AGBeat Columnist: Jeff Brown
Jeff Brown specializes in real estate investment for retirement, has practiced real estate for over 40 years and is a veteran of over 200 tax deferred exchanges, many multi-state. Brown is a second generation broker and works daily with the third generation. With CCIM training and decades of hands on experience, Brown's expertise is highly sought after, some of which he shares on his real estate investing blog.
Are you an expert, an expert time waster or a realistic amateur?
The meaning of life via technology (AGBeat) – Since the first of the year, I’ve dealt with a fried hard drive, settin’ up a new TV/DVR, and hookin’ some new goodies to my office’s wifi network. Along with those relatively minor to-dos I’ve also been in the serious ramping up phase of some marketing. This entails a new website, and ...
Why California loses population as Texas, Idaho grow
The intent of others Decisions we make in life have consequences one way or the other. We exercise and eat right and our bodies reflect it. Conversely, if we never exercise and eat like pigs, that’s how we end up looking. Although human beings give value to the intent of others, it’s what we actually do that has consequences. The ...
Unions driving millenials, educated people out of state
The concept of Unions Take a look at how states who’ve gladly embraced unions to the point of forcing either membership and/or dues on employees. See how that’s worked for ‘em the last couple generations. When the national economy is firmly based on the foundation of free enterprise capitalism, the forced elimination of labor’s free choices will always come back ...
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Dual real estate revolutions gaining velocity
Revolution #1 In case you haven’t noticed, the local MLS is available to the public through literally a hundred if not a thousand websites in your market. In fact, I’d go as far as to say ya can’t swing a dead cat without hittin’ some Realtor’s IDX. (In essence, the MLS on an agent’s website.) This means that if you’re ...
Greed vs greed, what is your brand?
Greed vs. greed For the umpteenth millionth time, I read someone scolding business owners and investors in general about their innate greed. Seems the only reason they started their business or invested their capital was to make money — wait for it — for themselves. The bastards. What they fail to understand is that all greed isn’t equal. What these ...
When can real estate investing be done by a novice?
DIY real estate investing or call an expert? Many, if not most of us have hobbies. Obviously they’re by definition the antithesis to ‘callin’ the guy.’ Then, there are those times in life we must choose, if there is a choice. Do we chance doing things on our own, or do we call the expert? There are also the times ...
Which will win in 2012, universal opportunity or universal equality?
Paying their fair share Nearly one of six Americans are now using food stamps. Fully 47% of us don’t pay income tax. We’re taxing the top 1% of income earners — who earn about 20% of the nation’s income — at a rate resulting in that group paying 40% of each year’s personal income tax bill. Meanwhile, those heartily supporting ...
Why great retirements do not come from the fed or employers
A “must achieve” goal This time of year brings out the planning demons in most of us. Our jobs, hobbies, family, even our bodies. If there’s a goal, at least if there’s a serious goal, there’s a plan of some kind. We all pretend that every year on February 14th, love is in the air. It’s also the day most ...
Is there a fork in the economic road for 2012?
As 2012 approaches… As 2012 is about to enter the room, I’m beginning to get a whiff of major road forking up ahead. The good news is I don’t think we reach that fork ’til at least the first Wednesday morning of November. For now, let’s just say 2012, I’m thinkin’ cruise control on the Status Quo Highway. The country ...
Why real estate investors should not gamble on property quality
Quality as a relative term Having spent the lion’s share of my real estate brokerage career in San Diego, I learned that location quality was a relative term. If you didn’t need to shoot your way in ‘n out of a neighborhood, it probably wasn’t a bad place to invest. Now? My food dish has been moved, overturned, and smashed. ...
Retirement and 401Ks – the denial is epic
Counting on a 401? The reality for most Americans’ retirement plan as it relates to 401/IRA is, has been, and in my opinion will remain bleak — at best. Let’s first look at some hardcore facts. • The average American male at 58 years old, has significantly less than $100,000 accumulated in their company’s 401k. That’s gotta be chilling. • ...
Theory versus reality of actual production in the real estate industry
Theory versus reality Here we are again, nearly finished with the first week of December, the new year already taunting us to plan for its arrival. Those who’ve been their own boss for long enough realize how iffy planning and making goals is, especially when the Firestones hit the pavement. Personally, the fastest I’ve been snapped out of FantasyLand was ...
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