Mike Voss Reviews Armando Montelongo’s E-book
Frequent visitior, Mike Voss, offers the following review of Armando Montelongo’s e-books to readers of Flip This Lawsuit. Please note, Flip This Lawsuit has not reviewed the e-books, and the opinions expressed in the review are not necessarily those of Flip This Lawsuit.
You can view the entire review by clicking the title above.
Greetings everyone. Let me start by thanking those who loaned me their copies of Armando’s “e-book” and also saying sorry it has taken me so long to complete this review. Since I don’t want anyone, least of all Armando, to have any grounds to say that I have not thoroughly read and reviewed this book, I have read it no less than 3 times. The going was slow because every time I read something that needed to be addressed, which was constantly, I had to stop and write a point into my review outline which I later expanded into this full review. My approach was simple: I kept lists of good points and bad points as I read and every time I found either one I wrote it down. In the end, the bad points handily outnumbered the good points (and by good, I do not mean original or highly useful, but simply not harmful) by more than 4 to 1.
I will give you my overall impression of this work and then analyze it from beginning to end. With all that said, here we go.
There is a fundamental problem with Armando’s book that is, in my view, a fatal flaw. Let me see if I can explain it. If your objective is to be highly successful in any endeavor, it stands to reason that you may start out knowing little or nothing whatsoever. So, the question that naturally comes to mind is this: how can you become knowledgeable enough to intelligently get involved in this particular business? Bear in mind that this is one of the most complex endeavors you can get into. A house is a non-trivial entity with a myriad of complex systems and structures, all of which need to be made so as to last at least 20 years while protecting the safety of the occupants. That being said, let’s start with something a bit simpler as an example:
If you were interested in opening a pizza store, you wouldn’t go open a store after studying restaurant accounting, leasing spaces, price point negotiation, and other secondary things - not if you were smart anyway. You’d go work in a pizza store for about a year and learn everything from the inside out, and THEN apply that knowledge against accounting, finding store space, etc. in the context of your target business area.
Or, say you wanted to become an expert on cars so that you could buy, restore, and sell them. Would you go to work at a car dealership? Again, not if you are smart - you’d go work in a body shop for a year, and only THEN look into the logistics of buying and selling the cars you now have the skills to restore.
So, why then would anyone approach `flipping’ houses any differently? The answer is that, if they’re smart, they wouldn’t. And that’s where the problems with Armando’s e-book begin. The entire book is based on the approach that the reader will not have to ever know anything about repairing or building houses, and that is preposterous. Armando would have you believe that you can know nothing about the most expensive items any person will ever buy or sell in their lifetime, yet still be so much more knowledgeable than everyone else in the marketplace that you can exploit that marketplace to turn “30 houses every month”. (Which, by the way, Armando does NOT do and has NEVER done. Period.) This is flawed, incorrect, and inaccurate and, quite frankly, it’s just a lie. To say that a person who knows nothing about houses can make huge profits buying and selling them is akin to saying that a person with no knowledge of gemology can make a fortune buying and selling diamonds. That sounds preposterous, doesn’t it? So why does the assertion that you can do the same thing with houses, which are about as varied and complex as diamonds, sound any less preposterous? Anyone who thinks they can make a living dealing in a commodity in which they are anything less than an expert is a fool. I’ve spent 20+ years to get to my current level of knowledge, and compared to any number of other people out there, I still know very little. Do you think that, with no knowledge of homebuilding and repair, that you are even minimally equipped to do battle in this arena? You’re not!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there are no shortcuts. There are, however, books written by people with orders of magnitude more knowledge than Armando available at about 1/10th the cost of this e-book with about 100 times the useful information in them.
In case you don’t want to stick around for the post-mortem, I’ll mention a few now:
1) Flipping Confidential by Kirsten Kemp.
I’ll be honest - I didn’t want to like this book. Why? Because I watch Kirsten’s show Property Ladder and I know she’s a long time realtor and I generally don’t care much for realtors. Why? Because I think paying people the equivalent of a year’s salary for most people to sell a house (which usually is less than 50 hours total work) is arcane and on it’s way out. I notice a heavy real estate agent bias in the show from time to time, so that has always annoyed me just a bit. That said, this is a great book, especially for those wanting to find out what is involved for a first timer. It is, quite literally, everything Armando’s e-book isn’t and at literally about 1/10th the cost . (look for books used on Amazon and save big money - another tip you should know and use as you build your knowledge and library) This book will tell you, in the style which Kirsten tells the clueless fools on Property Ladder who rarely listen, how to do things correctly and what happens when you don’t. Included are tales of what happened when Kirsten got burned on different deals and why. If you only read one book before deciding if this business is for you, this should probably be it. It will detail for you all of the costs, factors, and variables you may not even know about - few of which will you see in Armando’s e-book. And Property Ladder is also a unique show to watch since you get to see what happens when people don’t listen - the failure rate is more realistic than other shows. And Kirsten is pretty easy to look at. ?
2) Be Your Own House Contractor by Carl Heldmann
You’ve heard it over and over: cut out the GC and do it yourself and you can save up to a 50% markup! Is that true? Well the number might be more like 25%, but it could be that high. The part that isn’t true is that the GC does nothing but hire subs to earn that money. Being a GC is the toughest task on any build. This book will educate you as to why. Most people are ready to save that money, but few are even aware of all the tasks they’ll be signing on for when they do and get into trouble fast. This book will give you a cut and dried blueprint including all the variables to figure out what you can save and if you should do it. Remember, in every state, General Contractor is a licensed trade designation - people have to put in a lot of time and experience to wear that hat, so you will need to understand what they’re responsible for if you want to tackle it. it’s a whole lot more and harder than you imagine it is, but you can certainly do it if you take the time to learn what’s really involved - and this book will tell you.
3) The Black and Decker “Complete Guide To” series.
Of all the books in my personal library, I can honestly say I refer to these the most. This series of full color illustrated guides to plumbing, electrical, carpentry, masonry, etc. are just excellent. B&D has gone to great lengths to make all kinds of special photographs including cutaway views and multi angles to show *exactly* how to do things and do them right and to code. Seriously, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you could plumb or wire an entire house with the knowledge in these books. They are always available in Home Depot which is almost certainly where I first found them, but can be had for huge discounts through Amazon. Whatever you buy them for, they are worth hundreds of times their price in knowledge, time saving tips, and just plain telling you how to do things right. The series were clearly written by or based on the work of master craftsmen and it shows.
4) Holmes on Homes http://www.holmesonhomes.com/
OK, this is a TV show, not a book, but it is the best show about construction currently on TV in my opinion. It airs on the Discovery Home Channel or you can buy CDs of entire seasons at the above website. In a nutshell, Mike Holmes is a master builder who goes to houses where people have been completely screwed by contractors, tears out the bad work, and rebuilds it correctly. The things the average person can learn from this show are staggering because the amount an experienced contractor can learn is immense. Mike Holmes is a 2nd generation contractor who grew up working with his dad who was clearly a vanishing breed - the old school kind of contractor who cared sincerely about his work and would never cut a corner. The true value of the show is not in the techniques or knowledge - it is in Mike’s attitude - he cares. Again and agein when he’s tearing out some terrible or dangerous bad work, he’ll say, “look at this, they just didn’t care” and that’s what it boils down to. If you want to do good work, you have to care also. You’ll also see how to deal properly with good trades people and the result of doing good work for people. As far as I’m concerned, Mike Holmes is the man. I’d work on his crew for free.
OK, now on to the main event. Here is my review of Armando’s $100 e-book.
Book 1 ”Foundation” 24 Pages
Right off the bat, this section was really annoying me. It is almost entirely composed of “how to get rich” book clichés which are not what we are supposed to be buying here. I have heard from others that some of it is directly lifted from such books by other authors. (isn’t that plagiarism?)
