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3 Profitable Home Service Businesses – No Experience Required

Jeff Knize
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3 Profitable Home Service Businesses – No Experience Required

A Home Service Business is the perfect business to start on a shoestring budget. They can be started for very little. Plus, they are a great choice since they are in high demand!

I can tell you with absolute certainty that a service business is the one true business that anyone can start with No Experience & No Degree Required.

You could start making a daily income in very little time. I have personally done this with service businesses and my family has done the same thing many times over.

When my dad was struggling with income after my parents were divorced, he said to himself “what is the fastest and cheapest way I can start a business and make really good money”. It was a service business. You can read more about this type of service business in a post I wrote here: How To Start A Cleaning Business

Angie’s List & HomeAdvisor (ANGI) Exceed over 300 Million

There is a compelling reason why Angie’s List & HomeAdvisor exceed over 300 Million per quarter and their actual corporation “ANGI” is in excess of 4 Billion Dollars, YES Billion with a capital B! They make their Lion Share of money from Service Businesses.

If you want to experience the lasting satisfaction of starting your own service business – then check out these “3 Profitable Home Service Businesses”.

Let’s dive in and see if one of these service businesses are perfect for your new full time or side income hustle.

House Painting Job

#1 House Painting

Great Profit Margins

A local house painting company can do extremely well. I know many painters including a childhood best friend. He works for a small business.

My friend Scott always tells me how busy this two-man shop is.

He is always posting pictures on Facebook of his location and is proud of the work he does. His boss continues talking about expanding and hiring more workers but seems to like the way things are. It just proves there is room for expansion – if you really want to go in that direction. Here is an actual post my friend Scott added on Facebook while working in a Downtown Chicago high rise.

You never know where your service business will take you next!

Back downtown working at that expensive condo, here are some night-time views (awesome) – Scott F.

HomeAdvisor reports hiring a Painting Company ranges from $963 – $2,742 with a National Average of $1,780.00. For an entire 2,300 SF house, expect to charge $4,000.00 – $11,000. This is accurate data as it is taken from reported 42,300 HomeAdvisor members.

If you lack the confidence in your painting abilities, check out the free workshops and videos at HomeDepot.com. You can get completely educated in this industry for free. 

House Painting Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers and Cards, Cell Phone, Sign Magnets, Painting Supplies – Brushes, Rollers, Tarps, Buckets, Ladder, Rags, Tape, Appointment Book, Van or SUV.

Wash on and wash off, pretty simple for the money.

#2 Window Cleaning   

$211 Average Window Job

This is a specialized niche where you typically don’t see an abundant of service vehicles driving on the street like Landscapers, HVAC Companies or even Painting Businesses. But, can you imagine getting window jobs from delivering flyers in your local area and from having a large sign magnet on your vehicle? I sure can!!!       

HomeAdvisor reports the typical range for window cleaning is $149 – $293 with an average cost of $211. Smaller jobs are reported to start at $80 with larger home prices reaching $421.

Do you have a fear of heights? If you answered no, you could target high rise buildings. The hourly rate is a minimum of $85 per hour!    

Per CostHelper.com, the cost is typically anywhere from $2 to $7 per window. In addition, Angie’s List members have reported paying an average price of $266 for a full house window cleaning.

Window Cleaning Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers, Business Cards, Cell Phone, Sign Magnets, Squeegee, Ladder, Buckets, Rags, Cleaning Solution, Appointment Book, Vehicle.

 

High Profit Margins – Low Cost Start-Up

#3 Carpet Cleaning Service

A Major Industry

There are approximately 56,000 janitorial businesses in the United States and close to 8,000 of these businesses are carpet cleaning. They make up a part of this $45 billion dollar industry. $5 billion dollars of the industry is carpet cleaning!

Do you think there is an opportunity to make money in the niche? Definitely.

HomeAdvisor reports the cost of hiring a Carpet Cleaning Service ranges from $121 – 233 with an average cost of $176.00.

