Greetings to all and a Happy New Year.  We are excited with the prospect of seizing the many opportunities a New Year brings including the possibility of meeting you during one of the venues we attend. There’s nothing quite like a New Year – a clean page, a new leaf, a fresh start, another chance. The New Year is the logical time to identify and set new goals. For many the New Year is synonymous with a “new beginning”.

As you contemplate a “goal” for 2007, I suggest you ask yourself and be prepared to answer the following three questions: Is my goal attainable?  How much will it cost me?  Is it Worth It?  Let’s take a closer look at these considerations.

First, is my goal attainable? Seriously now, given the time restraints you have the amount of money you have and the level of expertise you have is your goal really possible? This question must be answered honestly before you share the goal or commit it to writing.

Next, what will it cost me to attain this goal?  Not just in money but the sacrifice of time, the giving up of pleasure, vacation perhaps the time you could have spent with your family or investing money in education and classes instead of taking a long sought after vacation.

Finally, is it worth it or Will it be worth it? One of the vital aspects to setting and meeting a goal is to have the agreement of you husband or wife right up front. If they don’t go along with it and agree to support your quest, then you may reach your goal, but loose the respect, admiration and love of your family.

 In High School Economics 1A, we learned about the Economic Trilogy:  Utility, Choice and Cost.  The thesis is simply this: everything has a Use (Utility) but you can only put anything to use for one thing at the same  time, which calls for you to make a Choice; The True Cost then, of any thing is -  the “giving up” of the next highest alternative.

The application: We all have the same amount of time, we can only use it for one thing at a time, and the true cost of using that time is: the giving up of the next highest alternative.   

So, keep this in mind as you set your goal for 2007: Is it realistic, can it be attained?  What will it cost? And will it be worth it?

In this Newsletter you will find a great article on “Living in Day Tight Compartments”. We have also included  an introduction to the “Developer” as a prospective Synergy Partner.  At the end of this newsletter, we have included an inspiring passage from a book written by one of our favorite people, Dr. James Jackson entitled “What cha gonna do with whatcha got”.   

LIVE IN “DAY TIGHT” COMPARTMENTS 

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, it is exhilarating to look out and contemplate what we might be able to accomplish in the next 360 + days that lay ahead.  In reality, even though we are invigorated with the idea that we may have a fresh start and a clean page, we know in our heart of hearts that today is simply another day wedged snuggly between two other days: yesterday and tomorrow. 

So, with this in mind, I remind you there are two days in every week that we should not worry or fret about and from which we should keep ourselves free from fear and apprehension. To finish this article click here

The Developer as a “Synergy Partner”

A Real Estate “Developer” is defined several ways depending on their specialty. We are using it today to define the developer involved in creating build able parcels from raw vacant land. They are visionaries continually looking for an opportunity to fill a market need for housing, industrial or commercial use.  They are entrepreneurial in nature and envision completed projects on a raw parcel of land that others overlook.  So, why would we consider a developer as a prospective synergy partner?

The raw product of vacant land is typically not financed by an institutional lender therefore, the developer requires seller financing which involves taking down the land with either a lease-option or a blanket encumbrances with partial release clauses. They have a long journey ahead of them to improve the parcel which includes the approval of a Tract Map with the local government planning agency. Once the approval parcel is completed which could take months and sometimes years particularly if a zone change is necessary.  This particular breed of developers are sometimes referred to as “non-development developers” because they typically do not move forward to build houses or commercial offices, but rather sell the individual parcels or a block of parcels to the  builder and almost always with seller carry back financing.

Perhaps you now have a glimpse of the picture now, right?  There is a whole lot of “paper” involved both in the acquisition of the raw land and in the sale of individual parcels. The problem for the non-developer then, is to exchange their promissory notes for cash – and that is where you, as a note investor enter the picture. Because the non-developing developer sees opportunity everywhere, they are always in need of cash to keep acquiring raw land to “develop”.  The notes are usually well secured with a 50% LTV and pay out within five years with a higher than market interest rate.

The next question is, “Where and how do you find this particular brand of developer?”  Well, you kind of follow their tracks.  I suggest you start with the Surveyors and Civil Engineers in your area and ask if they know of anyone or a company that has contacted them for services.  The local city or county Planning Agency has first hand knowledge of individuals who have submitted tentative map applications.  A local real estate broker may also be able to identify recent purchasers of land who plan to develop and of course, a visit with the Title or escrow company.  Remember, both the real estate broker and the Title Company are perfect synergy partners as presented previously in our newsletters. A visit to them looking for developers could open the door to cultivate the title or Escrow Company and/or real estate broker as a Synergy Partner, as well.   

     What if. . . ?

What if. . .                  there could be created a climate conducive 
                                   to the pursuit of knowledge? 

What if. . .                   into our society there could be injected the sprit of adventure and incentive to experiment?

What if. . .                   we could encourage the motivation to procure and accumulate?

What if. . .                   we could bolster the courage to create?

What if. . .                   the spark of desire was ignited to discover 
            and invent?

What if. . .                   the American people began to believe that is not too late to remain great?

What if. . .                   someone convinced us that there is no shortage of the planetary resources?

What if. . .                   we decided to discover new resources rather than spending all our time on distributing the old ones?

What if. . .                   we began to believe that economic discipline is better than deficiency?

What if. . .                   we the people of America, with thankful hearts to God for what He has entrusted to us in this great land of plenty, pledged ourselves to an economic, political and religious renewal never before known to history?

What if. . .                   We all individually faced and honestly answered the penetrating question