When this section finally gets around to talking about something of substance, there are a few viable points in it. There are some tips to avoid red-flagging the IRS (not really an issue if you’re not breaking the law) which are reasonable, but he recommends hiring a CPA when all that is really necessary is a skilled tax preparer. He also recommends using QuickBooks, which is a great program that I use. There is basic advice on insurance for properties as well, although owner-occupied houses will need different strategies.
That’s about it for the good in this chapter. We get a repeat of the now proven-false claim of flipping 30 houses per month (still waiting for you to post some kind of proof of that, Armando) and adds the new false claim of owning 100 rental buildings. (not units - buildings) This guy just never quits. If I had paid for this book, I’d be fuming at this point. The lies from this guy are just beyond insubstantiable. He then goes on to claim to be the number one house flipper in America and states that nobody flips more houses than him. Are you feeling glad you didn’t give him your money yet? Next Armando advises us to only take advice from people making at least 2 times as much money as you do. I would add to that that you should always QUALIFY that income, including Armando’s because, at present, his liabilities seem to far exceed his assets. We then get a plug for his mentoring program, followed by continual talk of a “system:” that will negate the need to learn anything about construction trades. Sound unlikely? That’s because it is - more on that later.
Finally, we get his strategy of what kind of houses and configurations to look for and in what area. While it sounds plausible for San Antonio, as I’ve often mentioned real estate is a local market, so this strategy will not work in a huge number of places. So that info will be worth nothing to many people and Armando demonstrates his clear lack of knowledge of real estate markets on a national level.
So, one chapter down - did you learn much? Hmmm, well, let’s press on.
Book 2 ”Find” 22 Pages
This chapter opens with our being told that “the money follows the deal”, meaning that if you can get a deal set up, money to make it happen will turn up. This is patently false, and a dangerous trap to set yourself up in. If property is like gold in your area and you could lock up the rights to purchase a house at a good deal, then yes, probably you could find someone to step in and either fund it for you or buy out your option on that property. The problem? In most areas of the country, those kinds of markets no longer exist. Furthermore, sellers don’t like that kind of crap and generally put in fail safes (like non-refundable deposits) to deter people who try to lock up properties in escrow without having any means to buy them. So no, money does not follow the deal, deals now follow the money, and if you have none you won’t be making any.
We then get a discussion of reasons for motivated sellers, all of which are old, outdated, and clichéd. People chasing the “4 Ds” of death, divorce, disease, and disaster nowadays are mostly wasting their time. People are not stupid and know in a heartbeat when a bottom feeder is trying to get into their good graces. It’s just not that simple and never will be again. What’s more, smart people have connections at much earlier junctions (i.e.; a divorce lawyer who could tell them long before you’d ever know of a divorce) that make these avenues worthless. Hot deals are found by much more sophisticated means than looking at foreclosure listings or obituary notices, and if you have the potential for this business you will figure those out for your market in time. The best way is being known as a good developer/investor amongst people who might have something to sell. (Would you want to sell to Armando based on what you know of him? My point exactly.)
The next recommendation in this chapter almost knocked me out of my chair. Armando actually recommends that, even if you have NO EXPERIENCE remodeling or transacting houses, you offer yourself as an “expert” witness to lawyers involved in the disposition of properties. Only the worst kind of fool would be willing to walk into a courtroom misrepresenting himself as an expert to be qualified by opposing counsel, exposed as a fraud, and likely held in contempt of court. Armando’s logic that “as an investor you are an expert in property values” borders on the comical, and advising others to do such a thing clearly borders on the criminal. Don’t try this at home, folks, you may end up behind bars.
There is also a false presumption that any homeowner suing an insurance company (not a very common thing unless there’s been a disaster recently.) wants to sell their house. Most people want just the opposite - to have their house made whole again. This is a false premise to start off on. Further, he talks of “approaching homeowners with the tack of solving their problems”, which assumes you can even get near a homeowner to do so. People are not stupid and the hordes of fools created by courses like this or foreclosure courses fill mailboxes of people who might have distressed homes and cause a stream of wannabe bottom feeding clowns to their door. After one or 2 such encounters, you’re more likely to encounter a shotgun barrel when the homeowner is sick of being bothered. I know of multiple cases where bottom feeders like Armando intentionally trespassed distressed properties (or properties they erroneously thought were distressed due to getting bad info from 3rd party services - beware!) and were shot dead by homeowners. Bad idea - don’t try it.
Armando also talks of pulling comps on houses and using square footages to determine values. This doesn’t work and is why services like Zillow are worthless. One block over, a certain street can drop property values by ½. You MUST know the neighborhood, houses, and exact features to compare apples to apples, otherwise you are just wasting your time on bad numbers. Comparables are one of the most frequently improperly calculated numbers in all of real estate and you cannot do them like a machine - machine comps are always useless.
Another tactic that Armando recommends when approaching people you should go nowhere near is to tell them that, “That’s why I’m in this business - to help you.” Do you actually think for a minute anyone would believe that? This is a real insight into the mindset of a con man. You’re in this business first and foremost to make a living. Hopefully, if you’re a decent person, you will only do so if you can avoid hurting others and, then, preferably also helping them. If you are only in any business to help others, you are what is known as a charity and likely not intending to make a profit. Don’t lie to people you are trying to make a deal with. They are not stupid and will not appreciate it.
A more important tack you might take with such a person if you have such an opportunity is to educate them as to how to transact a sale with no agents (and no commissions) involved. Of course, Armando doesn’t explain how to do this competently, but it can be done and is very common and safe.
Book 3 ”Fund” 13 Pages
This chapter had literally no good points in it, so here are the negatives.
First off, Armando handles credit like poor people do and it shows. There’s an old saying: “a banker is someone who will give you all the money you want.just as soon as you can prove you don’t need any of it.” Get credit BEFORE you need it, not after you’re on the hook for a property renovation with a gun to your head! Most of his deals are done with hard money lenders . Hmmmmm.. why would someone as wealthy as Armando claims to be have to pay those rates from such usury lenders? I’ll tell you why, because he doesn’t have any wealth. There’s another old saying: If you want to be rich, watch what the poor people do and don’t do it. Hard money is for people who can’t borrow money elsewhere at better terms. I can borrow 300,000 tomorrow at 6% or so, so why would I go to a hard money lender and pay 10 - 20% and several points for the same amount? The answer is I wouldn’t, and neither should you if you don’t have to. For Armando to advise using such lenders just shows that his credit hasn’t improved much since when he was on food stamps 5 years ago.
Additionally, hard money lenders lend on LTV (Loan To Value ratio - amount of loan verses current property value) , not ARV(after-repair value) ARV is speculative and hard money lenders are looking for secured investments. Only with a STRONG track record will they even consider ARV, and then they’ll charge you a bunch more money for it. Banks are even less likely to ever do this. Lenders are not looking to make unsecured or under secured loans, period.
The next tactic of having someone sign over their house on a “subject to” basis is absolute stupidity. Nobody in their right mind will ever sign away 100% of their house unless you pay them the equivalent amount, and anyone asking someone to do so is nothing more than a thief. Someone proposed such a deal to a friend of mine once, and he told me about it. I told an FBI agent friend of mine about it and he took a keen interest. Bottom line: If you take an interest in someone’s property, you must only take title to an appropriate percentage. If you take more, you are stealing from them. Using things like power of attorney to further this is little more than fraud or identity theft. Just the fact that Armando delves into these illicit tactics shows that he is considerably more versed as a grifter and con artist than a homebuilder. I hope you are all starting to get the picture. Lastly, He recommends using green folders to keep records in instead of red so that they will symbolize making money instead of losing it.