Carpet cleaning is another industry where I had hands-on experience. What can I say…? I worked a lot of jobs in my lifetime!

Working for the family cleaning business included commercial carpet cleaning for businesses. I also worked for a carpet cleaning company called Zero-Rez. They are in the top 5 in the industry.

Zero-Rez wasn’t the typical cleaning model of extracting the dirt from carpeting. They have a unique process of cleaning carpets. No hard chemicals or solution and soft water with easy extraction.

The most common carpet cleaning method is extraction. It involves using hot water, carpet cleaning solution and a powerful wet/dry vacuum for suctioning the dirt.

The Top Carpet Cleaning Brands vs. No-Name

A few of the biggest carpet cleaning companies are Chem-Dry, Stanley Steemer, Service Master and Zerorez. However, upon searching “Carpeting Cleaning Companies Near Me” on Google, I have not even heard of the majority of the companies listed.

After doing the searching, I noticed Yelp at the top of the search engine results pages. Therefore, I decided to take this one step further. I clicked Yelp to see if there were any major brands listed like Chem-Dry. Nope!

Here are the Yelp results:

As far as I am concerned, every single carpet cleaning company listed is a mom and pop shop or a small local business.

Personally, with these kind of results, it almost makes me consider starting a carpet cleaning business!

I know what you are thinking… “But look at all of that competition?” That’s A-OK! Many businesses, also mean solid demand!

To get new customers, all you have to do is have a better marketing strategy than your competition.

The incredibly great news is this: You are not competing with the big Amazon’s or Walmart’s of the world, it’s just a few locals. You can beat them!

Sales Tip: When I used to carpet clean for Zero-Rez, I used to up-sell a carpet rake for $20.00. My partner and I used to up-sell additional rooms to carpet clean while on the job too. It wasn’t a hard sell since we were already on the job. We would simply offer these services or products and often at a discounted rate.

Side Note: With a previous marketing client, our contact Kelly was the director of marketing. On one of our monthly meetings, she told us about her husband starting a carpet cleaning business. Flash forward to 3 months later on another meeting, Kelly informed us that she was leaving her job to work full time with her husband. She said the business was exploding!

Carpet Cleaning Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers, Business Cards, Cell Phone, Sign Magnets, Carpet Cleaning Machine or Rental, Cleaning Solution, Rags, Appointment Book, Vehicle.  

Marketing Ideas

How to get customers for my new Service Business:

  • Delivering Flyers to Neighborhoods
  • Facebook Business Page
  • Pay Per Click Advertising
  • Word of Mouth / Referrals
  • Car Sign Magnets
  • Online Business Directories
  • Passing out Business Cards
Square Card Referral Tool for Service Business

TIP: Referral Strategy: Customers love getting referral fees! Create square shaped business card. The square shaped business card will offer a referral fee for your customer and a special discount for their friend.

You want to make sure the business card is unique and either rounded in design or square. You need to make sure they stand out! Also consider applying magnets to the back of each card for your customers refrigerator.

You will be surprised how many people would be willing to give you a referral while knowing they are getting 50 bucks and helping out friend or family with a good service and a 10% discount too.

CONCLUSION

It’s clear that service businesses are in demand and profitable. If you are looking for a side income hustle or even want to branch out and go full-time, it is a possibility. Having a thriving service business is a path many started before you and grew beyond their expectations. As long as you do good work, referrals and word of mouth become a big part of this business. That costs you nothing!

5 No-Contact Service Businesses To Start From Home

Jeff Knize
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5 No-Contact Service Businesses To Start From Home
[crypto-donation-box]

Here are 5 of the best no-contact service businesses you can start without ever having to come in direct contact with a homeowner. These 5 service businesses are considered exterior-only services. They can all be started for a very low cost.

Unlike other service businesses such as interior painting or house cleaning, these service businesses don’t require you to enter the home.

