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Mike: Hi, I'm Mike Larpenter from Des Moines, Iowa. I've been in Joe's program for three
years. I had known somebody who went to the program and they had some success and I was
interested in possibly pursuing it. Because, I had gone to other seminars and they really
weren't what I expected them to be. There was a lot of hoopla I guess, a lot of talking
and stuff, but they weren't for me. I figured, by what this person told me, that this would
be something that would get me on the right track to making money in real estate. It sure
has paid off. Mike: It was so simple. To me, it's the quickest
easiest way to make money in real estate, and I was surprised that it was that simple
to do. Joe's teaching techniques were easy to understand, so that was a big plus for
me. Mike: They pumped me up and actually gave
me the strength. Joe helped me -- it's kind of a shot in the arm for me to actually go
out and do the deals. And actually during the event, we get on the phone and make calls.
I had success doing that and I knew right from then that it was working. What he was
teaching us was actually true and it really works. That's what really got me going. Then,
when I went home, I did deals, too, and from there on, it's been great for me.
Mike: I do this full time now. So yes, I don't have to go to work in the morning. I just
go right to my computer, half naked. Interviewer: I know that's the best thing,
the commute. Mike: Right, basically, all of my other friends
are out working. I'm out on the golf course by myself. It's kind of fun and peaceful.
You get to meet retired people and play golf with them.
Mike: It put me to the point to where I don't have to worry about making the house payment
and paying bills. I've got the money to do that now, so I no longer worry about money
so much. So that's a lot of pressure if you don't make the money to pay bills and then,
here with this real estate program of Joe's, I've been able to make enough money to go
out and take time off and pay the bills and actually continue to improve by going to more
events. Mike: I'll continue to go to Joe's learning
events because they are positive and they give me a shot in the arm, and it's good to
meet the other investors and network with them. That's fun.
Mike: I could actually put more time into working, but basically I work about 3 or 4
hour a day and I get a lot done. So if I could step it up even more, I'd be more successful.
And that's what my goal is -- is to get it up to 5 or 6 hours a day. By working 5 or
6 hours a day, here and there, maybe two in the morning, two in the afternoon and one
in the evening, you can do a lot of good, if you know what you're doing, and then you
can make a lot of money in real estate. You can help people, too. By helping them, you're
actually helping yourself if you help the seller find, for instance, find a buyer for
their home. So basically, what I do is I go out and I help people and then I get rewarded
in return with the money. Mike: For Joe's second event, I did a lease
option with a seller. It was a $400,000 home. I got a buyer hooked up with a seller and
I basically split the down payment, but I made $6,000 on that. I got handed 60 100 dollar
bills in an envelope. So that was my favorite story, really. I mean, that impressed me the
most. I've got other stories, too but that's what really opened my eyes to the business,
that if you can actually go out and help people, you can actually be rewarded very well monetarily.
Mike: It does impress your wife too, if you bring it home. She says, 'Go out and do more
business.' So that's what we're doing. Mike: What I've been focusing on is the rent
to own. I'm going to get more into what Nina Lantz does, that is, as I go, keeping properties
for the long term. But basically I'm focusing on the rent to own and doing very well at
that. It's been working very well for me. I don't see how it cannot work for anybody
if they just put some time into it and actually go out and do it. I mean, anybody can do this.
Mike: I do have some competition but I don't worry about that. There's so much business
out there. Mike: They're very educational. They're up
building too. If we network with one another, it helps all of us -- different ideas, what's
working and what's not working. And it's more than worth the money. Your education is so
important in real estate. Education is power and education makes you a lot of money.
Mike: I actually built houses. I was a trim carpenter so I'm familiar with houses pretty
well. I've done trim carpenter work, painting, about everything, i.e. cabinets and homes,
etc., so I was right at home in real estate. I love going into houses and looking at them.
It fascinates me -- how a house is fixed up inside. It's not like work to me. It's fun.
I'm not working when I do this -- it's fun. Mike: Oh, go on vacations. That's fun.
Interviewer: Do you break a little? Mike: Yes, we do it about 2 or 3 times a year.
I hope to buy a bigger house. Actually, I won't pay for it, so we'll use Joe's techniques
and we'll do it the easy way. Never use a mortgage company. No, it's so much easier
this way. Joe's techniques are so much easier. Mike: So, it's exciting. I look forward to
moving on and doing better things in real estate. And with Joe's help, your help and
Osom's, I'll definitely get there with no problem.