Are you fricking joking me? For this information you want to take $100 of people’s hard earned money? Onward…
Book 4 ”Fix” 21 Pages
This chapter had one useful item in it: Driving around to see work in progress IS a good way to find subcontractors, so long as you know what to look for. There is, however, no description of what to look for or what to avoid, and that’s because the author likely has no idea. As such, the tip is, essentially, useless.
Now we start getting into the really improbable. Armando recommends setting up a “Cookie cutter system” to do every flip the same. This is impossible. Ask any competent remodeler. Rarely are 2 houses the same. Completely unrealistic.
Next, he emphasizes speed, speed, speed. This is bad, bad, bad. There’s an old saying in construction: Good, fast, cheap: Pick any 2. Armando’s work is fast and cheap, that’s why it isn’t good and why his houses have been revealed to rarely sell. You can bet anyone living in something he’s built is seriously unhappy.
According to Armando, you will only walk through the property you flip 3 times total. Ever. Again, are you kidding? You shouldn’t even BUY a property you’ve only been through 3 times. This is becoming ridiculous.
He goes on to say that you don’t want to be involved in the work. Wrong. If you are not involved, who is going to be? Unless you have a contractor who can be trusted 100% to do everything, including make critical decisions, you’re in trouble. You HAVE to be involved, or your product will be garbage.
He goes on to recommend retexturing ceilings. Do I even need to tell anyone that this should NEVER be done? Textured ceilings went out in the 80s forever and nobody ever wants one today. Bad contractors loved them because the texturing is easy and hides all kinds of flaws. Can you guess why Armando likes this?
He goes on to recommend pedestal sinks in master baths. Terrible idea because there will be no storage. Pedestals are fine for powder rooms or ½ baths, but not full baths or masters. This is very basic real estate stuff he doesn’t even know. He then says that it should only cost about $3000 to gut and replace an entire bath. Tile alone could cost this much. This is clearly someone who does not know what he is doing.
He goes on to claim he’s been doing properties for 5 yrs (not long) and has burned through 100 subs in 3 years. Clearly, the subs are not the problem - Armando is.
Next, Armando claims that subcontractors have a`shelf life’ of 6 months to 2 years before they must be replaced.. Again, this is totally untrue and just reveals more of his nature. Good trades people are who you want to keep an ongoing relationship with for years, decades, or a lifetime. Treating them like disposable commodities is how you end up when you treat people like dirt, constantly try to cut their prices, and have no understanding of what work they do in order to know it’s value.
Further, Armando advocates using only subcontractors in place of a general contractor.
That’s fine if, and only if, you know enough about being a GC to know whether or not the sub you have charged with that task can do it. If not, you will be in for bad surprises when things don’t work out.
We are also told in this section that any sub should do 2 weeks work per $10,000 expended. This is patently absurd as there is no standard “burn rate” for trade work. To even suggest so is the mark of an incompetent amateur.
Just to take a minute for perspective, if you’re following the Armando method, you now have a project you paid hard money rates for, which you never visit but 3 times total, where there is no GC supervising the work and the disposable trades people who you`ve hammered down on price to the absolute minimum are supposed to be GC ing the job for you. To call this a recipe for disaster is an understatement, and you can now understand why most of the projects depicted on the Montelongo segments of the TV show have been exposed as complete failures. This is flagrant stupidity. But it gets even better - we are also told that, since we are not visiting the site, that we should have the subs (who are running the job) buy digital cameras and take 4 pictures of every room and the exterior each week to send to us so we can see the progress and send their draws. I’m not even going to comment on how preposterous this is. Even with 20+ years experience I would only rely on this method with subs I’d known a VERY long time on a project with which we were both thoroughly familiar, and even then only if it couldn’t be avoided, like if I were on vacation or such for a short time. Anyone thinking they can “phone in” the construction supervision of a house is a fool.
The last gem in this chapter is the suggestion that you “back charge” subs for deficiencies in their work after it has been performed. The whole idea of milestone payments to subs is that you are THERE ONSITE regularly to look at their work’s progress and quality BEFORE you pay them and are always holding back enough to have leverage when you need changes. To suggest that you never come onsite, manage by pictures, and then attempt to collect back money for anything not done properly (which you’d then have to have corrected) is sheer comedy. Go try to get money back from a sub who has completed some work for you - rotsa ruck!
Book 5 ”Flip” 14 Pages
This chapter presents the idea of using auctions to sell completed properties, which is not a bad idea. It is suggested that you have a lender with whom you have a relationship present at the auction to offer instant financing, and this is also a good idea. All in all, the auction concept is sound, but, especially if it is your first time doing one, it would be best to have an expert auctioneer or auction house helping run the show for you. (you can watch and learn and maybe do it yourself next time, and their take is negotiable)
The suggestion of refinancing from a hard money to conventional note is sound, and carrying a 2nd trust before or after via down payment for the buyer is a tried and true method to facilitate a sale.
One thing I would suggest for an auction is to have a professional appraisal and inspection available for potential buyers to see. This will increase their confidence that they are bidding on a sound house of good value.
All in all, this chapter has almost no info in it, and transitions early on into plugging Armando’s $1000 “master course”. The last page of the chapter is a full page ad for the master course with links right in it and suggestions that to get the real info you need to spend another $1000.
I think it’s been pretty well established here that you not only don’t need to spend that $1000, but that far more information is available elsewhere either free or at about 1/10 the cost of the $100 e-book form Armando.
The bottom line is this: If Armando were making money flipping houses, he’d be doing that. He’s trying to sell how-to courses because, as we have seen documented thoroughly now, he doesn’t make any real money in real estate and is attempting to make money as a get-rich-quick infomercial guru. The show is entertaining, but it is not educational and this cast member and his cohorts have nothing to teach you. Where and how people spend their hard earned money is their own concern, but the fact is indisputable that Armando Montelongo has demonstrated next to zero credibility and anyone thinking of sending him their money is well advised to look at inexpensive/free sources of far superior information from known credible sources available elsewhere.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
Mike Voss
contact@hyperion1.com
http://www.hyperion1.com/
dec wrote:
Excellent review Mike. Thanks for the input. I was definitely interested in what was actually in Armando’s books. thanks again.
Posted on 28-Aug-07 at 8:08 pm | Permalink
Greg wrote:
Mike thanks for taking the time out of your busy life to read this rubbish. I have been watching Mike Holmes for a few years here in Canada on HGTV, and have learned volumes this way. Watching Armando proves to be a process of entertainment, but nothing close to sound advice. Anyone who believes this man, better beware.
Posted on 28-Aug-07 at 9:08 pm | Permalink
Uzzah.com » Blog Archive » Another Guru To Avoid wrote:
[...] Enjoy this review of his $97 e-book and avoid Armando at all costs. [...]
Posted on 28-Aug-07 at 9:15 pm | Permalink
BOHICA wrote:
Thanks Mike for taking time to provide your insight into this waste of time & money and for offering additional resources as well …much appreciated.
Posted on 28-Aug-07 at 9:15 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Excellent, Mike! It’s even WORSE than I thought it would be. Green folders? LOL
I largely agree about Kirsten Kemps’ book also.
Great job! Bravo!
Posted on 28-Aug-07 at 9:51 pm | Permalink
ChrisInDetroit wrote:
THANK YOU Mike!!!! I have been waiting for this since you said you would do it! GREAT INFO! And to think, I used to see this guy as a hero!!! lol
Posted on 28-Aug-07 at 10:00 pm | Permalink
John wrote:
In this promotion you have actually highlighted a very important basic factor in internet marketing, the guarantee. It is so important to have a guarantee if you are marketing a product. There is alot of anxiety among newbies that people will abuse this guarante, but the fact is, if you are selling a high quality product, the risk of abuse is low.
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 12:02 am | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
Yeah Steve, I don’t know where the hell that leaves me as my folders are all BLUE.