  • No license or certification is required
  • Entering your customers home is not required
  • No experience is necessary if you are willing to learn
  • Payment processing can be a no-touch environment with Square Up
  • If customers aren’t home, you can still perform the necessary job

Cutting Grass & Landscaping – A Profitable Service.

#1 Landscaping & Mulch Service 

Average Installation $3,240

A service business with many different layers so you can easily choose your desired niche.

There are many tasks in a landscaping business that may include raking and blowing leaves, mowing, mulching, trimming, planting, digging, fertilizing, sod installation, landscape design, and even snow removal.

But in order to apply the KISS Method (Keep It Stupid Simple), and if you are just starting out, I believe it is best to start with Mowing.

Once you start mowing lawns, your business will naturally increase to other areas. Your clients paying for lawn care will likely ask for more services such as planting, cleanup or even junk removal.

This isn’t just a hunch, I know this from experience. Because while using lawn care services for many years, we frequently ask for other services. In addition, my family had a cleaning service for decades and our commercial clients would ask for other services like grass cutting and window washing.

Mowing lawns can be hard labor but once your business starts to grow, you will be able to get hired help — in order to take the load off of yourself! My friend Antonio started this way. I remember when I hired him, he was all on his own. I referred him to my mom, my sister, and then my dad.

Suddenly, Antonio had 4+ weekly clients. I told him he needed a Sign Magnet for his truck. He purchased one but it was small and hard to read so I said “Tony, you need a BIG SIGN that clearly displays your services with a phone number”. He listened and his referral business exploded! He is always booked solid.  

The landscaping industry has an annual revenue of 99+ Billion and 39 Million homeowners had landscaping work completed in the previous year. Landscaping companies have seen 74% of their business coming from returning customers ~ iPropertyManagement.com      

HomeAdvisor reports hiring a Landscaping Service ranges from $1,381-$5,346 with a National Average of $3,240.00. The Low End to the High End is $300.00 – $10,500. This is accurate data as it is taken from their reported 17,653 HomeAdvisor members.

There are several reports indicating that you could be making well over a six figure income from working in landscaping in a little over a year.

Landscaping Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers, Business Cards, Cell Phone, Lawn Mower, Rake, Shovel, Sign Magnets, Appointment Book, and a Pick-Up Truck or SUV.

Deck Staining Service Business

#2 Deck Sealing & Staining   

Deck Sealing Range $552-$1259

According to HomeAdvisor, the National Average for deck sealing or staining is $875. The low end is $250 & the high end is reported as $2000!

Target both sealing & staining for maximum income and customer potential.

I contacted deck staining companies many times in the past. I located these companies in the free Clipper Magazine that frequently came to my mailbox. The quotes I received were between $550-$950. Once I hired a company, I was surprised at how easy the process really was. Since I worked from home, I was able to watch the entire process from start to finish.

Prior to the company showing up, I was told to make sure the deck was clean. They also made sure to show up on a day where there was no rain in the forecast. When they arrived, they blew the deck off with a leaf blower and pounded in a few nails that were sticking up a bit.

Next, they poured the colored stain directly on the deck and they started swooshing around the stain with regular mops that you would see a janitor use at any local mall or school. It seemed so easy!

TIP: When selling a job, try to persuade the customer into picking a stain that is a close match to their current stain color. This will make the application go easier. If they choose differently, consider charging more for your services.       

Deck Sealing & Staining Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers, Business Cards, Cell Phone, Sign Magnets, Mops, Brushes, Rollers, Rags, Leaf Blower, Power Washer, Appointment Book, Vehicle.

 

Blacktop house driveways & then land commercial businesses for even bigger profit margins.

#3 Driveway Blacktop Sealing

You Don’t Have to Reinvent the Wheel

Buy a squeegee and you are in business! You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. It’s not necessary to come up with an original idea. There are plenty of service businesses that you can start today for under $100.

HomeAdvisor reports the cost of hiring an Asphalt Sealing Company ranges from $242-$656 with an average cost of $447.00. This is accurate data as it is taken from reported 4,329 HomeAdvisor members. The Low End to the High End is $135-$1,400.  

