The Real Estate Sage at The Real Estate Investment Institute - REII

Leave it to my Mother to come up with innovative solutions. My parents spend their summers in Central Michigan, not far from where they grew up, or for that matter not far from where I went to grade school. North of Rosebush, and South of Clare on Stevenson Lake. They spend their winters at their home in Holiday, FL less than two blocks form where my Grand Parents retired fifty years ago.

To say my parents are traditional, will get you no arguments, but it does make my mother's idea stand out. It's time to sell their lake home. The 5 lots with 400 feet of water frontage in a park like setting are just a little to much as they get older and the 5 of us kids are no longer around, the Grand Kids are getting to old, to get excited about going to Grand Ma's to ride Grand Pa's lawn tractor on weekends, and the Great Grand Kids are still to young to be outside when the lawn is being mowed. No longer does cleaning the large poll barn for Grand Pa fascinate them, once the patio and fishing boats are launched. Sweeping out the detached garage is ok, 3 to 5 minutes at the most then ask Grand Pa for the boat keys. Asking only $144,900.00 it's time to move on not to a smaller house This one's just right with 2 bedrooms but to one where the only outside work will be their personal garden.

It's that garden that got my attention, with the lake house for sale, Mother didn't want to lose this years crop. So instead of planting as they have always done, Mother had a new plan. She had seen an idea for senior gardeners with ageing backs, to plant their garden not in the ground, but on and in bales of straw! Not only would this save bending, but when the house sells they can have their garden loaded on a trailer and moved to their new home. As I get the story the first croup of tomatoes came up great until the morning when Mother looked out and saw the deer eating all her plants and part of the garden. The second crop fenced from the deer is said to be going well.

I'm familiar with apartment and condo dwellers planting in buckets, but this is the first time I've heard of planting in straw. Leave it to my Mother. To exchange ideas try writing her at ma@reii.org. If you want more information on the lake try 989-386-4929. Please don't call about listing, but ask them to co-operate.

Bill

William J Archambault Jr

The Real Estate Investment Institute

http://www.reii.org

On my way to breakfast Friday (7-27-07) I was asked by a mutual friend of ours how I felt about the concert Brenda and I attended Thursday night. My answered confused him. I responded humbled!

Well I've had nearly 30 hours to think about it and I still feel the same way. Brenda and I took a bus tour to the Sean Hannity Freedom Concert.

We don't attend a lot of concerts, the last one was Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas concert here in Las Vegas about 3 years ago. And we don't do bus tours, never! So this was very unusual for us. With that in mind let me tell you about our trip.

We gathered early for the promised breakfast, it turned out to be Krispy Creams, Brenda enjoyed them but I can't take the sugar. Brenda went next door for something I could eat and I found us seats. No sooner had I sat down when a striking young couple joined me. Striking because he is about 6 foot and she's 4 foot something. Striking because every time she looked up at him her eyes lit up so much it warmed everyone's heart. Her shirt read "I (Heart) ARMY!" She smiles (up) at me and say he's Army and just back! I got to talk with Larry and Erica Carter a bit, he was in deed back less than a week. An Army National Guard member, one of the first things he said was "I joined for the week ends." He then went on telling that he'd spent the last year in a tank in Iraqi. There was no bitterness, no regrets, and no pessimism! His story was positive, he told of the good we (The USA) are doing, and that most of the people there, were grateful for our help. Now that's not what I heard on the national news. If my day had ended after the 5 minutes I spent with these two young people it would have been a great day.

On to the busses and a long ride to San Diego. The people were pleasant with not a foul word uttered for the entire trip. Thousands of people packed in tight at the concert and they're all friendly. Those of you that know me, know I walk with a cane, and just barely at that. These people actually did their best to make me comfortable, not like on the streets.

The show was very good, a little too loud, but very good. But, it was the enthusiastic patriotism that I'll never forget! It was in a word from this old Marine, humbling!