:)
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 1:00 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Well, John
Anyone that’s been stupid enough to buy in to this garbage is likely living in a homeless shelter now. So recovering the $97 (or ninety nine cents on eBay) they initially spent is the least of their problems.
But, of course your ONLY ‘point’ was to spam your worthless web site.
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 1:14 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Actually, John. I think MY ‘website’ is a lot more informative than yours is ; )
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 1:49 pm | Permalink
kate wrote:
This e-book is available on ebay now for as low as .99 cents!
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 2:26 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
kate wrote:
This e-book is available on ebay now for as low as .99 cents!
Still not worth it, IMHO.
Mike
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 3:46 pm | Permalink
Brandon wrote:
The book has parts in it that actually contradict itself, and “Armando’s story of success.” Lets say hypathetically you were somehow able to establish a perfect (did you notice that word perfect, that doesn’t exist) work environment in which you were able to be absent from your own jobsite, and put it soley into the hands of contractors- this would take years to accomplish, and therefore you woud not be able to pick up his book, learn from it and make it happen, therefore not getting rich quick. You would have to learn from your mistakes. Also, if this crazy hypathetical situation were so, then you certainly wouldn’t constantly recycle your contractors (HANG ON TO THESE GUYS!), and let fresh hands now control your new jobsite. If you have stipulations where you can deduct pay from contractors for doing improper work, then hello, you have a lot of improper work going on at your jobsite, AND, most likely have a crew that needs someone to WATCH OVER THEM!
Oh my gosh, find the deal then find the money?! How absurd.
Also, dangerous border-line admitting to breaking the law in some parts-AND YOU SHOULD TOO! These tactics are for people who have their backs against the wall, with no opportunities to get in this game, IF THIS IS SO- THEN GUESS WHAT, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS GETTING INTO THIS GAME. This sounds like a drug dealers guide to flipping houses- or say, A CON ARTISTS.
I started out as a professor who desired an occupation where “the more I put into it, the more I got out of it” with an opportunity to grow, expand, and of course, create wealth. You know where I started? As a low end of the ladder grunt man, on a jobsite, doing the crap work because I knew next to nothing about houses, so I observed, and climbed. You have to start out at the bottom to get to the top, there is just no way around it, but if you try really hard, then you can climb fast! Good Luck to all, including Armando.
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 3:51 pm | Permalink
Angry Cynic wrote:
Mike, I have not read Armando’s e-book nor do I personally know him or respect him but I would still have to say your review is horrible.In reality I would say you are the one that has no knowledge of residential real estate flips by your comments made and your use of the term “bottom feeders” shows this. If an investor doesn’t help save the people from foreclosure who will? You sound like all the winers at the real estate meetings that say they can never get a property but they aren’t willing to work to find the good deals. Word to the wise, stay away from this Mike Voss guy. He knows nothing about residential real estate investing and is clearly an angry cynic.
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 4:15 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Brandon,
That’s a 2003 C240 Mercedes. ‘Best guess’ is she paid around $25K for it, give or take
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 6:25 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
re: Angry Cynic post # 14,
Well “Cynic”, assuming you aren’t Armando (which I highly doubt as your post has several of the hallmarks of his recurrent shill posts)if you haven’t read the book, then you’re not qualified to comment, now are you?
Furthermore, commenting on something of which you have no knowledge would be the pinnacle of ignorance demonstrated by you for the world to see.
Not that I need explain it to you, but there are and always have been far better avenues for people in distress (I wasn’t only talking about foreclosure, which you might know had you read more carefully) than bottom feeders looking to steal their equity and properties. There are legitimate investors, legal approaches, endless ways to refinance or restructure debt, etc., but I guess you in your superior knowledge don’t know that.
So, as anyone can tell, you’re either Armando or a similar con artist bottem feeder wannabe whose opinion is worth nothing, as evidenced by your hiding behind a fake name.
To everyone reading, here’s what will happen next, this person will NOT identify themself, will maybe post once more, and then disappear forever.
You’d expect a career con man to be more imaginitive. But, this one likes the short con, not the long.
And hey, maybe a bigtime bottom feeder will come along and bail you out on those numerous foreclosures to VCH funding that you have going! Will those be on Flip This House next season?!?!
Mike Voss
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 6:50 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Angry Cynic,
Re: “I have not read Armando’s e-book nor do I personally know him or respect him”
Right. You Googled ‘fishing tackle’ (and not Armando Montelongo) and stumbled on this website.
Your boy Armando is a ‘bottom feeder’
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 6:57 pm | Permalink
Diana wrote:
Mike, Thanks for taking the time to review and post useful information regarding Armando’s books! I’ve been a long time lurker to this site, and even though I am an experienced real estate investor, I did often wonder if maybe things were that much rosier in other areas. I’m in NY, second only to the craziness of CA, so it certainly was nice to think, at least for a short while, that maybe there were great opportunities outside my area!
I still believe that there are opportunities to be had in every area, but acting like a jerk and treating people the way Armando does is clearly not the way to success! I realize that you often need to be firm w/your subs, but the level Armando takes it? Sorry, but we are all in this business to make money, and I would never begrudge anyone a fair days pay in exchange for a fair days labor.
Many people have mentioned it before, and the same principles do hold true. The profit is made in buying at the right price, and this business is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a long term endeavor, and there will be some great days and some really bad ones that will make you wonder why you ever bothered! It is not for everyone, and creating a quality product will pay off in spades financially, as well as emotionally. I for one like to sleep at night!
Keep up the good work everyone - Mike, Steve et all - your information and throughtfulness is time well spent! :)
Oh, and you are dead on about Mike Holmes - hands down, the best home improvement how-to on TV!
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 7:52 pm | Permalink
ChrisInDetroit wrote:
Hahahaha Is there anyone in here who DOESN’T think that AngryCynic = Armando?
If so, please email, I have a GREAT flip for you to buy! A real fixer upper… But dont worry, you’ll make millions! hahaha
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 9:52 pm | Permalink
Brandon wrote:
Help someone out of foreclosure?! How do you help someone out of foreclosure? If you buy a foreclosed property, you purchase it from the bank after the party has already sunk as deep as they can, on their own, and nothing you do is helping nor hurting them. If you are working a deal pre-foreclosure to save them from foreclosure then that is called preditory lending, and where I’m from that is highly illegal, and the last I heard in Cali you can get 10 yrs in prison for it, but maybe in San Antonio… Even if it still legal in some states, the reason it is illegal in many, is for that very reason- bottom-feeders.
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 10:54 pm | Permalink
Lizz wrote:
The “Flip” series went in to the crapper when “Trademark” left. Sam was bad, Angie was bad, Armando is THE WORST. He sucks at business and is an overbearing cry baby. How hilarious that he is now selling this tripe. How sad that people are buying it.
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 11:48 am | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Interesting about auctions.
I noticed this outfit has one coming up in my neighborhood and I might go just as an observer to check it out.
http://www.williamsauction.com/
I’m not in the ‘Real Estate’ biz but auctions are quite common in my profession. The following may or may not apply to real estate auctions but here are some things you might need to be aware of…
“BIDDING AGAINST A LAMP POST”
So you’re bidding and ’someone’ is bidding against you. You look in the crowd but don’t see anyone else bidding. Why? No one is, the auctioneer is ‘playing’ you. I don’t think this is very common (anymore) but I’ve seen it happen.
“THE RINGER”
I see this one all the time. More times than not. The ‘ringer’ is a bidder that appears to be just like you. The ‘ringer’ is there to protect the sellers interest. The seller has a minimum number they want. The ‘ringer’ will run the bid up to at least that amount. If the ‘ringer’ wins the bid then the seller has essentially taken it back and the auction didn’t work for all parties involved.