I recently had a conversation with my stepbrother about a driveway sealing business that he sold. He said it was very profitable. Most of the work came from word of mouth and from neighbors while working on the job.

Originally, he posted about the business on Facebook but quickly stopped after getting more business than he could handle. Since he only wanted the business for a part-time income, he ended up selling the business to a friend.

It just goes to show you that for a service-related business, word of mouth and just simply working on the jobsite can get you all the business you need to be successful.

I live in a cul-de-sac and a few times in the past, a few neighbors came to my door to let me know they were getting their driveway sealed. If I wanted to get my driveway done too, the sealing company would give us a 10% discount.

This is a good strategy for you to tell potential customers! Let them know if they convince other neighbors to get their driveway sealed too, you could offer a discount.      

Blacktop Driveway Sealing Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers, Business Cards, Cell Phone, Sign Magnets, Squeegee’s, Brushes, Rags, Leaf Blower, Appointment Book, Vehicle.

       

Professional pressure washing and cleaning surfaces.

#4 Pressure Washing

Pressure Washing Surfaces

Combining pressure washing with fence & deck staining will likely increase jobs and income substantially.

HomeAdvisor reports the cost to pressure wash a house is $185-$383 with an average price of $284. This cost data is actual project costs as reported by 29,453 members.

I was the president of my homeowners association for a few years. I ran for the board because my subdivision started looking subpar. One of my very first calls was to get a quote from a pressure washing company – in order to remove the black soot from the entranceway concrete.

This $250 was money well spent! The entranceway looked amazing and homeowners were raving about how nice it looked when they pulled in and out of the subdivision.          

A few years later, I decided to buy a cheap pressure washer in order to clean my sidewalks and patio. It turned out to be a long and arduous project. I guess I wasn’t prepared! The nozzle had many settings and I didn’t even realize I needed a concrete cleaning solution. Talk about a time sucker!

Going forward, I let the professionals do the work and I am glad I did. Their equipment is commercial grade and they were able to get the work done 10 times faster than me.

Power Washing Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers, Business Cards, Cell Phone, Sign Magnets, Leaf Blower, Power Washer, Cleaning Solution, Appointment Book, Vehicle.

Cleaning Gutters Out – In-Demand Service Business

#5 Gutter Cleaning Service

Cleaning Services are Big Business

If you have a fear of heights this service business might not be for you. Cleaning businesses as a whole are big business. You really only need to tap into one of these specialized niches in the cleaning industry to do well.

A gutter cleaning business has an extremely low start-up. You only need protective gloves, a ladder and some other miscellaneous supplies.

HomeAdvisor reports the cost of hiring a Gutter Cleaning Service ranges from $118-$225 with an average cost of $157.00. The Low End to the High End is $75-$350.  

I recently had a new roof installed on my home and the roofing company included gutter clean-out in their agreement. However, there is still build-up in my gutters and downspouts. Every time there is a hard rain, my gutters are overflowing and there is seepage coming from the outside box miter and the downspouts.

Since I am currently experience this problem and it’s not the first time I had the issue, I can clearly see this business to to be an in-demand service.

Note: It is recommended to have your gutters cleaned up three times per year. I was shocked to read the experts making these recommendations but it’s starting to makes more sense now.

Gutter Cleaning Start-Up Basics: Business Flyers, Business Cards, Cell Phone, Sign Magnets, Ladder, Cleaning Supplies, Appointment Book, Vehicle.

TIP: Having a repeatable process for your business is Key. That’s why franchise models work! Your success is dependent upon it.  

Notable Service Businesses

I covered 5 of the Best No-Contact Service Businesses You Can Start from Home for Around $100.00-$200.00. But there are many other notable service businesses that you could start on a shoestring budget.

Check out other notable service businesses below. I included the job range and averages for each business per the HomeAdvisor TrueCost Guide.

