Peter Pays Paul

One of the most confusing things for people I know is my description of where I live. I tell most people that we live off of Walnut Boulevard. Most of the replies I receive say, “I know where that is. Doesn’t that connect with Bancroft Avenue?” To which I have to respond, “No.” So you don’t really know where it is. (Map of Area)

When I was growing up, I never even realized that there was a Walnut Avenue. Why? Because living in the Wild Oak area of Walnut Creek limited our exposure to most things east of Homestead on Ygnacio Valley Road. From the house here we could just cruise down the hill to Nordstrom’s and Safeway. We could take a different route and end up on Newell Avenue by Caspar’s Hotdogs. We had little or no need to head east on Ygnacio Valley Road.

The Meadow Creek, Wild Oak, and Walnut Heights areas are very desirable because of their close proximity to almost everything. It takes less than 10 minutes to reach downtown Walnut Creek by car on a bad day. The freeway is less than 10 minutes away. They are near to Las Lomas High School, Walnut Heights Elementary and Walnut Creek Intermediate School. Also within walking distance is Howe Homestead Park and the Shell Ridge Open Space.

Most of the homes were built in the 1950’s and 60’s. The homes have an individual character and some have been tastefully remodeled. Most of the lots are large enough that homes can be expanded. Many homes in the area also have pools. Much of the area consists of gently rolling hills and gullies. Some homes even have a view of Mt. Diablo.

Once off the main roads, many of the cul-de-sacs are quiet and great for kids to play with neighbors. Recently many younger families with children have moved into the area. This is the ideal place for a young family, who wants their kids to attend quality schools and live in a great neighborhood.

Walnut Creek is a great place to live, raise a family, and work. It is also a wonderful place to live if you work in San Francisco, San Jose, or Oakland. And the neighborhoods of Meadow Creek, Walnut Heights, and Wild Oak are ideal locations in Walnut Creek to buy a home.

While watching television last night I came upon an interview with Ron Perelman on CNBC. Donny Deutsch was interviewing the CEO of MacAndrews & Forbes with the title “Blueprint to Billions” on the lower half of the screen and it caught my attention. “Ah, maybe I can glean some wisdom”, the eager student thought.

Perelman had two points that were salient. His first point was: Do not choose a career for the money, choose it because you love it. He said if you love what you do the money will follow.

This point is easily comprehensible, because passion will drive you to take initiative and motivate you to work hard.

His second point was the less obvious, but more poignant. He was talking about decisions and decision making. He said that in order to succeed a person must make decisions, because even though you may not have chosen, a decision is made. He continued to say that you might as well take part in the decision.

I may not have understood what he was saying if I had not read a book titled Manly Dominion. The book spoke about the passive tendency of many people, especially in men. The author argues that many men choose not to choose, and thus act passively towards life and life just “happens” to them.

The sad part of this is that life did not “happen” to them. The choices not made, shaped their life. They chose not to decide, and did not act to negate the forces at work in their life.

They chose to delay fixing the leak, and things were destroyed. They failed to submit their application to their dream job, and were not hired. They neglected to set aside time for their family and wonder why they spend their golden years alone. They couldn’t decide what to invest in, so they delayed investing.

What decisions are you delaying? What forces should you be combating that are acting against you? Is it your health? You do not stay healthy and strong by accident. Or is it your finances? Money does not magically appear in a savings or retirement account, it requires discipline and a budget. Are you taking care of your home? It will fall into disrepair if you leave it alone.

What are your goals and dreams? What steps are you taking to get you there?

How do you envision your retirement or future? What investment steps are necessary to have the future you imagine? What decisions did you make and actions did you take today that will shape the outcome?

Don’t allow your future to “happen” to you. Make choices, decide the course your life will take. Make a decision today that will help you achieve your future. Get a professional on your side that can assist you and direct your steps. Don’t not make decisions. Play an active role in your future.

Real estate investing and sports are alike in many ways. I mentioned earlier that longevity or perseverance can help you to succeed in both endeavors.

Real estate investing is similar to sports in another regard. Just like in sports, there are huge benefits to having a coach or mentor. I see three main benefits of having a coach in real estate investing.

Assembling the Team

One of the roles that a sports coach plays is that of personnel manager. The coach knows what is necessary to win the championship and does their best to assemble players in order to accomplish this goal. A coach evaluates his/her team’s weaker positions and finds players that will fill those weak positions.

A coach also makes sure that each player is fulfilling his or her individual role. If one player fails, the entire team is put in a position to fail.

And so it is with real estate investing. A coach/advisor should assemble the best team to help you succeed in the game of investing. A coach should have a top-notch team that includes a real estate attorney, an estate planning attorney, an accountant, and a property manager. A financial planner is another highly recommended team member.

These team members allow your advisor to specialize in finding the right investments that fit your plan and not to be distracted with other elements. A real estate advisor should also ensure that each team member is effectively fulfilling their role, helping you on the way to achieving your dreams.

Planning on Offense

Successful sports coaches also develop the strategy of the team. After evaluating the individual team members, a coach assesses their strengths and weaknesses and develops a plan to win. Not every team is the same. During different seasons, certain players may be stronger in areas than the preceding season’s team. A coach must adjust their strategy accordingly. For instance, a football coach with a weak quarterback may run the option rather than a West Coast Offense. A basketball coach with shorter, quick players is going to emphasize an outside game rather than force their team to play inside the paint.

A real estate investment advisor realizes the same is true of their clients. Not every investor is willing to take the same risk. Not every investor has the same assets and income. Individual investors also have distinct time frames to accomplish their personal goals and dreams. (In truth, any good investment professional should develop a customized plan for each client and not a blanket plan that is applied to all clients universally.)

A real estate investment advisor will develop a line of attack, in conjuncture with the client, that allows the client to accomplish their aspirations. This will take into account what the client wants or needs, currently has, and will possibly have in the future.

Planning on Defense

Another important role of coach is defensive strategy. No human can consistently predict the future. Coaches do not know what move the opposing team is going make at any time. Therefore, a good coach will prepare their players for any move that the other team might make.

A real estate advisor should also prepare you for the attacks of Murphy (of Murphy’s Law), natural disasters, and the economy. A real estate investment advisor will help you to know what steps are necessary should an unforeseen force affect your investment. You should be prepared to face challenges and overcome them with the help of your advisor.

Real estate investment coaches/advisors walk with you down the path to success. They instruct and teach you along the way and do not desert you after they are paid. Their ultimate goal is your attainment of your goals and your dreams.

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
–John R. Wooden, Head Basketball Coach, UCLA