I was ready at last. Time to fire up the DeLorean. The flux capacitor is working properly and fully charged. I have to get it up to 88 miles per hour in the mall parking lot before I slam into the department store. Let’s set the dial here…
DECEMBER 20, 1987
I was a senior in high school that year. Wow! This will be an interesting experience. I don't look forward to seeing how young I looked back then compared to now.
Here we go…let’s get this baby moving. We are at 78….80….84…86….87…..88!
(BOOM!)
Whoa! I forgot that the mall and the parking lot didn’t exist in 1987. I am in a cow field near Dallas. I need to get a message to my mom somehow without frightening her with the appearance of 37-year old Jason.
I guess I could try to call myself. Wait…my cell phone won’t work. Darn. School is out for the Christmas holidays, so I can probably find the 17-year old Jason working at the Minyard’s grocery store, or at home.
I'll try the store first.
Is that me helping that lady get groceries into her car? I’m so skinny! Inconceivable!
Wow – there’s Dawn. I haven’t thought about her in years. And Vicki. OK. Don’t get distracted, Jason. You have a mission here. Get his attention somehow.
MODERN ME (MM): Hey, Jason!
17-YEAR OLD ME (17YOM): Hi. Do I know you? You look familiar.
MM: Well, yes and no. I am you in twenty years.
17YOM: Really? That’s great. I have to get back to work now.
Great! I scared myself. Think…think….
MM: Jason, what if I could tell you something that no one else would know about you offhand?
17YOM: Like what?
MM: Like your SAT scores, which girls you like here, your favorite songs, what you want to do with your life, which girl you made out with in the backyard at the last senior party, among other things.
17YOM: You do look like me a little bit, I guess. Can you buy me and my friends some beer?
After a few minutes of talking (and declining to purchase the beer), I managed to convince my younger self that this older dude was indeed himself 20 years hence, with no small measure of embarrassment (“You don’t look so great. I guess I need to exercise more when I hit my 30’s. I am a real estate broker in the future? Seriously? What happened to studying medicine? I want to be a pediatrician.”).
MM: Look, I have some advice for you. You need to convince mom to start investing in real estate.
17YOM: You came back 20 years to offer me a business opportunity? Isn’t that a little cheesy?
MM: Well, maybe, but I am going to use this conversation in a blog post to illustrate the value of real estate investing and how this is the most consistent investment historically.
17YOM: A log post? Like wood? Or something for a tent? Are you making a cabin?
MM: No, a blog is a web log. Like on the internet. Wait… you don’t have the internet yet, do you?
17YOM: I don’t think I’ve heard of that. Does it have something to do with fishing? I don't really like to fish. You should know that already.
MM: I don’t have enough time to fully explain the internet, but basically you will be able to use your computer for a lot more than word processing in the future. Think of a blog as a diary of articles that you can share with people across the country and around the world. I use my blog to reach other real estate agents and people who buy and sell homes so they can learn about me and my business.
17YOM: Thanks for the lengthy explanation, chief. (I was a pretty sarcastic kid, apparently)
MM: Anyway, give mom these statistics and all this information. She will understand. It’s all laid out there for you and her. Even though the real estate market looks bad right now, since the stock market crash from a couple of months ago, if you guys start investing soon using the tips in this folder, you will be able to amass a real estate empire over time. Trust me on this. Would I steer you wrong? (2nd Author’s note: Why would I steer my clients wrong either?)
17YOM: I doubt it. By the way, do you like what you do?
MM: I actually love it – most of the time. By the way, it might not be a bad idea to take some additional computer programming classes.
After a couple of hours of hanging out with 1987 Jason, and giving him some advice about women, college, and business, along with some stock tips, I knew it was time to get back so that I could write this post.
Over the long haul, real estate has proven to be the most consistently profitable investment around. Austin, Texas investment property is still priced very reasonably, with single family homes starting around $120,000 and duplexes priced from about $180,000. If you are considering buying Austin real estate, please feel free to give me a call.
Who knows? I might even be willing to let you take the DeLorean for a spin.
I can be reached at 512-796-7653 (cell) or by email at jason@austintexashomes.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
I'm very glad to hear you did not go back to pick up your parachute pants!
You've given a fun illustration of the proven value of investing in real estate. Trying to time the market is pointless when you realize the consistency of the profit over time.