“BUYERS PREMINM”
This is a cost that the winning bidder pays in addition to the winning bid number. In my line of work it’s typically 10%-15% added to the winning bid amount. The ‘buyers premium’ fee goes to the auctioneer
Buyers strategy! Know what your MAX number is BEFORE the auction INCLUDING the the ‘buyers premium’ and factor that in beforehand as part of your MAX number. Under NO circumstances exceed that number once the bidding starts. People get caught up in the moment and some lose sight of everything EXCEPT winning the bid! Don’t do it. That’s why auctions work ; )
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 1:50 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Auctions continued…
“THE RINGER” PART 2
If a ‘ringer’ senses that a bidder has lost their mind and got caught up in the moment they’ll run the bid up in a hurry and then pull out before the bidder, now ‘bag holder’ knows what hit them.
Beware! ; )
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 3:35 pm | Permalink
Elizabeth in HSV wrote:
Mike, Thanks for the review. I have wondered why Armondo is not selling his book through regular means (ie: Book via Publisher)? I know…he was probably turned down because no self respecting publisher would want to take the chance on being associated with him.
Thanks again, Elizabeth
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 7:16 pm | Permalink
Rob wrote:
I am going to have disagree with a point that you constantly make Mike. You keep saying that people aren’t stupid. Now I don’t know what planet you live on, but the majority of people are stupid. You must have heard the phrase “there’s a sucker born every minute”. It stands true today as the day it was said. A simple yet prominent example is Jay Leno’s jaywalking or better yet go to a college these days and start listening to all the morons there. Sometimes I don’t know how people get into these school other than having deep pockets.
Another thing I wanted to address is the quality of work on these shows. Now we all know Armando is skipping 9 steps out of 10 to get his work done, but he is no different. Richard Davis might now be skipping 9 but he is skipping at least 6 steps. It is blatantly obvious when you watch the show and pause certain scenes to see where the contractors are clearly glazing over bad spots. The amateur flippers are even worse in this regard since they have no idea how anything works in a house.
Anyways those were my two points feel free to shoot back. I would like to know what you have to say.
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 7:20 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
Rob - well, unfortunately, yes I guess a lot of people aren’t super-intelligent in this world and that’s why I need to write a review like this to help protect some of them. I guess I’m an optimist, but I feel it’s more a problem that people are trusting than stupid when it comes to real estate. I spoke with a police detective the other day who was thinking about buying Armando’s book. That’s someone who delves into people’s credibility for a living who might have been fooled - certainly not a stupid individual, but this is not his area of expertise and he might have trusted what he saw on tv. When we all pool our knowledge, we’re better off wherever we may have started from.
As for the quality of work we see on these shows, I agree 100% - it is no better than a 3 out of 10 on average and that’s why you never see follow ups of how the new owners like it I’m sure. When people see crap work being slapped out like that, it’s believeble that they could know nothing, buy a house, and sell it for big profits. But what you see on TV isn’t reality and that’s why we’re here - so people know what they are getting into and where to learn the truth. Nobody can build a quality house in 30 days. Even when we work around the clock on Habitat for Humanity projects, with full cooperation from suppliers, inspectors, and volunteers, it takes months to do good work. Some laws just cannot be violated or bent, and one is that quality work takes some time. I spent close to 2 years on my last project! Granted, I was living in it and doing others too, but that’s what it took under the circumstances - and I’m still far ahead on it.
Mike Voss
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 8:01 pm | Permalink
JoeF wrote:
Interesting.
The project I have now took three months to architect, three months to engineer, and three months for Municipal permit. Some of this was concurrent, but still…I want to live in Richard’s world.
Gonna franchise this concept? Not in Washington State baby, or California, or Arizona as far as I know. And trust me, I know.
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 9:36 pm | Permalink
Al wrote:
I’ve seen enough copies of the Montelongo’s Defaulted Mortgage Deeds to create a separate e-book on how to flip defaulted loans (but keep the repair monies to buy hummers and other cool stuff). Simply unbelievable these guys don’t have the Texas Attorney General or somebody after them for deceptive trade practice or something like that?
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 10:53 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
JoeF,
Trademark isn’t selling ‘franchises’ and they aren’t ‘developers’ either. Just sayin’. That’s not their niche or what they’re about ; )
Posted on 01-Sep-07 at 11:24 pm | Permalink
BOHICA wrote:
Steve in Texas, You seem to know a lot about Trademark - are you working for them or going to be working for them? (Love the link to Miss SC!)
Posted on 02-Sep-07 at 6:34 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
BOHICA,
No, I don’t work for Trademark. I went to his speech in July though and know about the national roll out ; )
Posted on 02-Sep-07 at 7:26 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
BOHICA,
Re: “(Love the link to Miss SC!)”
Here’s a parody of that, it’s pretty funny too! LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUE1Cu04Jzo
Posted on 02-Sep-07 at 7:41 pm | Permalink
Justin wrote:
I felt bad for the poor girl. I’d bet money that 99.99% of people would have gave a dumb answer if they’d been asked that question and expected to give a tactful answer immediately, and in front of a large audience. I mean, this wasn’t exactly a jaywalking-level-of-ignorance question.
Posted on 03-Sep-07 at 12:25 pm | Permalink
wyldwmn wrote:
In Post #25 Rob wrote:
“Now I don’t know what planet you live on, but the majority of people are stupid.”
This statement represents several types of thinking errors, not the least of which is “confirmation bias.” That means that you don’t know why people make the choices they make, and that what you want is for the explanation to be that they are stupid, so you look for something like a cliche’ that you convince yourself is the proof that your conclusion is correct. As well, the “heuristic” thinking error represented here is that instead of taking the time to learn about why poeple make the choices they make, you take a mental shortcut, grabbing on to the first thing that comes along that you can use to justify your opinion.
The issue here is that people not only lack information, but they have never learned how to get information. That is why people like Armando and other abusers and cult leaders can gain power and control over people–they know how to manipulate that space between wanting to achieve a goal and not knowing how to create a plan and do research.
It’s not that a “sucker is born every minute,” rather it’s more like an “abuser who preys on other peoples’ vulnerabilities” is abusing every minute. And that’s not just a cliche’–that’s something that is backed up by research studies and reliable data.
Furthermore, blowing off abuse via use of cliche’ is based on fear–fear of not knowing what to do about the situation, so the situation gets minimized and dismissed.
wyldwmn
Posted on 03-Sep-07 at 5:23 pm | Permalink
wyldwmn wrote:
In Post #32 Esteban en tejas escribió:
“BOHICA,
Re: “(Love the link to Miss SC!)”
Here’s a parody of that, it’s pretty funny too! LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUE1Cu04Jzo ”
I think I may have to get myself a pair of wrap-around sunglasses and do a parody of Armando. When I was growing up, I was *really* good at impersonating the dysfunctional and quirky aunts and uncles…Kept all the cousins rollling on the ground in pain from big belly laughs for hours. he he he
wyldwmn
Posted on 03-Sep-07 at 5:34 pm | Permalink
wyldwmn wrote:
In message #8 Mike Voss confesses:
“Yeah Steve, I don’t know where the hell that leaves me as my folders are all BLUE.
:)”
Hmmmmmmmm. First time I ever heard a man complain about something besides his body parts being blue….
;-}
wyldwmn
Posted on 03-Sep-07 at 5:39 pm | Permalink
wyldwmn wrote:
Now this is funny.
I received email from “my friend” Armando saying:
“After being on the air for a little more
than a year, you have made us A&E’s
#2 rated television show which would
not of been possible without YOU!”
I need to write to Armando and clarify that #2 means that his show is crappy. :) :) :) :) :)
wyldwmn
Posted on 03-Sep-07 at 6:35 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Wildwoman, oops! ;)
Re: ““After being on the air for a little more than a year, you have made us A&E’s #2 rated television show which would not of been possible without YOU!”
