Andrew Lietzow-MBA, CRS, GRI

Two Rivers REIA (Real Estate Investors Association) of Central Iowa holds its regularly scheduled meetings on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at the Urbandale Golf and Country Club. This month, our featured speaker is Jamie Papian, Lead Instructor with Iowa Lead Safety, to help our members and guests to better understand the requirements for renovations in Iowa, following the inception of new laws in April 2010.

Jamie is both the LBP certification instructor and a contractor, so he is not only knowledgeable of the text and testing requirements, but he's field savvy as well.

There is still much confusion in the rehab and construction industry regarding who needs to be certified, or at what point a Lead Certified Renovator or Certified Contractor needs to be involved in a renovation project. We expect that Mr. Papian will clarify and inform, thus putting much of this confusion behind us.

Please see the website and Calendar at Two Rivers REIA for more information.

Andrew Lietzow, MBA, CRS, GRI

Executive Director

Two Rivers REIA of Central Iowa, LLC

(Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa w/CENTURY 21 Signature Real Estate)

Announcing our Two Rivers REIA "Anti-Gloom & Doom Convention", for 2010, being held March 12-13, 2010, at Connxions in Urbandale, Iowa on Friday, and the Marriott Hotel, Jordon Creek Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday. Mike Butler will be training on how to make deals - without Banks! - and Shaun McCloskey will be training on the intracacies of the Short Sale biz, with emphasis on training both investors and Realtors.

Check out the convention pages at the Two Rivers REIA website for all the latest info. Our headlining speakers/trainers are Mike Butler and Shaun McCloskey. The advanced training sessions start Friday.

I've made a video which tells a lot more about the event, and you'll find it here. If you are an investor in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, or Minnesota, you want to be there! It's going to be one of the outstanding events in Iowa for Real Estate Investors in 2010. 2010 is going to be a GREAT year for Real Estate investors, but only if you get the training, or have the knowledge, to make deals!

Here are some focus points which I use on myself whenever I need more discipline in my life (nearly all the time!).

I'll start with the premise that Marshall Sylver is 100% correct when he says, "we'll either have discipline or regrets, so we must master discipline". To accomplish big goals, we must convert them to plans. Here are just a few of the ways to discipline oneself, in business and life, given in the first person as positive affirmations.

1) I work hard to get my technology working.

As an abstract random person, I have more trouble with this because I am a cornucopia of exciting, fresh ideas. I am constantly seeking out new ways to work more efficiently and effectively. Unfortunately, this means that if I purchase a new gizmo to help me to do something better, I have to have the discipline to actually implement the tools I've invested in, or the company has invested in. We abstract randoms need the support of concrete sequentials, though we have lots of trouble understanding each other, so I have to force myself to finish what I've started to gain the efficiencies I

2) I like to use a vision/dream board to help me clarify what I really want. Again, Marshall Sylver recommends to not create goals, but to create plans. Plans are more concrete, and thus more motivational. Knowing why, what, and how are prerequisite to actually doing something, if we are to perform the task effectively and efficiently.

3) I let go of MWA's (minimum wage activites). I allow others the privilege of serving me with tasks that are not necessary for me to personally accomplish. I reduce my stress level by allowing others the to accomplish some of their goals, which includes helping others (i.e., me!) . When I let others do these jobs, I often find they are better at it than I, and this makes us both happy! I accomplish more when I let go of MWA's!

4) I've learned the six levels of deligation, and I am clear with those to whom I have deligated responsibilites. When I chose to deligate any authority, accountability, or responsibilities, I make sure we communicate well requiring expectations, so no one is disappointed. Sometimes, parents and even grandparents mess this up when they ask a child to do something then don't follow through with their expectations. That's a presciption for disasterous results in child rearing, and it is magnified in the work place. I accomplish much more when I make sure I'm clear with expectations and deligation.

