All posts by John Peterson

“You Have Three Choices” – It’s a total lie. But it makes for great TV.

March 17, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Re: Three Choices

We have all seen the shows on TV. A first time homebuyer wants to buy a home and they are given three choices. After some hand-wringing, they pick one.

We suspend our beliefs because it makes for a good 30 minutes of entertainment. I would say shows like that help me relax, but a good part of the time I want to throw my Diet Coke at the TV when they clearly pick the wrong house.

Out here in the real world we face a lot of factors when trying to buy a home. In our world of finding, fixing and flipping homes we have to narrow down a huge inventory to just a few homes that fit our criteria. Maybe we look at a few dozen houses and pick one that both parties can agree on all the details – price being just one of those details.

Inventory and choice are two of the reasons Airbnb properties are doing well in our area. There is a tight supply of homes or apartments available for short term rentals. On the demand side – a lot of people from around the world like to come to DC and enjoy all that the area has to offer.

You can still find the Airbnb article we posted yesterday athttp://washingtonreianetwork.com/2016/03/16/can-make-a-profit-with-airbnb-in-dc/

Many new investors choose a Realtor to work with the same way these TV “homebuyers” choose a house. Talk to three and pick one. Or worse, they have an uncle who works “part time” selling neighbors homes and think that Uncle Moe knows everything about investment property – so they start working with him. (Most of the time, that doesn’t work out too well.)

Don’t be one of those people. Keep looking until you find the right person. It could be the difference between success and failure at worst, and will easily save a lot of frustration in the long run.

It’s one of the main keys to success. Focus.

Figure out what you need when it comes to properties, and find a Realtor that can do more than “pull up listings” for you. Find someone to be part of your team that can really dig in and work with you. Ultimately you will both find success.

Now, let’s talk about the guest speaker we have Monday night at our March WREIA meeting.

I want to share a real treasure of an agent that I have worked with recently. You should get to know him too. As far as “investor-friendly” goes – this is the type of person you should be looking for and putting in your Rolodex. (Does anyone else still use a Rolodex?)

Good “investor-friendly” agents are really hard to find.

If you ask most agents they will say they “work with investors”, but at the end of the day they really have no idea what we are looking for when it comes to a deal. Most would be embarrassed or afraid to show you the homes that we know are the real treasures of our business.If you want to know what it’s like to work with a terrific agent – you have one option – join us on Monday night at WREIA for all the details.

We have an experienced DC area investor-friendly agent with us this month at our WREIA meeting. He is going to show you the business behind our business and will very likely teach you a few things you didn’t know about our area. I say this from experience.Every time we meet he drops a few knowledge bombs on me.

It’s a great opportunity for you to learn from one of DC’s hustlers who is on the streets every day working for his clients.

Next Monday is a great opportunity for you to ask a few questions like:

Where are people making the most money in DC?
How much time does it take to flip a property in our area?
How much money, at a minimum, should we want to make on a deal?
Where do you think prices are headed?
What mistakes do you see people making?

Save a few dollars and reserve your seat early. Then, come join us at WREIA on March 21st. It will be a great way to start the spring season, get you motivated, and get some momentum for the rest of 2016.

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Reserve your seat for the third 2016 WREIA meeting here.

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Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, FounderP.S. The Rehab Immersion Course – Spring 2016 Class we announced at WREIA is off to a blazing start. We found our subject property, did a deep-dive property tour and have already spent two days at my office pouring through details. And that’s just the beginning.

Rehab Immersion Course – Summer 2016 Class is limited to 12 students. If you are looking for an intimate and hands-on setting to learn the details of the renovation process here in the DC area – this is perfect for you. Don’t miss this chance to get some real-world experience. If you are interested in joining us, simply call the office and let us know to reserve you a remaining spot.

Can You Make a Profit with Airbnb in DC?

March 16, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

So are people making money renting their homes (or rooms) through Airbnb in the DC area?

If you have been considering renting your home, or even a room, with a service like Airbnb now might be a good time to dive in.

