My Best Real Estate Lessons

In my early years, I was struggling to find a job that I love. When I asked myself what I wanted, there was no response. I knew I had something in my heart. But my shallow consciousness could not fathom my deepest thoughts or my inner voice was like a soft whisper that I couldn't hear.


For months, I waited so that I could finally came up with what I wanted to do with my life. Perhaps I was so caught up with the notion that while some people's creative juices came out when squeezed, mine was otherwise.

I believed that my ideas pop out when I'm relaxing, chilling out, having a shower or some sort of luxury stuff. Days passed. Instead of coming up with a decision, I was into watching TV all day and listening to music. And you know what, NO IDEAS and NO DECISIONS were ever created. My theory was wrong.

While I was reading Zig Ziglar's book, I was struck and so did I make up my mind that day. The book was about selling. He says, "The highest paying job in the world is selling. And the lowest paying job in the world is selling."

Intimidating but challenging. Until then I changed my previous theory. I will act no matter what and wait if it works out or not. I was cynical at first but after that day I started as a real estate agent.

Fast forward (immediately), I failed with my first selling career. I haven't sold any. Here's the best lessons I learned with the stint:

1. Networking is the best business asset. You may have all the great ideas and funding but if you do not know how to build a strong connection with your customers, NADA.

2. Strangers will be your best friends. They will not judge you or say anything that could hurt you. That is because they do not know you (in the first place). If first impression's great enough, they will become your customers - BUYERS!

3. Selling is tactical. There are really no perfect plans in selling houses. In time, strategies will be acquired that could be used in future interactions with strangers. Until then, rinse and repeat.

4. Be with the best. If you are with the topseller agent, you know you are in good hands. Though not all would easily divulge their secrets, some lessons are acquired unspoken. They inspire and you will be motivated to be like him.

I consider these as best lessons because I was once an agent. Although I have failed once, still I am considering to give a shot some other time. This truly is rewarding.

Image from www.contemporist.com

#StudentsSave - A student Twitter chat to help create the habit of saving

This is America Saves Week, an opportunity to promote good savings behavior. Savings protects us from using high interest credit when we face emergencies. Setting a goal to save and spend money on experiences and things we value allow us to enjoy life without experiencing the consequences of paying for it later.

Friday's Twitter chat is an opportunity for students to learn and share resources to help them develop the habit of saving. Many of our students have jobs or an allowance; have financial responsibilities such as a cell phone payment; they are deciding what car to buy; and are looking forward to prom. Most importantly, many of our students can open a savings account at a local bank or credit union and start the habit of saving today.

Now is the time to begin to teach the habit of saving, and what better way then through a day long Twitter chat?

Have your students follow #StudentsSave throughout the day on Friday, 2/28/14. Have them share savings resources and tips they've learned in class or on Twitter. The chat is open-ended from 8-5 EST, giving you and your students the flexibility to participate.

For savings ideas, visit America Saves.

Many thanks to the following organizations and leaders for participating:

• @AmericaSaves
• @Bankrate
• @Council4EconEd
• @DanKadlec
• @Experian_US
• @FinLitTV
• @OhioJumpStart
• @OIIOrg
• @NatlJumpStart
• @NEFE_ORG
• @PracticalMoney
• @StudentHacks

Money Moves: Imagine Playing Your Financial Life like a Chess Game

To say chess is a popular game would be a gross understatement. Chess, for at least 1500 years, has been considered to be not just a game, but a true test of intellect and character. One can learn a great many things about chess that can be applied to one’s life, not the least of which is one’s personal finance. Chess is a game that requires patience, foresight, and an ability to understand your opponent. Much like your personal finance, these qualities are required for you to come out on top in the end. Here are a few things you can take away from playing chess and use to improve your financial life:

Think three moves ahead.

The phrase is synonymous to playing chess but should apply to every aspect of one’s life. Your financial life won’t be improved by being arbitrary. Whether you’re planning on taking out a personal loan or using your credit card, you should always know what these decisions would lead to and how you would deal with those consequences. Managing your money rests a lot on proper planning. Don’t just have a single plan for your finances, have a plan that you will implement after your initial plan has succeeded, and have a series of contingency plans if your initial plan fails. Only by anticipating every possible outcome and being prepared for each of those outcomes can you secure a victory in chess and finance.

Work both sides of your game.

The really great chess players can effectively play both offensively and defensively. Whether it’s using the white pieces or black pieces, an astute player takes advantage of any and every position in the game, whether placed there intentionally or not. The same applies to your personal financial management. Some people are just good at saving and investing their money but can’t seem to find a way to earn more money. Some can earn a lot of money but are unable to properly budget that money. Don’t just be good at making money. Be sure you’re also adept at saving and investing money, even at budgeting money, and managing money. Improve every aspect of your financial game. By attempting to be well rounded, you can identify which areas of your personal financial management style need work and you can definitely improve on those areas.

