in 33 states and the District of Columbia, while 14 states posted year-over-year decreases in REOs. Including October, lenders have foreclosed on an average of more than 91,000 properties each month this year.
Nevada, Florida, Arizona post top state foreclosure rates
Nevada continued to document the nation's highest state foreclosure rate in October, with one in every 79 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during the month - nearly five times the national average. A total of 14,205 Nevada properties received a foreclosure filing during the month, a decrease of 13 percent from the previous month but an increase of nearly 3 percent from October 2009 - the first year-over-year increase in Nevada foreclosure activity since September 2009.
Florida foreclosure activity increased on a year-over-year basis for the second straight month following five straight months of annual decreases, helping the state to maintain the nation's second highest state foreclosure rate for the third month in a row. One in every 155 Florida housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month, 2.5 times the national average.
One in every 165 Arizona housing units received a foreclosure filing in October, the nation's third highest state foreclosure rate for the third month in a row. A total of 16,538 Arizona properties received a foreclosure filing during the month, a decrease of 3 percent from the previous month but an increase of nearly 24 percent from October 2009 - the second straight month where the state's foreclosure activity increased on a year-over-year basis following seven straight months of annual decreases in foreclosure activity.
Other states with foreclosure rates ranking among the top 10 in October were California, Michigan, Utah, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois and Colorado.
Five states account for more than 50 percent of national total
California alone accounted for 20 percent of the national total in October, with 66,475 properties receiving a foreclosure filing during the month - a nearly 12 percent decrease from the previous month and a decrease of 22 percent from October 2009.
A total of 56,858 Florida properties received a foreclosure filing in October, the nation's second highest state total and accounting for 17 percent of the national total.
With 19,288 properties receiving a foreclosure filing in October, Michigan posted the nation's third highest state foreclosure activity total and accounted for nearly 6 percent of the national total. Michigan foreclosure activity decreased nearly 12 percent from the previous month but was still up 17 percent from October 2009.
Foreclosure filings were reported on 16,969 Illinois properties and 16,538 Arizona properties in October, with each state accounting for roughly 5 percent of the national total.
Other states with foreclosure activity totals among the nation's 10 highest in October were Georgia (14,850), Nevada (14,205), Ohio (13,233), Texas (13,008), and Washington (6,346).
Top 10 metro foreclosure rates in Nevada, California and Florida
Foreclosure activity in Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev., increased less than 1 percent from October 2009 and the metro area continued to post the highest foreclosure rate among metropolitan areas with a population of 200,000 or more - one in every 70 housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month. Reno-Sparks, Nev., also documented a foreclosure rate in the top 10, at No. 9 with one in every 122 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October.
With one in every 96 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., posted the nation's second highest metro foreclosure rate for the month. Other Florida metro areas with foreclosure rates in the top 10 were Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach at No. 7 and Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 10.
Modesto, Calif., posted the nation's third highest metro foreclosure rate, with one in every 102 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October. Other California metro areas with foreclosure rates in the top 10 were Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario at No. 4, Stockton at No. 5, Merced at No. 6, and Vallejo-Fairfield at No. 8.
All top 10 metro areas posted month-over-month decreases in foreclosure activity, and seven of the top 10 posted year-over-year decreases in foreclosure activity.
Report methodology
The RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report provides a count of the total number of properties with at least one foreclosure filing entered into the RealtyTrac database during the month - broken out by type of filing. Some foreclosure filings entered into the database during the month may have been recorded in previous months. Data is collected from more than 2,200 counties nationwide, and those counties account for more than 90 percent of the U.S. population. RealtyTrac's report incorporates documents filed in all three phases of foreclosure: Default - Notice of Default (NOD) and Lis Pendens (LIS); Auction - Notice of Trustee Sale and Notice of Foreclosure Sale (NTS and NFS); and Real Estate Owned, or REO properties (that have been foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank). The report does not count a property again if it receives the same type of foreclosure filing multiple times within the estimated foreclosure timeframe for the state where the property is located.
U.S. Foreclosure Market Data for Top 10 States - October 2010
If you have not started to get in the game yet, start NOW. Here are some tools that can help:
RealtyTrac-Search our list of nationwide foreclosure listings.
Education-Try this education program for starters.
Learn, learn, learn and get out in the world of investing before this time passes! There will always be opportunity, but don't let this amazing time pass without getting involved. I will be posting more tips, strategies and resources very soon to help you grow in your education and give you the tools you need to succeed.