  • Carpet Cleaning – Job Range $121-233 & $176 Average
  • Handyman Services – Job Range $177-647 & $389 Average
  • Junk Removal – Job Range $134-357 & $234 Average
  • Moving Company – Job Range $600-1,638 & $1,118 Average
  • Pool Openings/Closings – Job Range $121-375 & $231 Average
  • Chimney Sweeping – Job Range $127-356 & $241 Average
  • Construction Site Cleaning – Job Range $275-652 & $441 Average
  • Mosquito Services – Job Range $108-261 & $173 Average
  • Pest Removal – Job Range $169-495 & $329 Average
  • Tile & Grout Cleaning – Job Range $279-644 & $451 Average
  • Kitchen Cabinet Painting – Job Range $384-1,112 & $697 Average
  • Tile Installation – Job Range $858-2,692 & $1,774 Average
  • Air Duct Cleaning – Job Range $268-483 & $367 Average
  • Garage Organization – Job Range $649-2,509 & $1,459 Average
  • Drywall Installation – Job Range $955-2,531 & $1,727 Average
  • Fence Installation – Job Range $1,641-3,952 & $2,762 Average

Feel free to check out the HomeAdvisor TrueCost Guide for yourself by clicking here: Cost Guide

Final Thoughts

Starting a new business can make many people feel uncomfortable. It certainly was an uncomfortable experience for me at first. Don’t make too much of this, it’s natural to have fear when starting something new. This may come from self-doubt, an insecurity, or even from other people in your life telling you that you can’t do something. Don’t let this stop you from getting what you want!

TIP: Do you have any friends or family? I figured you would say yes… That’s good because you could increase your business by having your friends and family put a sign magnet on their car for you. There are companies out there today that pay drivers for advertisements like this. But your family and friends might be willing to do this and help you out for free. My mom did this for me. Thanks Mom! 

Starting a service business is all about filling a need. You goal is to serve homeowners to the best of your ability. If you do this, your business will likely succeed!

My final thought for you is to remember to keep it simple. Many people get overwhelmed and overcomplicate starting a business. This doesn’t have to be complicated! Pick a service business that’s a good fit for you and get started using the start-up basics.

Remember, this post is aimed to be an accurate depiction of how lucrative and easy it is to get started with a service business. Although this post offers a tremendous amount of valuable and relevant information, it is not intended to be an absolute step. But this step, is a necessary step to help you start the process of being a highly successful Service Business Owner.

CONCLUSION

Take action by picking a business that not only you desire the most, but also that suits you the best. You want to give yourself the best chance for massive success. Once you decide on your specialized niche, re-read the start-up basics and begin gathering all the items needed and then get to work!

Use Listing Agents To Get An Edge For Flipping Houses

Jeff Knize
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Use Listing Agents To Get An Edge For Flipping Houses

You can get a real edge over the competition when searching for foreclosure homes to flip. In this post, I am going to show you the ways I was able to get houses even over the biggest home flippers in the industry.

Hint: The edge has nothing to do with using a relative or friend that is a realtor.

There are two types of Real Estate agents, a Listing Agent and a Buyer’s Agent. The Listing Agent is also referred as the Listing Agent that lists the home for the seller. The Buyer’s Agent assists the buyer in locating properties and with the sales process.

A listing agent lists a property through a local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for a particular seller. A selling agent shows a property to a potential buyer. Both agents have the right and obligation to show the property to potential buyers.

A listing agent may list a property for a seller and also have a buyer for the property. When this happens, the Realtor is known as a dual-agent and is entitled to both sides of the commission.

However, some brokerage offices are not dual agencies. Therefore, the listing agent would need to get the sellers permission and signature to allow for the additional commission through a listing modification form.

Typically when a listing (sellers) agent receives a commission from both sides of the deal, it ranges from 5-7 %, but there is no standard rate. On the other hand, when a buyers agent brings the buyer to the table, the commission is split between the two realtors, selling agent and buyers agent. This percentage is often 2.5 to 3.5 per agent.