The Realtor that we have visiting with us on Monday night at our March WREIA meeting first brought Airbnb to my attention a few months ago. He suggested I look at the numbers and see if it would work on some of my rental property.

I did take a look and I can tell you this – the DC area is a great place to rent your property. In fact, Washington and Arlington are some of the top spots in the country, just behind locations in Hawaii and southern California. Here in DC in the spring and summer we get an influx of visitors and many are looking for something away from the hotels. Let’s check the box next to “Demand”.

But how about supply? Do the numbers work on every property? I suggest you take a close look at your specific neighborhood. Some places like Georgetown and Capitol Hill have a nice premium, while other locations may not be as desirable or command the higher nightly prices.

But that makes sense doesn’t it? If you want to be “right in the middle of it all” then you may not want to be 20 minutes outside of town with the cheaper rates. Home prices are lower and you get a larger amount of space, but at the cost of a much longer commute. It works the same way with Airbnb rentals.

Speaking of square footage, I was surprised to find that according to Airbnb, the highest returns are actually on 1 Bedroom rentals.

Yeah, I know. In fact, 1 Bedroom rentals have an 80% occupancy rate – on average.

If you are looking for a few other nuggets of gold, I suggest you come visit with us at our monthly WREIA meeting on March 21st. Our guest speaker, an experienced Realtor in the DC area for more than 10 years, is going to share a few things he sees investors doing across the area that are unique and profitable.

And let’s be honest. Good “investor-friendly” agents are really hard to find.

If you want to know what it’s like to work with a terrific agent – listen up.

It’s a great opportunity for you to learn from one of DC’s hustlers who is on the streets every day working for his clients.

Next Monday is a great opportunity for you to ask a few questions like:

Where are people making the most money in DC?
How much time does it take to flip a property in our area?
How much money, at a minimum, should we want to make on a deal?
Where do you think prices are headed?
What mistakes do you see people making?

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Reserve your seat for the third 2016 WREIA meeting here.

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Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

P.S. The Rehab Immersion Course – Spring 2016 Class we announced at WREIA is off to a blazing start. We found our subject property, did a deep-dive property tour and have already spent two days at my office pouring through details. And that’s just the beginning.

P.P.S. You can check out Airbnb rentals in the DC area at https://www.airbnb.com/s/Washington–DC . Let me know if you find anything interesting? I would love to hear from you.

Realtors – The Best Kept Secret of Successful Investors

March 15, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Re: Realtors

Licensed realtors can provide a steady stream of leads to savvy property flippers in the DC area.

But let’s be honest. Good “investor-friendly” agents are really hard to find.

If you ask, most agents will say they “work with investors”, but they really have no idea what we are looking for when it comes to a deal. Most would be embarrassed to show you the homes that we know are the real treasures of our business.There is a trick to finding a good agent in any area. I would suggest you start with a 5 minute interview.

In that small amount of time you can discuss the details of what a really good deal means to you. If the person you are interviewing doesn’t get it – simply move on to the next person.

If you want to know what it’s like to work with a terrific agent – listen up.

We will have an experienced DC area investor friendly agent with us this month at our WREIA meeting. He is going to show you the business behind our business and will very likely teach you a few things you didn’t know about our area. I say this from experience. Every time we meet he drops a few knowledge bombs on me.

It’s a great opportunity for you to learn from one of DC’s hustlers who is on the streets every day working for his clients.

Next Monday is a great opportunity for you to ask a few questions like:

Where are people making the most money in DC?
How much time does it take to flip a property in our area?
How much money, at a minimum, should we want to make on a deal?
Where do you think prices are headed?
What mistakes do you see people making?

*********

Reserve your seat for the third 2016 WREIA meeting here.

*********

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

Video, Links, and WREIA Tonight – Doors Open at 6:30

February 22, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Re: Let’s recap the last few weeks:

Snow, Ice, School and Government Closings, Massive Traffic Jams, and A Hint Of Spring. Oh, and we had a Super Bowl in the middle somewhere.

Since we had our last WREIA meeting it seems like we have been running non-stop to keep up with all the stuff going on.