Funny that he seems to suggest it’s HIS show, never mind all the Trademark reruns, CT. and Atlanta ; )
Even with that, ‘Spongebob’ has HIM beat! LOL
http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,272|||cable,00.html
Posted on 04-Sep-07 at 8:58 am | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Wildwoman,
Re: “Hmmmmmmmm. First time I ever heard a man complain about something besides his body parts being blue…”
YIKES! Hey, I’m single too.
Just sayin’ ; ) LOL
Posted on 04-Sep-07 at 9:54 am | Permalink
GQ n Sac wrote:
Armando=bad businessman
bad businessman=jail time
jail time=human butt plug
maybe next season we will be watching Armando in his new show “Flip this jail cell”
Posted on 04-Sep-07 at 7:55 pm | Permalink
Brandon wrote:
Though I do not think everyone is not blessed with genious, I don’t think that someone not being able to recall history questions in front of Jay Leno means they can be suckered into schemes. People although, not always bright, are very skeptical. Unfortunately, when someone like Armando has the fame he does before he even attempts to sell knowledge, it makes people much more trustworthy. (Most late night infomercials feature people you never heard of which helps keep you from trusting them.) Also the phrase, “There is a sucker born every minute,” was coined by PT Barnum (of Barnum and Baileys circus) in reference to people being enamored and willing to pay to see magic. In this case people know what they are paying for, and know what entertainment they will get for the small price, hardly the same as taking a gamble with a much more substantial amount of money in order to purchase something in which you really don’t know what they are getting into-or know if its worth it, but its simply guaranteed by the person selling it that it is quality
Posted on 05-Sep-07 at 1:36 am | Permalink
Brandon wrote:
sorry for that last opening double negative-typing fast and not too particularly worried about proof reading
Posted on 05-Sep-07 at 1:37 am | Permalink
Rob wrote:
wyldwmn
Are you saying there aren’t stupid people in this world?
Posted on 08-Sep-07 at 6:31 pm | Permalink
Curious wrote:
Gee, Mike. You think subject to buyers are “thieves”?
Because someone gives you a great deal on a house that makes you a thief?
Kinda harsh, there. I guess paying anything less than full price is a sin?
You must be some investor there, skippy.
Posted on 08-Sep-07 at 7:13 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
I said getting someone to title over their home to you for farless than what it’s worth is stealing, not that shopping for a bargain is. There’s a considerable difference. If I buy a $100K house for $75K, that’s a good deal. If I get an owner of a $100K house to title it over to me subject to my paying his $5000 in past due mortgage payments, then, yeah, I’m a thief. That’s what subject to buyers like Armando do, and I’ve seen it countless times. He calls it saving their credit and/or helping them. It isn’t - it’s stealing their home and it’s disgusting.
Posted on 08-Sep-07 at 8:13 pm | Permalink
Curious wrote:
What would the mortgage balance of that 100k house that you made up 5k in back payments have to be before you were considered a thief?
So anything less than 75% LTV is criminal?
Come on, I just want to know how cheap I can buy and still be legit.
Posted on 08-Sep-07 at 10:26 pm | Permalink
S h wrote:
Good review Mike. “Too good to be true” is only “true” a very slight marginal percent of the time.
I caught the episode where Armondo got his book deal, with a “foremost” author Robert Allen, who, is generally considered a fraud :D
However, I am curious why you recommended Robert Kyosaki’s book(s). He’s a great Motivational Speaker, but has very dangerous advice financially.
Posted on 08-Sep-07 at 11:57 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
If you want to be legit then just buy houses without using thieves’ tools like subject to offers or power of attorney. If you want to buy the house of someone behind on their payments, make them an offer the normal way. If they take it, fine. You shouldn’t need to obfuscate the deal using fraudulent tools.
I only think Kiyosaki’s first book has good info in it. The rest and his game, courses, etc. I have never bothered with. Since he started working with Trump, he appears to have made the jump to full time con guru. I saw him on some CNBC panel recently talking about his Bentley and tuned him out forever at that point.
Posted on 09-Sep-07 at 10:48 am | Permalink
Tyr wrote:
@Brandon
Actually, P.T. Barnum never said “There’s a sucker born every minute” even though it’s been attributed to him.
Posted on 09-Sep-07 at 4:35 pm | Permalink
Curious wrote:
So buying subject to or using power of attorney is using “fraudulent tools”?
People have been buying subject to for years and there is evena line item for such built into a HUD 1 form.
I just hate to see people who think they are so much “holier that thou” and their way is the only way.
I have been investing full time for almost 10 years and buy some properties subject to. I also buy for cash. I buy many properties for less than 50 cents on the dollar but that doesn’t make me a thief or a crook because you don’t agree with my methods and your harsh comments to the contrary are insulting and small minded.
Montelongo sells an e-book. So what? Maybe he is a crook. So what? Is it your job to be the e-book police and “tell the world” what a skink he is?
I don’t like him either but I have better things to do than spend hours on a site bashing him and other authors who don’t buy or sell the way you think is right.
If a seller lets me have a 92k house for the loan balance of 33k if I pay 3k in arrears and give them 7k, that makes me a crook? Yes, this happened recently. Yes, they were in foreclosure.
I suppose I should have said, no, no let me give you more money. You have a strange idea about negotiation. It was their asking price to me. Period.
Guess it would have been better to let them be foreclosed on, huh?
I am done with this but just had to say that some of you people sure take the cake with your attitude.
Mike, I hope one day to be as perfect as you.
Posted on 09-Sep-07 at 4:41 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Curious,
Re: “What would the mortgage balance of that 100k house that you made up 5k in back payments have to be before you were considered a thief?”
Here’s how Trademark played out that basic scenario twice during this last season of ‘The Real Estate Pros’. Once with the ‘War Hero’ episode and the other with the ‘Larry’ episode. Trademark brought the loan current, rehabbed the property, and SPLIT the after sale profit with the owner.
“Winner, winner, chicken dinner”
In other words it was a ‘win-win’, both for Trademark AND the owner ; )
Posted on 09-Sep-07 at 10:35 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
Obviously it is subjective and depends on the individual case. Montelongo describes using these tools to get the house for nothing, such as for just the arrears. You can easily make an offer as described above the way Trademark did it without using subject to or power of atty. For God’s sake, power of attorney can be abused in an incredible number of ways.
Personally, I would try to make a deal whereby the owner would share some part of the profits. That’s how I sleep at night. Your mileage may vary. But we’re talking about specifically how Armando describes using these tools and that is what my review is based on, not how otherpeople might describ/recommend using them. He is, in my opinion, using them to take emaximum advantage of people. No, I am not the ‘e-book police’, but neither am I required to sit by while someone I know is a liar and incompetent claims to be an expert and charge for his opinion. Don’t like one of my opinions? That’s absolutely fine. It’s my opinion based on experience. But be sure to read the other 100 or so things I covered as well, because some of them are 100% impossible to misinterpret.
There are legit uses for power of atty and other such instruments, and it is 100% possible that you use them in that way and could write an e-book about the correct, ethical and legal method of doing so. But that’s not what Armando uses them for - he’s right on the edge of illlegality in my opinion. Over it in some states.