Watching the news it's hard to believe people could behave this way. Not everyone agreed with our President, it fact I'm sure more of the audience liked the GW Bush impersonator on stage than the President. But, they were patriots! They could discuss things without personal attacks and irrelevant four letter adjatives. There is hope for our country and the world.

An o' so short night at a motel, then Brenda and I met with a mutual friend who got up early to drive an hour to have breakfast with us. Then back on the busses. A now very tired group, remained polite and well spoken.

It wasn't until we were back and out on the public sidewalk heading for the parking lot that we realized just how pleasant it had been.

Our trip was over we were back to: people arguing in public, not by exchanging ideas, just exchanging absurd insults, often anatomically impossible, their foul adjatives not clarifying though, but replacing it. No idea was to personal, no words to vulgar that they wouldn't utter them, loudly in front of all within ear-shot.

I think we'll go again next year, two whole days of friendly, well manured patriotic people!

Bill

William J Archambault Jr

The Real Estate Investment Institute

http://www.reii.orgwatch/Watch for my post: "Wheaties" about breakfast with a mutual (your's and mine) friend.

This isn't real estate or lending.

My best friend, Bob Mantel, and I talk almost every week day. I hadn't talked to Bob last week, his answering machine is friendly sounding, but it's not the same. I wrote once in "Chicken Little" that it's nice some of my friends are older and available when I'm out running around. Bob and I frequently went yard sailing on Fridays meeting people and looking for real estate opportunities. Generally enjoying what I do, having a good time and enjoying the company.

We rarely talked on week ends, preferring the company of our wives. But, I hadn't talked with Bob all week so I called Saturday, the machine answered. Sunday I tried again, got the machine again, but I left a message. About 3PM Bob called me back, they had gone out to church and brunch, and a drive just looking at real estate, that is what we do after all. Bob, sounded great, his health has been a major problem the last few years and He didn't always sound or feel good. We talked a few minutes and picked a time to talk Monday.

Brenda and I then called my parents in Michigan, they've got a lake home for sale in Michigan and Brenda may have found a buyer here in Las Vegas. We then talked to our daughter in Houston.

The phone was quite until 10:30 or so last night. Bob's wife Penny was calling, my friend Bob pasted away about 9:00.

I started by asking who have you talked to? I'll close by asking have you neglected your fronds and family?

God Bless Bob Martel! You'll be missed.

Bill

Six weeks ago fellow Active Rainer and friend Jeff Belonger bloged: AOL Real Estate -- I have been interviewed, thanks to Active Rain..... About being interviewed thanks to his writing as seen on AR. Like everyone else I was thrilled for Jeff, even though they didn't get it quit right it's great for Jeff. What I couldn't say was that his experience scarred me. You see I couldn't tell anyone that I had done a recorder interview with a new on line investment magazine just days before.

Now I've been an author and subject in print since high school, I've done live radio and sound byte TV (twenty some years ago), but they were live! What you heard was what I was saying at the moment, this was recorded and would be edited. I was worried.

I need'ent have worried Marie Langhout was fun friendly and professional, and most important true to her word. Marie writes and interviews for New Wire Investor. New Wire is about investing, all types of investing. I'm proud that they called on me because they found my blogs Interesting: A Consumers Guide to Buying And Selling With Lease-Options # 1 and Successful Lease-Options

I'd be even prouder to tell you that I was the first they interviewed from, AR, but Chris Lenqquist was first: http://activerain.com/blogsview/105507/kansas-city-s-affordability That's why I like AR. As my readers know I believe that you are who you associate with. I've read enough of Chris to know he's is good company to be seen with.

New Wire Investor's site is: http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/ please check them out.

I hoped to attach the zip file here, You can hear it on New Wire's site or as soon as I learn how to post at my pod cast sight: realestatesage.info

Have a great fourth of July!

Bill

William J Archambault Jr

The Real Estate Investment Institute

http://www.reii.org