5) Always be grateful and respectful of others. Be thankful for the clerk working the drive-up window at the fast food restraurant; and when they do a good job, I say, "thank you for being good at what you do" (and being thankful to God that they have a job, and that God has allowed me to have a different one!).

6) Be respectful of the earth. When you see liter in front of your path, stop and pick up a few pieces and be thankful to the God-given beauty that you're helping to restore. If you're a smoker, don't use the earth as your ashtray.

7) And, if you're a REALTOR, always give more in service than you receive in compensation. Don't just satisfy your clients, amaze them. Whenever possible, go the extra mile and you're never regret it. The referrals will just pour in to you and in a few years, you'll have a very solid client base which is continually growing simply because of how you've mastered the basic skills of good business.

Today's laskluster economy offers many significant opportunities for those who are willing to learn new ways -- new adaptions of old methods to a totally new set of problems. Larry Goins is just the man to bring that home to us at our 1st Annual Conference of the Two Rivers REIA of Central Iowa - May 9th, 2009 -- 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

As an example, I was speaking with a Realtor yesterday who was down in the dumps. Bumbed out about business being down and seriously considering leaving the business. Unfortunately, when I told her that my business was actually booming, that I was taking new listings left and right and have figured out a system that helps with short sales, I imagine that wasn't what she was expecting to hear. I felt bad for her, yet when she said she thought they were complicated, it made me wonder how much time does today's Realtor need to spend in training, in order to keep their "axe" of knowledge sharp.

At our Two Rivers REIA meetings, every two weeks we focus on a topic, network about general topics, and constantly work to add value through education about ways to do deals. Savvy investors know that to stay on top, they can't allow their knowledge base to fall too far behind the competition. In fact, life is just a whole lot better for those who choose to be proactive in their acquisition of knowledge.

Which brings to why we chose Larry Goins to be our Kick-Off speaker for our Convention. Larry is at the top of his game. He continually keeps up with technology, the challenging aspects of real estate investing he has learned to turn into opportunities; he runs three businesses, and finds time to be a good husband and a great dad.

I met him on the National REIA annual cruise and made a decision I should try to bring him to Des Moines. He was worried the venue was to small but we're busy trying to prove him wrong -- Des Moines DOES have savvy RE investors, and many who want to get better, to learn new techniques and stay on top of their game.

And in today's fast-paced, global economy, it's world its critical that Realtors and LO's frequently update their knowledge base, to meet the changing demands of an ever-evolving client base who desperately need the services of a business savvy real estate consultant.

If you're anywhere near Des Moines, spending the morning listening to Larry Goins on May 9th may be exactly what the doctor ordered to get your RE sales or investing efforts to bear fruit. Check it out here.

The Two Rivers REIA of Central Iowa, LLC is pleased to announce our 1st Annual Conference, to be held at the Holiday Inn, Airport Conference Center, on May 9th, 2009. Tickets can be picked up that morning at 8:00AM, and can be purchased at the door, although there are early registration discounts available at our Conference Registration page.

Larry Goins is a highly sought after speaker because of his unique methods in playing a winning game in Real Estate wholesaling, his background in rehabbing and mortgage finance, and because he is full of energy and wit. Those who attend his presentation will not be disappointed.

Pete Youngs is also making a name for himself through his detail oriented approach to teaching what he calls "Rehab 101". What he offers is not a lot of hype but a method of in-the-trenches cost analysis for what the Scope of Work will cost on rehab projects, both large and small.

Included in the conference is a luncheon and a bus tour which we're calling our "Ugle Ducklings" tour. There are only 47 seats on the bus so if you want to learn first hand from a pro, you'll want to register early!

Of course, the best part of the conference may just be the people you will meet who are fellow investors or investor wannabes from all over Central Iowa and beyond. We fully expect people will drive hours to see our conference because we're making it very affordable compared to having to fly to some boring location, like Las Vegas or Orlando. Instead, we're bringing the experts right here to beautiful Des Moines!

Hope to see you there!