Tomorrow Will Never Come
How many of us are guilty of saying to ourselves something along the lines of "I'll do it tomorrow" or "I'll start that new discipline next week, when I've had the weekend to recover"? I'd venture to say we've all had those kinds of thoughts at some point. I know I have. Here's the problem...tomorrow never comes.
You may have valid reasons for waiting to start something. Maybe you are very tired from the day, so instead of getting up an hour early to work on that side project like you plan on doing, you say to yourself that you will get the extra sleep today and then tomorrow you will start on the project. But guess what? Chances are that tomorrow you are going to be just as tired and are going to come up with the same excuse. Whatever your reasoning or excuse is for not starting today, likely it will show up again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. You can't wait for perfect circumstances to begin, and you can't ever think that you will start tomorrow. You have to start TODAY.
How long can this really go on for though? It's just one day, right? Well, since we're approaching the end of 2010, go back and look at your goals you wrote down at the beginning of the year. Are there any projects that you meant to start that you didn't? I can almost guarantee there is something you intended to do that you never did. If you don't start right away, today, then you are risking this result every time.
Not only does "tomorrow" never come, but when you put things off you also run into other issues that are going to hurt you. One of these is the "law of diminising intent". In the example above regarding your 2010 goals, I bet you really felt like you could and wanted to do those projects. But as the year went on and you never started on it, you probably didn't think about it as much, and you probably eventually got busy with other things and didn't even remember that you wanted to do it in the first place. The law of diminishing intent says that no matter how excited and prepared you are to move forward on a project, the longer you put it off, the less excited and the less likely you are to move forward on it. So when you put something important to you off, not only are you delaying the rewards you could be reaping from completing it, but you are risking never completing it at all!
So what projects are you puting off until tomorrow? What should you be doing today that you have been making excuses for not starting? Stop making excuses, stop waiting until tomorrow, and start taking action TODAY. Remember, tomorrow never comes, so stop waiting for it!
You may have valid reasons for waiting to start something. Maybe you are very tired from the day, so instead of getting up an hour early to work on that side project like you plan on doing, you say to yourself that you will get the extra sleep today and then tomorrow you will start on the project. But guess what? Chances are that tomorrow you are going to be just as tired and are going to come up with the same excuse. Whatever your reasoning or excuse is for not starting today, likely it will show up again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. You can't wait for perfect circumstances to begin, and you can't ever think that you will start tomorrow. You have to start TODAY.
How long can this really go on for though? It's just one day, right? Well, since we're approaching the end of 2010, go back and look at your goals you wrote down at the beginning of the year. Are there any projects that you meant to start that you didn't? I can almost guarantee there is something you intended to do that you never did. If you don't start right away, today, then you are risking this result every time.
Not only does "tomorrow" never come, but when you put things off you also run into other issues that are going to hurt you. One of these is the "law of diminising intent". In the example above regarding your 2010 goals, I bet you really felt like you could and wanted to do those projects. But as the year went on and you never started on it, you probably didn't think about it as much, and you probably eventually got busy with other things and didn't even remember that you wanted to do it in the first place. The law of diminishing intent says that no matter how excited and prepared you are to move forward on a project, the longer you put it off, the less excited and the less likely you are to move forward on it. So when you put something important to you off, not only are you delaying the rewards you could be reaping from completing it, but you are risking never completing it at all!
So what projects are you puting off until tomorrow? What should you be doing today that you have been making excuses for not starting? Stop making excuses, stop waiting until tomorrow, and start taking action TODAY. Remember, tomorrow never comes, so stop waiting for it!
Your Focus Determines Your Outcome
What you focus on determines what you will get. Now what exactly do I mean by that? What I mean is that whatever are focusing on or spending your time thinking about, that is what you are going to end up getting back in results. This means if you are focusing your mind on positive results, you are going to achieve positive results. If you are focusing on negative results, that is what you are going to get as well.
Many people think and act and are driven by what they don't want, instead of turning it around and thinking and acting based on what they do want. The don't want to be poor, they don't want to struggle and live paycheck to paycheck, and so on. What they really need to be focusing on is what they do want instead. This is a major differentiation in thought. The positive thought process is like a rocket propelling you forward. The negative thought process is like a huge weight pulling you back. Wherever your mind is most consistantly, that's where your results are most often going to end up.
If you are thinking negatively, if you are always focused on what you don't want, it is a constant drag on your mind. You have a hard time trying to figure out how to get what you want, because you are too worried about trying not to have something rather than trying to have or achieve something. If you are spending your time and effort focused on the positive, your mind is going to be searching for solutions, and when you have a positive focus versus a negative focus, your mind has a much easier time accomplishing this task.
