Peeved is a great word when trying to avoid cursing, isn't it?

I recently commented on a couple of blogs and returned to see what others had to say.  One blogger had a lengthy negative response to my comment, but fortunately there was another commenter coming to my defense, sort of.  I am also curious as to why a Florida realtor cares about a politician in Minneapolis - points?  The rest of the comments struck me as ambiguous so I didn't really know what they were saying.  Poop or get off the pot!  (Another curse avoidance, I am afraid.)  So it was bad, then good.  I commented again so it is probably really bad now.  It was a political blog and at this point in election time things are really critical, lines being drawn in the sand.

That old axiom about never talking about religion, sex, or politics - it is all over now.  Religion is a no-go issue since tolerance is in.  Sex is a non-issue since it is everywhere.  Politics?  Now that is where the mud-slinging is still perfectly appropriate.  Apparently money earned is now also a talking point.  Are we allowed no privacy at all?

The second blog I revisited was about investors and the timelines for re-selling a property.  I have a lot of investors.  Yes they make money when "flipping", but this is Ann Arbor, Michigan not California.  What they are doing is almost community service.  They are taking blighted properties, sometimes the only blighted property in a neighborhood and sometimes a bunch of properties in a neighborhood, and making ALL of the properties there more saleable by their efforts.  Ask the neighbors what they think.  Michigan has over 7000 HUD foreclosure homes alone, in a declared declining market and an exodus state .  Someone has to do something.  Three cheers for intrepid investors!

Investors are buying properties so bad that when I show them I need to cover my nose from the stench and wipe my shoes on the hopefully damp grass, if there is grass, when we leave.  They are buying properties far past what the generic buyer looks at.  Needs a roof, new mechanicals, new kitchen and bath, new floors, walls, landscaping - no problem.  Of course, they are getting it "for a song."  Most buyers cannot get past the fact that the third bedroom is painted blue, and they do not like blue.  Good for investors!  Why should they be limited?  One of my investors is a mostly retired contractor with connections and can turn around the worst property in about a month.  He freely admits he has lost lots of money on some deals.  Is he in the black?  Yes, but not on every deal.  Risk needs reward.

Yes, I make commission on selling these properties if I list them when they have been renovated.  But greed is not a part of the picture.  A recent sale of mine was for $20,000.  I paid my office bill for the month with that commission, nothing more.  When it relists as a renovated property at $130,000 or so, I will not be cruising in the Caribbean; I will be paying orthodontia, utilities, GASOLINE, etc.  I DO NOT MAKE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK I MAKE.  I'll detail it all for you, compensation, less company dollar, less expenses, then net, if YOU will do the same with YOUR salary.  I thought not....

Now that I have talked about politics, religion, and money, I think I will cruise my TV channels and find a movie with sex.  It is the only subject that is innocuous it seems.  Maybe I will get lucky.  :)