Know when to sacrifice.

In chess, you’ll sometimes find yourself in situations wherein you need to sacrifice valued pieces in order to achieve desired results. Managing your finances is the same. Sometimes, you’re going to find yourself in predicaments that only a sacrifice can get you out of. Don’t hesitate to make the proper sacrifices if it means a much more important achievement comes to you down the line.

Practice patience.

A well-crafted plan of attack or counterattack fails if a player doesn’t have the patience to wait until the proper time to execute that plan. All good plans rely on proper timing in order to work perfectly. Patience is the key to success in chess and finance. Waiting for your opening, knowing your opportunity will come and ensuring that whatever opportunity to unleash your game plan is not wasted goes a long way in ensuring your success. The same way chess players wonder if “is it the right time to perform castling” or “is it the right time to sacrifice my queen,” when it comes to your finances, always consider timing. Is this the right time to take out a personal loan or should you wait? Is this the right time to use your credit card? Always practice patience, and you’ll see the right time come.

Know how to maximise your resources.

Sometimes in chess, you’re forced to play at a disadvantage. You’re bound to make mistakes form time to time, and there are occasions where that lead to situations wherein your pieces are outnumbered and your movements are limited. Chess players thrive on control, but also know how to make do with situations when their initial plan doesn’t work. With fewer pieces on the board, they still try to find a way to win.

In your personal financial management, try to maximise your resources, limited as they might seem to you. There’s always a way to win, and it’s up to you to find it. Learn to use whatever you have, be it a single credit card or a meager income. Your financial success isn’t limited with your lack of resources, but rather with what you end up doing with those resources.

Chess and finance are very similar in terms of the need to establish the proper mindset and practice a level of discipline in order to succeed. Look at your money as chess pieces, and your financial life as a chessboard, with debt and other bad things as your opponent. Make the right moves and you’ll be sure to win at the game of finance.

Forex - Do you have what it takes?

Forex is a very profitable business. No kidding. No fuss. You could earn as much as $500 in a minute! Translate it in Philippine currency and that's about P22,500 (if $1=P45). Yes, it is possible through the power of leverage. But, the risk is also TOO HIGH. If you could earn that much in a matter of few seconds, your money could also be gone as well in a snap of a second.


I was called out late in the afternoon from an unidentified caller. He didn't introduced himself first but instead informed me about my trial account that is about to expire if I won't activate it immediately in 3 days.

I was shocked as I caught myself after a meeting. "I'm Rommel, by the way Sir, from iForex", the caller rushed. "Couldn't I renew it next week?", I asked.

"No sir, if you can't deposit until Wednesday it will be closed forever" he said. "And oh, by the way, we have a promo only for today! If you will deposit $100 we will give you a bonus of $25!", he's tempting me. God, it's Monday and I don't have the money, I thought.

Then let it be closed. I decided but never said it anyway.

That short story is about Forex, anyway. In 2012 (2 years ago), I opened a trial account to practice trading in the currency market. I got a stint in currency trading when I was a Forex advisor to a private firm. Too bad I didn't last long in that company as I haven't been able to find an investor lol.

Do you have the balls?

In currency trading, the game is simple. But not easy. There are two ways to earn: buy OR sell. Unlike in the stock market, you will only earn profit if you sell something that you bought. No selling of stocks, no profit.

In Forex, you could buy currencies and sell it at a higher price, you will earn. Or, you may sell a currency even if you haven't bought any, and earn from it when the market goes down. 

Forex Trading Basics

1. You can trade like you have $500,000 even if you only have $100. That's the power of leverage. Leverage is the capacity to trade more with less. In gambling, you can't expect to bet your $10 and expect to win $10,000. It's not gonna happen. If you win, your $10 will only earn $10 maximum in every bet; typical ratio is 1:1. In Forex, it is 1:100 or more.
2. There are so many currencies to choose from. Either you want the US Dollar (USD) or the Japanese Yen (JPY), it's really up to you where you want. And it doesn't end there. Global currencies are traded including Euro, Swiss Francs, Canadian Dollar, etc. You will only choose where you are confident. E.g. If the US government reports that there is an increase of unemployment rate in New York, expect for a bearish market and sell the USD.
3. Fast transactions. There will always be buyers and sellers in the global currency market. So everytime you sell (as long as it is the current market price), it will be bought instantly in a snap of a finger.
4. Trade currencies 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. Stock market trading is only during 9AM - 3PM, Mon-Fri. Nuff said.
5. There are a lot of online Forex brokers. Choose the one that really cares for you and is not just after of your money.

When the stakes are high, the fall is deep.

Financial Statement: The Crucial part of an Organisation

Everybody regardless of their profession, have to deal with numbers. The business world is enveloped in equations, ratios and formulas. It can be a living nightmare or you can beat the fear once and for all. So here lies the importance of financial statement to get your business financial structure in place. It is definitely not the exciting part of your business; however, keeping financial statement up-to-date is an important aspect of a business.