To get an edge over the competition, using the listing agent on properties you wish to acquire will give you a tremendous amount of leverage!  

Why Use A Listing Agent Opposed To A Buyers Agent For A Foreclosure? 

A listing agent is working directly with the lender selling the property. In many cases the lender has developed a strong business relationship with the agent. The lender has a comfort level dealing one on one with the listing agent they hired. If they can eliminate the hassle of a third party they will.

Cutting Out The Middleman

Eliminating the middleman makes the transaction run more smoothly in the transaction. Although this may be good for the lender and the listing agent, as a broker myself, I do know there are pros and cons to this method. Let’s take a look at a few of the cons below.

  • CON: The listing agent is the client of the lender so they are biased.
  • CON: The listing agent may not have your best interest in mind. Again, they work for the lender.
  • CON: Eliminates commission from another agent. You don’t spread the wealth to a family or friend agent.

Furthermore, the listing agent will work hard for you. They would love to assume the dual-agent status and receive commission from both sides of the deal.

In many instances a listing agent will discount their commission rate. Just ask prior to writing a contract with them! For example, say to the agent delicately, “I am interested in using you as my agent. Would you be willing to decrease your commission since I will be giving you dual-agent status?”

Remember allowing this to take place does not actually save you money on the purchase price. However, it does allow the lender to pay a lower commission rate – which gives you leverage.

The listing realtor is also making a far better commission because you found them and are allowing them to become the dual-agent.  Therefore, do not feel awkward presenting this question! When an agent does not have to work at finding a client and the client finds them, it is a blessing.

Let’s look at a few examples of how we will benefit as investors from receiving a decrease in commission.

Commission Example Demonstrating How You Get More Deals

Assume that a lender received a contract at $100,000 on a property. Also, assume that a lender will pay a 6% commission rate.  A 3% or $3000.00 commission would go to the listing agent and 3% or $3000.00 commission to the selling agent.

If a listing agent becomes a “dual agent” and cuts their commission to 4% vs. 6%, that is a $2000.00 savings to the lender.

1) Example 1- you put in a contract with a listing agent on a property listed for $100,000. You submit a contract for just under list price or $99,000. The listing agent has agreed to accept a 4% commission. Equal to $3,960.00 

2) Example 2 – the competitor puts in a contract using an outside agent or buyers agent on the same $100,000 property. They have a stronger contract coming in at list price or $100,000. The commission total is 6% or 3% each agent. Equal to $6,000.00 

Which contract would you presume is more favorable for the lender? Absolutely, Example 1 would allow for the lender to save $1040.00.

This is due to the commission difference from 6% – 4%. Although the contract of $100,000 was higher than yours by $1,000.00, the $2040.00 commission savings further offset the transaction.

This amount may not appear to be significant. However, the amount difference coupled with not dealing with outside agents, can make all the difference.

In many cases, listing realtors agree on less of a percentage than stated above. For example, a listing agent taking only one side of the commission at 2.5 – 3.5% is not uncommon.

Find Foreclosures to Flip & Get An Edge On The Bidding Process

Bought for $48,500 & Sold for $99,900 using this method. Address: 817 Violetta, Joliet, IL 60432

You can locate listing agents by driving or farming the desired marketing area in which you are seeking. Online services such as Zillow is an additional resource for finding the listing agent directly. When you come across a new for sale sign while in hot pursuit of a property, call the listing realtor on the sign for the details.

After you view the interior and exterior of the property of interest and all of your due diligence is completed, submitting a contract for purchase is your next step! 

How Much to Bid & When to Bid Over List Price?

This is an important aspect of acquiring a foreclosure. Here is an example…

A property is listed for $70,000. Closing costs when you buy would be estimated at approximately $2,000. Repair costs are estimated at $12,000. When you sell, your estimated real estate commissions and closing costs are estimated at $6,000. This brings your total expenses to $20,000.

On this scenario, if you bid $65,000 for the property and get it, you would be in the property for $85,000.