Sometimes I wonder…“Am I the only one having a hard time keeping up with everything?”

It’s pretty easy to get knocked off your game. Life happens and if you don’t guard your time and use it wisely it’s easy to get caught up in the occasional madness of everyday life.

For instance: We recently had a car crash through the front door of my office building. I am going to talk about it at our WREIA meeting tonight. That day reminded me of the everyday life of a renovator. Renovators know that unexpected things happen on a regular basis. We still have the article with a video posted at http://washingtonreianetwork.com/

One of our recent emails also included links to HGTV and how to apply to be on any of their long list of home improvement shows. For most people the 15 minutes of fame of being on a TV show could be a very exciting experience.

I suppose you can dream of the long shot of fame and fortune and eventually your own cable show. You can learn from every personal experience, but it’s even better advice to learn from the experience of others. When other people make mistakes and are willing to share them with you, it can be a valuable experience for everyone.

There is a big difference between a produced 30 minute show on HGTV and our local WREIA meetings. Every month we do our best to connect you with the people who are working in the DC area so you can learn from their LOCAL and professional experience.

Tonight at our Feb. WREIA meeting we will have a special panel of renovators who have been working “in the real world” for years. They have had a huge number of successful projects, and have made a few mistakes along the way as well.

This group is simply not the type that usually gets in front of groups to talk about renovations. They simply get busy and finish projects.

It’s a great opportunity for you to learn from some real successful business owners. Tonight you will also have a chance to ask some questions like:

Where would you suggest finding good deals if you were getting started today?
How much time do you plan to flip a property in our area?
How much money, at a minimum, do you want to make on a deal?
Where do you get your materials for your jobs?
Do you have partners and if so, how do you structure the contracts and split profits?

Save a few dollars and reserve your seat early. Come join us at WREIA tonight. It will be a great way to start the year, get you motivated, and get a jump start on the rest of 2016.

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Reserve your seat for the second 2016 WREIA meeting Here.

*********

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

P.S. Attention Wholesalers – Bring in your best wholesale deals! Every month at our WREIA meetings deals are presented to our members and guests. It’s a great chance to present your deals to a room full of active business people from across the DC area.

Car Crashed Into My Building – Video

February 18, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Re: “….and then the whole building started to shake.”

Unlike our last update, when we sent you the links on how to get on any HGTV show, this post is a little more unusual.

I spent a few minutes in front of the office yesterday finishing a telephone call and thought to myself, “I need to invite everyone out to WREIA this month, and you all might enjoy seeing what happened just a couple yards below my office at the same time. So let’s make a video and get it up on Youtube.”

Click Here for the Car Crash video we just posted on our Youtube channel.

The thought that went through my head was “This is a good example of what it’s like to be in real estate today. You just never know what is going to happen, and being prepared for the unexpected is great advice, especially for someone getting started or who is still early in their career.”

My building manager had an exciting day finding a company to board up the front door, and had a heck of a time getting a structural engineer to quickly inspect the building and make sure it was still structurally intact. Since my office is literally a few feet above the front door, I was happy to hear everything was safe.

Renovators know what it’s like to have something unexpected happen in the middle of a project. Additional inspections can ruin the best construction schedule, and unexpected “Harry Homeowner” wiring jobs can mess with the best electrical bid estimates once they open up and see whats behind a wall.

This month at our Feb. WREIA meeting we will have a special panel of renovators who have been working “in the real world” for years.

The collective experience of this group would take you years to find out there in the real world. This group is simply not the type that usually gets in front of groups to talk about renovations. They simply get busy and finish projects.

It’s a great opportunity for you to learn from some real go-getters and you will also have a chance to ask some questions like:

Where would you suggest finding good deals if you were getting started today?
How much time do you plan to flip a property in our area?
How much money, at a minimum, do you want to make on a deal?
Where do you get your materials for your jobs?
Do you have partners and if so, how do you structure the contracts and split profits?

Save a few dollars and reserve your seat early. Then, come join us at WREIA on Feb. 22nd. It will be a great way to start the year, get you motivated, and get a jump start on the rest of 2016.