The negative side of this is the scarcity mindset; thoughts centered around "there isn't enough" or "I'll never be able to do this if I don't..." or "I can't afford that". These kinds of thoughts are clear signs that you are thinking with a scarcity mindset. The positive side is the abundance minset; thoughts centered around "how can I achieve this?" or "how can I afford this?". The focus is on the solution, the destination, instead of on the problem.
So when you are thinking about your goals, your plans, where you want to get in your life, think about what you want and not what you do not want. Focus on how to get where you want to go, not how to stay away from where you don't want to be. That simple shift in your thinking will make all the difference. Where your thoughts are is where you will end up.
Many people think and act and are driven by what they don't want, instead of turning it around and thinking and acting based on what they do want. The don't want to be poor, they don't want to struggle and live paycheck to paycheck, and so on. What they really need to be focusing on is what they do want instead. This is a major differentiation in thought. The positive thought process is like a rocket propelling you forward. The negative thought process is like a huge weight pulling you back. Wherever your mind is most consistantly, that's where your results are most often going to end up.
If you are thinking negatively, if you are always focused on what you don't want, it is a constant drag on your mind. You have a hard time trying to figure out how to get what you want, because you are too worried about trying not to have something rather than trying to have or achieve something. If you are spending your time and effort focused on the positive, your mind is going to be searching for solutions, and when you have a positive focus versus a negative focus, your mind has a much easier time accomplishing this task.
The negative side of this is the scarcity mindset; thoughts centered around "there isn't enough" or "I'll never be able to do this if I don't..." or "I can't afford that". These kinds of thoughts are clear signs that you are thinking with a scarcity mindset. The positive side is the abundance minset; thoughts centered around "how can I achieve this?" or "how can I afford this?". The focus is on the solution, the destination, instead of on the problem.
So when you are thinking about your goals, your plans, where you want to get in your life, think about what you want and not what you do not want. Focus on how to get where you want to go, not how to stay away from where you don't want to be. That simple shift in your thinking will make all the difference. Where your thoughts are is where you will end up.
Knowledge is Not Power
You've heard it said that "knowledge is power". But really, knowledge is not power. It is potential power, but knowledge itself is not power. Without action, knowledge will do nothing for you. It doesn't matter how much you know, if you never act on it then it will never make any difference. Action is the event that takes that knowlege and turns it into the power it has the potential to be.
Darren Hardy, Publisher of Success Magazine and author of "The Compound Effect" stated it perfectly when he said "Ideas without execution are wasted. Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do at all". You see, one person could know all there is to know about how to make money, how to be successful, and so on and one person could know absolutely nothing about it, and they can both be in the exact same place if the person that knows how to do it never does anything about it. No knowledge is the same thing as unlimited knowledge that is not used.
So don't just stop at educating yourself. You absolutely need to keep learning and make sure you have the knowledge you need to succeed. But don't keep that knowledge locked up inside. Go out and take action on it, or it will all be for nothing. Don't wait until you have all the knowledge you think you need to be able to start. Trust me, you will never get to that point. You learn and gain confidence as you go, and if you use the excuse that you don't know enough to be able to take action, you will be making that excuse for the rest of your life. Educate yourself and take the leap of faith into acting on it!
Darren Hardy, Publisher of Success Magazine and author of "The Compound Effect" stated it perfectly when he said "Ideas without execution are wasted. Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do at all". You see, one person could know all there is to know about how to make money, how to be successful, and so on and one person could know absolutely nothing about it, and they can both be in the exact same place if the person that knows how to do it never does anything about it. No knowledge is the same thing as unlimited knowledge that is not used.
So don't just stop at educating yourself. You absolutely need to keep learning and make sure you have the knowledge you need to succeed. But don't keep that knowledge locked up inside. Go out and take action on it, or it will all be for nothing. Don't wait until you have all the knowledge you think you need to be able to start. Trust me, you will never get to that point. You learn and gain confidence as you go, and if you use the excuse that you don't know enough to be able to take action, you will be making that excuse for the rest of your life. Educate yourself and take the leap of faith into acting on it!