Mike
Posted on 10-Sep-07 at 1:58 am | Permalink
Joe Hall wrote:
I stumbled across this site looking for the name of the flooring used in one of Armando’s shows. I have been rehabbing houses for about 15 years and doing 3-4 houses a year part time. Generally I use my retirement funds. For several houses I have used hard money and for several other people I have been a hard money lender. I buy for cash, I buy with a contract for deed with seller financing, and I buy subject to. All are legitimate tools. No one mentioned in the previous posts that the seller always has the option to say no to any proposal. Some of the houses I have done, I have resold via conventional means, some I have sold and carried the notes myself, and some I have used as rental property. Since I have not personally read Armando’s book I don’t feel qualified to comment, however, I have seen several of his shows and my personal opinion is that he acts like an ass. This may make for good TV, but not for good business. Good subs are ALWAYS in demand and the way to keep them is to treat them in a fair and professional manner. There is money to be made in rehabbing a property and either selling or keeping, but it is not an EASY thing to do. It is a JOB, and you darn well better know how to do your JOB to be successful. I agree with Mr. Voss that most of the guru stuff out there is trash. If you want to learn how to do this type of activity, go apprentice yourself to someone that is successful. That is what I did and I have never looked back.
Posted on 11-Sep-07 at 3:19 pm | Permalink
CBG in Maryland wrote:
No one speaks about the 20+ years of constuction contacts his family has from his father’s lumber company that began in 1975 that grew into a large construction business. All Armando had to do was move back to San Antonio. He is truly succeeding off of his family business (he wasn’t around to help build) and their good name and professional contacts. The majority of hard work in establishing business was already done.
Posted on 23-Sep-07 at 11:52 am | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
If you watch the latest episode “Design Wars” which aired on 9/23/07, you will notice that Armando’s methods enumerated in his e-book don’t even work for him.
He claims you should never walk a house more than 3 times, yet I counted no less than 6 visits by him and at least 4 by Veronica, nowheredid I see contractors using digital cameras to show progress, etc., etc.
As you can see, the book is garbage and even he doesn’t follow what he recommends.
Posted on 23-Sep-07 at 1:01 pm | Permalink
GQ from sac wrote:
Armando is a joke anybody that really takes his e-book seriously, they need to be in a cell block right along with him.
Posted on 23-Sep-07 at 8:42 pm | Permalink
Shannon J. Ludlow wrote:
It’s been a while on here, but I had to say kudos to Mike V. for the insight on Armando’s book.
Something that has been killing me since his B.S. hit the airwaves is, how can he make claims that he flipped 30 houses in one month, owns 100 rental properties etc. and still be allowed on television????
Isn’t that breaking some type of public ethics rules or something?????
Posted on 25-Sep-07 at 1:12 pm | Permalink
Greg wrote:
“CBG in Maryland wrote:
No one speaks about the 20+ years of constuction contacts his family has from his father’s lumber company that began in 1975 that grew into a large construction business. All Armando had to do was move back to San Antonio. He is truly succeeding off of his family business (he wasn’t around to help build) and their good name and professional contacts. The majority of hard work in establishing business was already done.”
Heres the shame its going to be all for nothing….I feel sorry for his ‘honest’ family.
Posted on 25-Sep-07 at 4:54 pm | Permalink
OKDEB wrote:
In addition to Armandos lack of experience, his treatment of both his wife and workers is awful. I will no longer watch his show because of his arrogance, his mis treatment of his employees, his lack of courtesty to any one dealing with him and so he can take HIS MONEY and do whatever, but I will no longer encourage him, by watching his shows. And to his wife, the last time I checked, it is not HIS MONEY, 50 is yours and you should remind him of that for the sake of all other wives in this world. Good by to Armando and his Flip in San Antonio, and thank heavens I found Mike Holmes show and Richard Davis new network and show.
Posted on 28-Sep-07 at 12:52 pm | Permalink
Jim M. wrote:
Come on Mike did you really read Kirsten’s book or just stare at her picture? Having flipped houses for 12 years I always educate myself on anything in my field. I read both Armondo’s and Kirsten’s book both have good and bad points. If you want the most expensive way to renovate a house and take the longest time, by all means get Kirsten’s book. Rarely do I use a general contractor. I almost always hire subs, they are faster, cheaper and I can control the quality. She spent 900k renovating a flip? She on crack, I can build a home from the ground up cheaper.
Kirsten’s book is great for selling ideas, making a budget and staging. Last chapter FAQ is the best part of the book.
Armondo’s: Good price of repairs guide, finding workers, financing, and just giving you the guts to ask for deals. OK the $10 “hollywood” lights for the bathroom is I agree is just STUPID I have never used that. Remember this is basic items. Mike I do $3,000 bathrooms with travertine all day long. Quit using that GC for tile Mike. My tile guy $4-8 sq’. labor (depending on material and layout). Diagonal layout looking at $8.00.
Oh and Mike you want a fail safe as a buyer write into the contract contingencies offer on satisfactory home inspection. Use this as a negotiating option on ever deal I do. Ask the owners to do some repairs I would have to anyway.
Posted on 08-Oct-07 at 10:04 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
Read more carefully Jim - I recommend Kemp’s book for beginners (and yes, I read every word more than once as I stated) and said pro tilesetters cost that much - I pay zero on labor for tile because I set it myself. This is a review for the target victims of the book - beginners, not experienced professionals who know better. That said, you might do an entire *low end* bathroom for 3K somewhere, but you will never do a high end bath in Los Angeles for that, period. You;d end up with an obvious flipper house tht would lose money and get torn down by a developer.
Please enumerate what you consider to be the good points in Armando’s book, assuming I didn’t mention them.
There are always contingencies written into offers based on inspections - hardly anything original there. However, if you need someone else to do the inspection for you, you’re really not well equipped to be in this business - anyone who cannot assess the complete condition of a structure themself really isn’t a qualified builder/remodeler. Worse, most inspectors are not competent.
Posted on 09-Oct-07 at 11:40 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Mike seems jelious! Armando is on TV you’re not! Must be doing something right. I’m sure he get paid and they confirm his projects.
Posted on 11-Oct-07 at 9:26 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Hey “Jeff”!
Attack the messenger, but AVOID the message!? Where have I seen this before?
Your ‘empire’ (or so you thought) is circling the drain. Karma, BABY! LOL
Posted on 11-Oct-07 at 10:46 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
Yeah, I’m sure that’s it. That’s why he had 20 properties foreclosed on last month.
Yeah I’m jealous - I could never achieve that.
Posted on 11-Oct-07 at 11:21 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
You must have alot of time or resentment to write all this. Mike what’s your credentials? What have you done so GREAT? Why didn’t FTH find a great mastermind like you and have you on the show instead? Armando is probably flippng one house is this market. I’ve been doing this for 10 years and I wish I had a show. Alot of your review is plan crap. I’m sure Armando’s book is garbage and I would never buy it. You have to give the guy some credit. It’s a business so cutting costs is all part of it. Nothing wrong with textured ceilings if you can save money. The buyers also ave a home inspection. If he’s like me and hires lincesed contractors then they’re ultimately responsibe for the quality. Oh and now you have a problem with Trump, Realors, Kirsten & Zillow! Boy is everyone was as perfect as you! Get a life and stop analyzing people & complaining!
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 10:22 am | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Prove that he had 20 foreclosures. Are you that envious of him, Trump, Kirsten, Zillow and the other successful people/busineses? You must have alot of time on your hands.
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 1:38 pm | Permalink
Nizarola wrote:
Mike, i guess some people are unable to read between the lines…
as for your review… you have nailed it hands down.
keep up the good work…my friend
oh by the way … i have read a book called “FLIP” by Rick Villani, downloaded the e-book version from amazon …$21 … big investment… but its a good source of info for beginners and some experts.
p.s. i still get emails from Armando MonteGringo … I wanted to stay subscribed for the “humor” i read on his emails. hehe
Cheers fellow Flippers
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 2:32 pm | Permalink
jfk wrote:
MV wrote: “However, if you need someone else to do the inspection for you, you’re really not well equipped to be in this business - anyone who cannot assess the complete condition of a structure themself really isn’t a qualified builder/remodeler.”
