"I AM IRONMAN!!" (Not ME...my friend Jim)

If you didn't see his face plastered on the back of every Metro bus last year, or maybe you're just living under a rock...let me take a minute to introduce you to my friend Jim Galvanek. Jim is an 11-year cancer survivor who is more than doing his part to help wipe out blood cancer by raising money for the Leukomia & Lymphoma Society.

I met Jim through our common interest in real estate, and have admired both his tremendous dedication to achieving his goals, and his passion for giving back to those who were instrumental in his recovery. Jim was formally recognized in 2008 as the National Capital Region's Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Man of The Year" for raising over $160K during his first Ironman Triathlon in Lake Placid. Jim's leaving today for Wisconsin to compete in his second Ironman, and again raising money for the LLS.

Watch Jim's video and you can post your comments of support for him here.



If you want to contribute, click on the yellow "DONATE" button at http://www.dayzerotoironman.org/

P.S. In case you were wondering, "yes" I must confess...I am guilty of supplying Jim with the "game-changing" supplements that have helped him pack on 10 pounds of lean muscle mass in preparation for this competition. I know, it's really not fair to the other athletes...but it's for a terrific cause!

Going Once...Going Twice...SOLD!!

Who would have thought you could buy a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath single family house, with a finished basement, hardwood floors, huge fenced backyard, and secure parking for under $265K?!

I ran my first Home Auction last weekend and it was a smashing success! Of course I was a little nervous that it wouldn't sell for as high a price as I really needed in order to make a fair profit...but it all worked out just fine. The contract has been signed by all parties and the earnest money has been deposited in escrow. All that's left now is to wait for closing at the end of the month.

After we close (don't want to jinx anything!) I'll post a video on how this deal went down. It'll be one of those deals where I have to preface by saying "do not try this at home..." because I broke a couple of my own "rules" to adapt to all the adversity I encountered. Every investor needs to decide for themself just how much risk they are comfortable taking. Me, I like to swing for the fences. Sometimes, that means I strike out...but this one looks like a winner.

All that's left now is to sell the piano that came with the house. Maybe I should run another auction?! $450 or best offer. Who's interested...?

OK, I Confess...I Miss Flying!

After graduating from the military academy in 1994, I spent the next year and a half learning to fly helicopters at lovely Fort Rucker in L.A. (Lower Alabama). I went on to fly for a total of 8 ½ years on active duty in the Army and I guess I’ve been “out” for about 7 years now. For the first 4 years I was fine, learning how to be a “civilian” and adjusting to a new corporate environment. Then about 3 years ago I really started to miss flying, so I did what any sensible 33 year old bachelor living in downtown Washington, DC would do – I bought a Harley. Always wanted one since I was a kid growing up in Wisconsin seeing them thunder down the interstate in the summertime in packs of what seemed liked hundreds of “hogs” at a time.

3 years later, my bike doesn’t get nearly as much attention as either of us would prefer, but I’ve made an effort lately to get it out even if just for short trips around town. This first picture is of my bike in front of a house I’m currently trying to sell. See, I had to make this “flying story” tie in to real estate somehow ;-)

Today, I find myself in Virginia Beach. Just checked into the hotel, opened the sliding glass doors to my balcony to see about 100 seagulls just dancing in the wind right in front of my 11th story window. I could have reached out and touched a couple of them they were so close. This picture doesn’t do the scene justice, but you should hear how loudly the waves are breaking right now! Reminds me of 4 of the best years of my life I spent living on the beach while stationed in Hawaii. I think I’ll probably have to take a dip after dinner…

You know, it probably didn’t help to see all the jets buzzing low over the highway while driving in this afternoon either. So yeah, I definitely miss flying. Need to sell a few more houses though so I can afford to buy a plane I guess. But then when would I ever ride the Harley? I know, life is pretty good when these are the problems I’m dealing with. The smell of this salty air is a great reminder of just how lucky I am!

Virtual Tour - 8509 Flower Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912

We had a buyer lined up but they couldn't get financing, so this one is still available. You need to watch this NEW video to see what we've done to the place.

We're only asking $267,950 (I know...we must be crazy!)
Zillow.com says it's worth $438,000
Yes, it's a fixer-upper and needs some work, but there's over $100K of instant equity!

The Upstairs Unit is 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath, plus Loft/Attic. Downstairs Unit is 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, plus Den/Extra Bedroom. Behind the house is a 2-car Garage, patio, and shaded backyard. Watch this video for more details:



Call Jennifer at 800-871-1999 for more information.