Based on comparable property sales in the area, an after repaired value of the property would be $115,000. This will give you a potential profit of $30,000.

While working with your agent on the bid, you are told there are multiple contracts coming in on the property. Now that you know the numbers, you must decide how much you wants this property. Should you consider putting in a contract above list price?

A $65,000 bid would likely reflect a $30,000 net profit margin. Offering above list price would change the profit to something under $25,000. Remember, you have the listing agent in your corner so this will give you leverage in this situation too.

You make the decision to go $2,000 over list price to stack the odds of getting the property in your favor. In this case, you are acting as a smart investor. You will still be looking to make a profit of $23,000. This will accomplish your goal if the contract is accepted.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a crystal ball and know the exact figure of all other contracts competing with you? Unfortunately, we don’t and we need to rely on our gut instinct, and all available resources to make a determination.

It is difficult to know exactly where your bid should be placed even if you are an expert in the market. If you are working with a listing agent, they may be able to offer you clues.

It depends on the state law but some agents may be able to disclose the price of the other offers. There is a fine line when discussing this with an agent but there is not a national law that prohibits this. However, an agent may be bound by a confidentiality agreement or the law by the state. Check the state you reside in for clarity.

 

Railroad Worker To Six Figures+ In Real Estate

Jeff Knize
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Railroad Worker To Six Figures+ In Real Estate

Are you a blue collar worker looking to break away from the 7-3 or 9-5 job? Well if so, this might inspire you to get out of that dead end job and go off on your own.

As a kid, my first job was a paper route. I worked for the Southtown Economist delivering newspapers in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago. It was a love, hate relationship because — 1. I loved money 2. I hated to work. 

I eventually knew that I had to get over the hate part if I wanted to keep making money. But what I really wanted was to make a lot of money quick and easy. I searched high and low and tried many get rich quick schemes but eventually came up empty. Can you relate?

Since the quick and easy road to riches didn’t seem possible, I ended up spending years working blue collar jobs. Working for the family cleaning business was dreadful.

Laying tile, building decks, unloaded trucks, stocking shelves and working 5 years at the Railroad wasn’t my idea of the ideal job either. All of these jobs left me feeling empty inside.

TTX – I loaded and unloaded containers via forklift in the distribution center & shipped train parts to field maintenance.

Some might say: “The Railroad”? That is a good job with a great pension! This is true. With the Railroad job, I would not only get my social security check upon retirement but I would also receive a solid pension as well.

The Railroad was the best paying job with the best benefits up to that point in my life and I was in my early 20’s.

But my lifetime goal wasn’t to continue picking steel all day while wearing Herman Munster steel toe boots and a back brace. I guess the Herman Munster Show that aired in the 1960’s ages me a bit there.    

I Am A Dreamer

Entrepreneur That Dreams
Are You A Dreamer? Be an Entrepreneur that Dreams…

Are you a dreamer? I have been a dreamer my entire life and I was determined to figure out how to make my dreams come true no matter what anyone else told me. Failing and being dead broke was better than working for someone and being miserable.

Daydreaming started when I was about 5 years old and it didn’t matter where I was. I would daydream in class, at home, in church, wherever.

It continues to this day but it isn’t a distraction or looked at as a negative through my eyes. Because I am daydreaming about the things I want to achieve and some of those things have come true!

When I daydream, I don’t actually Zone Out and pull a Walter Mitty because I still know what is going on around me. Thankfully, right?

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty Zoning Out

The Real Estate Agents Postcard

Luckily, I stumbled upon my big break while calling a real estate agent from a postcard that was in the lobby of my condo building. There was always one real estate sales postcard in the foyer of my building. When I decided to sell my Condo, it made a lot of sense for this one agent to be my first choice.     

Right around this time (and pretty much always), I would research ways to get out of the grind and make Big Money with my own company. In the magazine I was reading, I saw an ad on how to be a Stockbroker and on the next page, it was how to be a Real Estate Appraiser.