Financial statement includes balance sheet, income statement and cash flow report. As an owner, you should know where your cash is going? How much is required to cover a month of expense? But is that possible for you to cover these important aspects alone? Well, it is definitely not. A business accountant can help you produce your business financial report to give you an idea whether your business is doing well or not.

Let us take a close look at the three essential tools that reflect the financial status of your business:

Balance sheet

A balance sheet report is prepared to capture the financial health of your business at a particular moment in time. It shows your company’s assests, liabilities and equity. Assests are the things you won, liabilities are the things you owe and the remaining balance is equity. This is the value of your investment. A balance sheet shows the value of your business in terms of selling your assests to pay off your liabilities. When you need financing, the first thing any bank would ask is your balance sheet in terms of assests than liabilities as well as equity amount to show that your business has had profit to retain.
The balance sheet details what a business owes, what a business owns and what a business is worth and how shareholders finance the business.

Income statement:

The income statement report shows the profit and loss for a particular period of time such as a month, quarter or year. Income statement provides a lot of information about the financial position of your business. It lists the business revenue, sales, subtracts expenses and shows whether the company has made profit or suffered a loss.Income statement is valuable in terms of its ability to show flow of revenue, expenses and costs over a long or short period of time. If an income statement is prepared for a month, it shows how much money is brought in and how the expenses of the month looks like. Once you compare the report with the previous statements you can see that some expenses are higher or lower in certain months.
The report will also show if there is any seasonal dips in your income. The income statement report not only shows where you are but also shows how you got there. Most of the companies often use income statement as an overview of company’s results and also use other reports to analyse expense category details.

Cash flow:

A cash flow statement or the blood of your business shows the cash activity of your company for a particular period of time. It is prepared usually for a year. The report shows not only how much profit your business has earned and used for the business operation but also how much money it has made from investing and financing other activities. Investing activities can be selling of machines or other equipment as well as buying other businesses or even investing in stocks. On the contrary, financing activities could be either paying on a loan or getting a loan or selling off your company stock.

Cash flow is the money that moves in and out of your business.

To help you with your business financial statement, you can appoint Wisteria accountants who are skilled and proficient enough to guide you at every stage of your company’s growth. Wisteria has the largest accounting team who are focused on producing the accurate and timely account not only to comply with legal requirements but they also act as an important management tool.

Adventure at Cebu Zipline Doce Pares

To conquer my fear is one of the best feelings I had. Knowing your own limits and overcoming them is worthwhile. True courage is when you don't allow fear cripple your capacity to do extraordinary things. Clearly, the fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all. But there is really one solution to fear - mind conditioning.


On the 25th of January 2014, I experienced one of my scariest adventure of all. With the help of cable wires and karabiners, I was able to fly and glide over the hills to have a majestic view of the mountains and trees.

Priceless. Fearsome but worth it. In fact that was the first time I felt the true feeling of triumph - awesome and enthusiasm. Having able to overcome the fear is uncommon as I was used to live within my comfort zone. In reality, we only have two choices - do or do not.

At first I was skeptical. I knew I could back out anytime I wanted but I didn't. My reasons of pursuing the challenge was greater enough than my fears.

The excitement that rushed through my veins and bones were dragging me to the platform. What else could I reason out not to take the challenge? Our venomous mind should be controlled.

If only braincuffs were available, I could have leashed my negative mind. I tell you, the real buffer to fear is mind conditioning - convince your mind it's not scary; that the result will always be reversible.

Easier said than done. But here's my actual example on the verge of ziplining.

I learned in the past about karabiners, cables and harness since I was able to try wall climbing, pamper pole and other outdoor sports when I was in high school.

I knew how strong the gears are. It's strength is almost invincible that failure is near to impossible. For karabiners, it has a capacity to withstand a ton (10,000 kg) of weight! I only weigh 64 kg.

The cable wire is a strong material and it is capable MORE than 100 times of your weight! Moreover, not a single zipline accident ever happened in that park. With strong conviction, my negativity gave in and thought, "Of course I wouldn't allow to be the 1st failure here!" So I flied and enjoyed the gust.

F

For P250, I flew out in thin air and spread my arms like Superman for 400 meters. The price was worth it. Of course, I never forgot to bring with me my smartphone to capture the breathtaking  eagle's view.

Cebu Zipline claimed to be the longest zipline in Cebu. Too bad other amenities were not available that time. Cebu Zipline is located in Malubog, Cebu City near the Baguio-like weather in Busay.

It is 30 minutes away from Apas, Lahug and you can ride a motorcycle going there at Php50 head. You can also contact them to avail their car service good for 10 pax at P500. Here's their contact details.

Facebook Page     : Cebu Zipline
Address              :  Malubog, Busay, Cebu City
Contact Number   :  (032) 344 3028