*********

Reserve your seat for the second 2016 WREIA meeting Here.

*********

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

P.S. The Rehab Immersion Class we announced at WREIA last month will start soon. We have found our subject property and are about to start the renovation process. There are now only two (2) open spots for you and a partner. Space is limited to 12 students. If you are looking for an intimate and hands-on setting to learn the details of the renovation process – this is perfect for you. Don’t miss this chance to get some real-world experience. If you are interested in joining us and claiming the last open spots, simply call the office and let us know.

Learning From A Pro & Why It Helps You Grow

February 11, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

When you are first getting started in any business you have two choices: You can do everything alone, or you can ask for help when you need it.

Early in my career the best help I ever received was when I went to someone who had already been through what I was having trouble with – preferably for years.You see, in my early 20’s when I asked my friends and other inexperienced people my age what I should do, they gave me one answer. But when I asked a seasoned professional – usually the answer was completely different. They knew short-cuts and could tell me what to avoid and how not to waste my time. They cut through all the hype for me – and directed me exactly where I needed to go or what I needed to do.

They had experience in the real world. They had been there already. They could point me in a better direction than where my friends were pointing me.

“It might seem like hard work now, but it will get easier.”

Sometimes the answer didn’t involve short-cuts. The answer instead was something like “Just keep practicing and doing what you are doing. There is no short-cut. It might seem like hard work now, but it will get easier.”

The reality was – it didn’t get easier. I just got better as I gained more experience, and my business grew because of it.

I got better at estimating what a renovation would cost. I got better at negotiating good deals on my materials. My time management got better.

They all seemed like small things at the time, but when I added them all together, the cumulative effect on my business and my income was incredible.

As the years went on and my business grew, the problems changed but I continued to get help when and where I needed it.

As a follow-up from our meeting last month, my point is this: Get out there and look for opportunity. When you find it, don’t be afraid to ask for help. The odds are pretty good, especially early in your career, that you don’t know it all.

Be ready for that opportunity when it comes to you.

By the way – This month at our WREIA meeting we will have a special panel of renovators who have been working “in the real world” for years.

The collective experience of this group would take you years to find out there in the real world. This group is simply not the type that usually gets in front of groups of people to talk about what they do. They simply get busy and finish jobs.

It’s a great opportunity to learn from some real go-getters and you will have a chance to ask some questions like:

Where would you suggest finding good deals if you were getting started today?
How much time do you plan to flip a property in our area?
How much money, at a minimum, do you want to make on a deal?
Where do you get your materials for your jobs?
Do you have partners and if so, how do you structure the contracts and split profits?

Save a few dollars and reserve your seat early. Then, come join us at WREIA on Feb. 22nd. It will be a great way to start the year, get you motivated, and get a jump start on the rest of 2016.

*********

Reserve your seat for the second 2016 WREIA meeting Here.

*********

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

Why Now is the Time to Sell your Real Estate

February 10, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Having spent the past 22 years working in the Washington residential real estate industry I’ve been through quite a number of house price scenarios such as appreciation, contraction and stagnant growth. And the past six months has got me thinking – are we about to enter another phase – Deflation?

Why I believe deflation is likely

Put simply, economists define deflation as a reduction of prices in all sectors of the economy. There has certainly been a falling off in commodity prices over the past six months, as well as a huge drop in oil prices and the contraction of the Chinese economy.

But isn’t falling prices a good thing?

On the surface, deflation seems to be a good thing since more people have more money to spend. But actually, in times of deflation our economy starts to shrink.

Take the example of gas prices. I did not believe I would ever see gas prices at the pump for less than $2.00 a gallon in my lifetime again and, like most people, I’m delighted to see how little it costs to fill up the auto. It gives me more money to spend on other products and services.

But give it a few months and as deflation starts to take hold companies will stop hiring, employees get laid off, credit becomes more difficult to obtain and consumers understandably start saving their cash for a rainy day. In effect, low prices can cascade into a full-blown economic nightmare.