Both pictures showed an astute gentleman type wearing a tie and glasses while working on some type of problem. This made me feel intimidated because it seemed so far off from who I really was at the time. Regardless of the magazine pictures, I was still intrigued. 

The Realtor Meeting With Bill That Shaped My Future

The Agent Meeting: When the agent Bill arrived at my condo, I felt relatively comfortable because he lived in my condo complex. He was just a few years older than me and he was a calm, cool, and a collected type of guy.

We had an immediate connection and there was a synergy between us. Maybe he was just a good salesman but that’s okay, because he made me feel comfortable enough to ask about the Real Estate Appraisal Industry.

To my surprise, his older brother was an appraiser! And when I asked him about it, he immediately said: “I am having a get together at my house with some friends and my brother will be there. You should come so you can pick his brain!” 

Real Estate Appraiser Gave Me Motivation To “Just Do It”

When I went to the gathering, I was super nervous but when I finally asked his brother Mike about appraising, he was incredibly positive! Mike said that making $100,000 per year is no problem! He also told me that he was going in another direction soon — he claims where the real money was at. I asked “what is it”. He casually said “selling real estate.” The rest is history…. 

Appraising Real Estate During The Biggest Refinance In History

Being an appraiser in the biggest refinance Boom in history was extremely rewarding and busy time. My appraisal business grew to 10 appraisers and office workers to boot. With the constant appraisals of foreclosures, I began flipping houses too. There were consecutive years in a row of $100,000+.

It was a great time for mortgage companies, lenders, home inspectors, appraisers and real estate agents for sure!

The refinance boom of 2000 buried many in paperwork, for a while, I was one of them. Hiring more appraisers allowed me to breathe easily.

When the refinance market really starting to pick up steam in 2000, it was a bit overwhelming.

I am sure your heard the phrase “feast or famine”. Well it was a FEAST for quite a while!   

Property values were increasing at an accelerated rate in many areas and interest rates were at one of their lowest levels in history.

We are at a similar time now where interest rates are at an all time low but for different reasons. These are unprecedented times in the world.

If Bill’s brother Mike wasn’t a positive person, I don’t know if I would have even taken the plunge into real estate. I am forever grateful to my friend Bill and Mike for giving me this great gift. Bill and I remain friends to this day.  

Were you ever given a special opportunity like this in your life? Hopefully this story sparked something inside of you — in order to take your life to the next level. The next time you see an opportunity, reach out and grab it.  

The Refinance Bubble & Burst That Stifled America

In the United States, the refinance bubble started to burst in late 2006. Home prices continued to drop through 2012 but experienced it’s largest decline in December 30, 2008. These were trying times for the U.S. and there was a ripple effect in other countries.

Particularly, the appraisal work flow that I had went from 40-50 appraisal orders per week to roughly 4 orders. These orders were being distributed to my appraisers that included my mother, my sister and my sister-in-law. It made it very difficult.

At the time, I was making a transition to online ventures and that saved me from losing my house. Thankfully, this was also a new found passion so it was an easy transition.

Flash Forward To Current Times

Today, after a long hiatus, I am back in real estate with an appraisal license and a real estate brokers license…

Getting back into real estate was an easy pivot because I learned online marketing strategies over time. If you know how to get leads online, you can do very well with a service related business.

A service business such as real estate appraisal or even a service business like house cleaning, is something people either need to have done or desire to have done. There is a strong demand and searches online are abundant.

Service related businesses continue to increase every year. They offer many opportunities to licensed professionals and non-licensed pro’s wanting to start a business from scratch.

Real Estate Licensing Changes

As of 2019 and 2020, the real estate appraisal education and real estate agent education in many states has eased. For example, the age to become a real estate broker in Illinois has changed from 21 to 18!

To become a real estate appraiser in Illinois, you are no longer required to have a bachelors degree and the licensing education hours have decreased from 90 to 75! You can find out more at the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation here: IDFPR

Be sure to check with your state department for education requirements…

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