Heading the wrong direction, the right way.

My neighbor is moving North, from Southwest Florida,  in December.  He never does anything conventionally.  Yet he is a very successful salesman.  He is driven by a different and constant beat,  that most of us cannot hear, much less keep up with.

He is a Real Estate Agent, and before that he sold cars.  He's just a young guy in his twenties.  When he finished school,  he had some good jobs, but moved a few times, because he could not find anyone to give him a chance at sales, which is what he really wanted. He finally answered an ad to sell cars.  Within a month,  he was their number one sales person.  Within a year he was their finance manager,  and after another year,  their sales manager.

Eventually he talked himself into residential real estate.  I was surprised,  by the move,  because of his success.  He had a house, a boat, a Harley, a Corvette, a Cadillac SUV and a Rolex.  He had all the toys.  So why move to Real estate when most people are bailing out because they cannot make a living.  Some people, like this guy, can make anything work.  And he did.

He told me the car business was in shambles,  and he had gone about as far as he could there,  and he wanted a new challange.  You have heard the story,  "when others are selling,  you should be buying."  Well a guy like this can make money no matter what is happening.  In his first fiscal year in real estate, 2009/10,  he did about twenty transactions when veteran realtors were lucky to do ten or twelve.   He was buying houses for 'flippers, geting them repaired and turning huge profits for his customers and himself.  It was amazing.  I thought flipping was dead,  he knew better.

Now he is moving North,  just before our 'Season' begins down here,  and the snow buries the North.  Most Realtor's are looking forward to the influx of buyers moving south. He's heading North.  I have no doubt he will be successful up there.  Everything he touches seems to turn to gold.  I hope you can learn something from him.

He is shipping his vehicles North,  at a hugely discounted rate,  because the trucks are bringing cars south for the 'snow birds' but going back empty.  He makes money on everything.  He bought a box truck from a guy who had used it to move here but had no further use for it, so my neighbor bought it for a song.

My point in all of this, disregarding the fact that it is an interesting story about a truly amazing guy,  is there is always a way to be successful in any venture, market or investment. Make your goal to satisfy the needs of others, who's need, fulfills your need. Their win, becomes your win.  The truck drivers did not want to go back North empty,  my neighbor helped them.   The people buying fixed up properties could not afford to buy them at auction and fix them up,  but could afford to buy  a nice low price home with a mortgage. My neighbor helped them.

Learn from my neighbor.  You could do what he did,  or you could find a need,  that will help someone, which in return will help you.  Think about the commercial real estate in SW Florida.  Who can you help? You will end up helping yourself.