But the dollar is going up in value

Sure, as the dollar rises it gives consumers more purchasing power. But it also creates an incentive to save cash rather than spend or invest it in goods and services. If the consumer stops spending money, businesses stop investing, banks stop lending, and our economy shrinks. This is the exactly the situation Japan has been in for the past two decades – and it still doesn’t look like their difficulties are going to be solved anytime soon.

Real Estate indicators of deflation

In recent weeks I’ve been receiving lots of e-mails with headings in the subject line such as:

New Lower Price on Colonial in Rockville!
Agent Bonus if Contract by Valentine’s Day!
Price Reduction on Luxury Condo in Northwest!

This sounds like desperation to sell. Certainly when I renovate a home I can’t afford to offer huge reductions. Instead I choose to work with the first buyer that expresses interest in the home and I have to be prepared to be flexible on price adjustments and offer terms. My analysis has to be precise every time and based on conservative estimates of value and future growth of the asset.

How does this affect you?

If you’re considering selling a piece of real estate then now is the time to do so. Even if we don’t actually enter a time of deflation, prices may remain stagnant for at least the next five years.

History – and experience – has taught me not to be ostrich-like and stick my head in the sand when the evidence is all around me. Because of this I have put measures in place to protect my business and my assets if deflation rears its ugly head in the very near future. You should certainly think about doing this too.

Cash is King in deflationary times as the dollar increases in value. This makes NOW the best time for selling real estate.

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

What’s Happening At Our WREIA Meeting On Jan 18th?

January 14, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Re: The coldest morning of the year and we decide to try to make a video invitation to our Jan. WREIA meeting.

We were out at a current renovation in Silver Spring on the coldest morning of the year so far…..

It was too cold to make a video outside – we were literally shaking – so we stepped inside out of the wind. You may hear a little work being done in the background.

Enjoy!

Attending WREIA meetings is a great way to network with other successful people and build your belief that this business will be profitable for you as well.

Save a few dollars and reserve your seat early. Come join us at WREIA on Jan. 18th. It will be a great way to start the year, get you motivated, and get a jump start on 2016.

*********

Reserve your seat for the first 2016 WREIA meeting Here.

*********

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

VIDEO – When Will It Be My Time?

January 12, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Re: When Will It Be My Time?

You just never know when your time may come – but you need to be ready when it does.

For a lot of us, we look around and see a lot of people having success, and it can be frustrating. We wonder quietly to ourselves “When will it be my time?”

For David Tolley his time came in December of 1985 at a taping of the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Johnny Carson had a guest, a classical pianist, who cancelled at the last moment after he slammed his fingers in a car door.

Johnny turns to the audience and asks if anyone in the audience can play. More specifically, he asks if anyone has played for 5 years or more.

David Tolley was ready and raised his hand, rather excitedly.

For David, his time had come and even now, he capitalizes on that single moment of opportunity from over 30 years ago.

Today – I wonder how many people in our business are frustrated because they know they have put in the work.

They think to themselves “I’ve taken classes and read everything there is to read about real estate investing and even made a few offers. Why can’t I make a deal happen?”

Maybe your opportunity hasn’t come yet. It’s possible. Or, maybe an opportunity did present itself, but you weren’t ready. It’s likely that you don’t know what you don’t know.

Deals are all around us.

David Tolley grabbed his chance because he went out that day and saw a live taping of the show. He didn’t sit home and watch that episode on TV. He got out there and made things happen, and because he was in the audience on that night, he raised his hand when his chance came along.

Unlike David Tolley and his situation, you probably won’t have a chance to be picked out of a Tonight Show audience to help someone who wants to unload a problem home. It’s more likely you need to pay attention and be present when your opportunity arises.

You might be at a friends birthday party, or a neighborhood block party when all of a sudden an acquaintance tells you about a friend who is getting ready to leave town on a lucrative 2 year contract overseas and “has to” sell his house before he leaves. (That has actually happened to me.)

My point is this:

Get out there and look for opportunity.

If you have put in the time and work, learning, studying and taking classes – your time will come.

Be ready.

SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT

I might add that attending WREIA meetings is a great way to network with other successful people and build your belief that this business will be profitable for you as well.

Save a few dollars and reserve your seat early. Then, come join us at WREIA on Jan. 18th. It will be a great way to start the year, get you motivated, and get a jump start on 2016.

*********

Reserve your seat for the first 2016 WREIA meeting Here.

*********

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

LINK – Global Slowdown Means What For DC Property Values?

January 7, 2016DC Real Estate InvestingJohn Peterson

Re:Global Slowdown A Concern?

Bloomberg just posted an article that sums up the outlook for the world economy in 2016.

One of the lines that will reach out and grab you comes right at the beginning of the article posted at Bloomberg.

“The global economy will sputter along this year…”

What does that mean for you working here in the DC area?

Just like our local markets can vary widely, so can the economies of various countries around the world.

China is slowing down – which only means they are not growing as fast. Brazil and Russia are actually contracting – not so good.

But here in the U.S. things are starting to get going again. Slowly.

Personally, I like that. It keeps things going, but allows for us to step in and help people from time to time with their properties. We can help by speeding up what could be a long sales process for a seller.

When people are unsure about the future, we can step in and give them a definitive number today. That gives people OPTIONS. Don’t underestimate the power of giving a property owner a choice of what they can do.

What we do is really simple. We give people access to a wholesale real estate market. Most people don’t even realize it exists until they hear from us.

A slowdown across the world economies is fine. It makes for great headlines if you want to make yourself depressed and look for the problems someone might face if they are the head of an international conglomerate of companies.

However, as a BUYER of properties, it should get you excited. The daily headlines can actually help you when you are working with sellers.

Warren Buffet is a great example of someone who does not lose their mind when things slow down and get a little volatile. He sees value, and has no problem stepping in and buying stocks or sometimes entire companies.

You should do the same thing. As things slow down around the world, look around in your backyard right here in the DC area. Can you find individual properties with value built in? Maybe you can improve a property and create value? Maybe you can do both?

Where should you focus in 2016?

At our WREIA meeting this month we are going to focus on 3 areas. These three areas – if you FOCUS – can have massive results.

You can pick one if you are just getting started or work on all three if you are experienced.

I suggest you come out and join us for two reasons:

The January WREIA meeting will give you 3 areas to focus on, and some details on how you can implement specific strategies to get going – FAST.
You are going to get a behind-the-scenes peek at an upcoming class I will be offering. (For those of you who are regular members, you know we seldom offer any classes at WREIA.) On top of everything, this is a rare opportunity to work with us in a real world atmosphere – and as a bonus you will work on an actual live current deal – from beginning to end.

Some of you have been asking some very specific questions lately and I am listening. Join us at WREIA for some of the answers to these questions and much more.

Where do I get more leads?
Where should I focus and what type of neighborhoods have the best values going into 2016?
How do I get started wholesaling?
I need to buy a property out of our area. What do I do to make sure I don’t make a mistake?
My marketing looks like everyone else – and it’s kinda stale. How do I stand out?
How do I find a better contractor that will give me preferable pricing?

We live in a remarkable area when it comes to housing. We have a very resilient market that very few people outside of the DC Metro area can appreciate. Our heavy reliance on the government has been bolstered by the technology and biotech companies that have moved in over the last couple of decades.

Put down the articles about a global slowdown. You should be as excited as I am about this year and all that it offers us!

Reserve your seat now and come join us at WREIA on Jan. 18th. It will be a great way to start the year, get you motivated, and get a jump start on 2016.

*********

Reserve your seat for the first 2016 WREIA meeting Here.

*********

Make this year a great year for your business!

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President

Profitable Property, FounderP.S. Calling all WREIA members – In case you missed it and only scanned this issue – At our WREIA meeting this month we will take just a few minutes and give you a behind-the-scenes peek at an upcoming training we will be offering. You know we don’t do this often – so consider this my special invitation to join us this month. It will be unlike anything you have seen me offer before.

Based on my 2 decades of experience in this business – for some people I know it will be life-changing.