Act Into Feeling
A lot of people don't do things because they don't feel like doing them. They have goals but they don't take the steps necessary to reach them because they do the things they feel like doing instead of the things they need to be doing to get there. The many people that are stuck in this cycle have one major thought process that needs to be corrected if they are to ever break free and reach their goals; successful people do not do what they feel like doing. They do what they need to do to get to the point where they can do what they feel like doing. They realize that they need to do things that they don't necessarily want to do in order to get that freedom. They also realize that you can't wait until you feel like doing something to do it, because you will almost never feel like doing it. You have to force yourself to do it until it creates the feeling. The formula is:
Action --> Feeling
NOT
Feeling --> Action
If you are waiting to take action on something until you feel like doing it, change your thought pattern and start taking action first. You will find that the feeling often soon follows the action, but you need to take the action first in order to get the feeling. Once you have the feeling, everything will compound since you are already taking action, and now you have the feeling that makes you want to take action! So...what are you waiting for? Take ACTION, get the feeling you are longing for, and start moving towards your goals!
Action --> Feeling
NOT
Feeling --> Action
If you are waiting to take action on something until you feel like doing it, change your thought pattern and start taking action first. You will find that the feeling often soon follows the action, but you need to take the action first in order to get the feeling. Once you have the feeling, everything will compound since you are already taking action, and now you have the feeling that makes you want to take action! So...what are you waiting for? Take ACTION, get the feeling you are longing for, and start moving towards your goals!
Real Estate: Get in NOW!
I'll make this short. If you are not currently involved in or TRYING to get involved in real estate right now, I just have one question for you? WHY NOT?! This market is a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy buy buy. Buying homes for pennies on the dollar is happening every day. Whatever the excuse is that you have, get past it and get going! If you don't have the knowledge - get educated! Whether it's your own research (not the BEST option), finding a mentor, or taking an education program, figure out how to do it. If you don't have the money - FIND IT! There are TONS of people out there with money but without the time or knowledge necessary to take advantage of this market. You bring the time and knowledge, and they will give you the money you need to do the deals. You just have to be willing to work for it and go and find it.
Whatever the excuses, stop right now and get involved in this AMAZING market that we have in front of us right now!
More on Real Estate coming very soon, so keep visiting the blog!
Check out this software that could help to EXPLODE your real estate business! Click Here!
Whatever the excuses, stop right now and get involved in this AMAZING market that we have in front of us right now!
More on Real Estate coming very soon, so keep visiting the blog!
Check out this software that could help to EXPLODE your real estate business! Click Here!
10 Things For 2010
With the new year always comes new intentions, new goals and a fresh start to go after them. If you are struggling with setting your 2010 goals, here are a few ideas to get you headed in the right direction.
10 Things For 2010:
- Spend More Intentional Time With Family - Plan time to spend with your family without any distractions, especially work or business related.
- Give of Yourself - Whether it's volunteering with an organization or at your church, make 2010 a year where you give of yourself by serving others. Not only will you be a blessing to those who you help, you will also get an incredible sense of satisfaction as well.
- Increase Your Income - Become more valuable at your job, increase your business or add an additional stream of income.
- Try Something New - Get out of your comfort zone and do something you've never done before.
- Be More Conscious of Your Health - Forget the lose 20 pounds and gain it back in a month diets. Make a lifestyle change by changing your eating habits and incorporating a workout into your schedule. Even a 10-15 minute workout 3-4 times a week can pay huge dividends.
- Take a Vacation - I know, this one's a tough sell. Vacations reduce stress and give a great chance for new experiences with family and friends. Don't go crazy if you can't afford something huge. Just plan a way to get away. There are lots of cheap travel options that are still tons of fun and super relaxing.
- Verbalize Your Appreciation - Don't assume people know that you appreciate them for what they do or who they are in your life. Even if you know that they know, it's still nice (and necessary) for them to hear it come out of your mouth.
- Read More - You can never read too much. There's so much knowledge out there, and it's all compiled and easy for you to access. All you have to do is go find it and take the time to read it.
- Do Something Every Day to Get Closer to Reaching Your Goals - Keep your eye on the prize and focused on the big picture, but remember that small, daily steps are what add up to reaching your biggest dreams.
- Make 2010 a Stepping-Stone to 2011 - Make 2010 great, and plan to have whatever you do this year set up for an even greater 2011 and beyond.
Sadly, most that make new years resolutions have by this point already fallen off track. Don't just make resolutions. They are made on hopes and wishes, not on commitment and decision. Make a conscious decision on the things that you will do this year, and the things that will change in your life. Only when you have truly decided and committed will you be able to persevere when the going gets tough or you get tempted to fall off track or quit. Here's to your success in 2010!
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