Well.. that’s interesting cuz you could say this same thing to “team trademark”. Pretty much everyone of thier shows has at least one “unexpected” problem they didn’t see when purchasing.. (termites, rats, moisture damage, etc). I’d go one step further and say that if you don’t even know how to add chlorine tablets to a pool, you have no business being in the remodeling game. (and if that was for humor or drama, it was a sophomoric effort at best).
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 2:36 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Jeff,
Re: Prove that he had 20 foreclosures.
It’s all well documented in the other thread, and then some. Go READ it!
http://www.flipthislawsuit.com/2007/04/16/anyone-purchased-armando-montelongos-real-estate-package/#comment-20368
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 6:51 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
I didn’t see one document that had their NAMES on it. I can care less if they do have all these foreclosures and have no clue about property. But why bash them? They got noticed somehow and must be getting paid for the TV show. I’m jelious! A lot of inexperienced people flipped houses with all the hype and gains of the past few years. I’m also a mortgage broker so I’ve seen the gains & luck happen to the inexperienced.
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 8:46 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Get a life Steve! Instead of playing Magnum PI on Armando you should go find a house to flip with those ninja skills of yours.
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 8:51 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
Jeff (Armando) You could save a lot of time using the ASN as described in another thread.
Moron. I’m sure you do wish you were on TV - that’s why Jerry Springer is so successful. Here’s a tip: Try to lern sentence structure so your obvious shill posts at least make some sense.
And what is jelious? Does that mean you wish you were jelly filled, like the many donuts Armando and his man-boobs must be consuming?
JFK: I agree - Trademark, while far better than Montelongo, has many shortcomings, at least on TV, although some of that (like the dumpster in the garage, and probably the pool to some extent) was likely staged for laughs.
MV
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 10:03 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Sorry make mistakes like you “lern”. Very interesting.
Also busy & I’m not an english major. I do have a masters, what do you have sir? Still waiting for your credentials Michael Voss.
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 10:31 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Sorry make mistakes like you “lern”. MORON!
Also busy & I’m not an english major. I do have a masters, what do you have sir? Still waiting for your credentials Michael Voss. I bet you don’t even have job because of all your investigative work on someone who achieved higher status than you.
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 10:34 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Michael Voss man of knowledge! Everyone is a faulure including Trump & Kirsten. But not our hero Michael Voss the R.E. MAN! Anything negative to say about Bill Gates? Oh let me guess, he created the evil software that’s encroaching every business and residence oh no!Micheal Voss is THE MAN!
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 10:39 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
My credentials are well known on this site. Tell us, “Jeff” , what *exactly* are yours?
And you’d do well to look a little closer - Montelongo’s name is on many of those foreclosure documents. And he’s directly connectable to all the rest. His name is also on a slew of delinquent property tax records - I guess having a TV show pays so great that he can’t pay a few thousand dollars in property taxes from years ago, eh?
How do you explain that, exactly, “Jeff”.
Asswipe.
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 11:48 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Just finished a 12 unit condominium conversion. Built 22 new condominium units. Currently working on a single family in MA and a condo in fl. Own 2 mortgage broker firms in MA and 42 rental units & 3 commercial strip malls. How’s your bungalow? “Asswipe” that’s very juvenile talk.
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 12:38 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
I’m proud of my achievements and know how well of I am that’s why I can speak confidentally about it. I would never bash someone especially if they are having problems like Armando. He has a family and you get joy out of his foreclosures, etc. ODD!!! I don’t care about his life or his problems. Just trying to figure why you are. You seem so intrigued with someone else’s life. Maybe their is something wrong with you. I have a TV show idea for you Voss the Boss! Dr. Phil’s replacement!
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 12:51 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Jeff (Armando) wrote:
Re: “Just finished a 12 unit condominium conversion. Built 22 new condominium units. Currently working on a single family in MA and a condo in fl. Own 2 mortgage broker firms in MA and 42 rental units & 3 commercial strip malls.”
I’m sure you wouldn’t have any problem posting some verifiable proof of that but I won’t hold my breath. Unless or until you do, it’s just a baseless claim. MORON
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 12:54 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
I don’t have to prove anything to you. As I can care less about Armando, I can less if you don’t believe me. Wow another intelligent individual like the Voss Man using disparaging words like MORON. Yo obviously have something going on with Voss the Boss.
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 1:11 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Jeff (Armando) wrote:
Re: “I would never bash someone especially if they are having problems like Armando.”
Tell that to ‘Amy’ who came within a hairs breath of taking out a $8,500 loan against her 401K for his/your bullsh*t mentoring program. I’m sure she’d be very sympathetic
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 1:15 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Jeff (Armando) wrote:
Re: “Just trying to figure why you are
(here)”
If you weren’t what is apparently too lazy to read what’s already been posted, over and over, you’d know the answer
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 2:31 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
“Jeff”: ok, I’ll speak intelligently to you, not that you have warranted it.
Firstly, if you’d read carefully, you’d notice that most of your assertions are wrong. For example, I spoke quite highly of Kirsten Kemp’s book, far from bashing her, and even admitted a bias against her before reading it. That’s far from bashing someone - quite the opposite.
As for Armando, I could care less about what he does…right up until the point that he started calling himself an expert, lying flagrantly about his experience (30 houses a month and 1000 in last 5 years - still waiting for proof of that…do you have it?) and trying to take money from unsuspecting people to share his non-existent expertise. If you are really a competent developer, which I have no evidence of either way, then you would be as offended as I and every other legitimate builder out there are by his flagrant attempt to steal money from people. He’s a never was and a con artist. It’s been proven. End of discussion.
As to having a TV show, I’ve turned down several and have no interest whatsoever. There is no great fortune to be made in reality tv unless you’re trying to use it to leverage something else like ripoff books and courses with nothing in them you can’t find for free at a public library. You think it’s a coincidence that Sam Leccima (another FTH exposed fraud and criminal) and tha CT crew are doing the same thing? It’s not - they aren’t making money in housing.
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 3:33 pm | Permalink
Nizarola wrote:
Jeff,
with all these proclaimed properties and two mortgage brokerages …and you still find time to come to forums and type?!
hmmmmm things that make you go mmmmmm …as good old Arsenio used to say …
good game ..Armando Montegringo :)
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 5:02 pm | Permalink
Greg wrote:
lmfao…. Jeff Mike is right. Post up buddy. Any honest property developer realestate tycoon, would be majorly offended at a wannabe claiming to have their hard owned success. I don’t claim to have any expertise in flipping, just what I have done on my own home, but I can tell you with out reservation that Armando is a fake. Everyone knows that good trades people are the key to a successful flip, look at the way he treats his! So this is my recommendation. Sit and watch all 4 seasons of Mike Holmes, Holmes on Homes, then watch Armando. Guess what you’ll see? Mike Holmes, fixxing fly by night workmanship, the same workmanship that Armando does on his flips.
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 7:24 pm | Permalink
Steve in Texas wrote:
Greg,
Hehe, exactly. And, as I’ve mentioned before. You don’t accidently find this site by goggling ‘fishing tackle’ ; )
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 8:18 pm | Permalink
Greg wrote:
Just amazes me how far some people will go to pertuate a lie. BTW I see the news, bad time to be a morgate lender in the US.
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 10:13 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
I’ll admit, I have some time on my hands (6pm-?). I have at Realtor at Remax selling the properties and my father handles my tenants. Also like Greg wrote it is a tough time in the lending industry. Obviously not as busy as 1999-2006. I never said Armando was the man. Who cares. We should be exchanging information, ideas, R.E. opportunities, etc. instead of discussing a reality TV actor.
Posted on 14-Oct-07 at 9:31 am | Permalink
Nizarola wrote:
Jeff,
Now you are sounding more subjective & objective… that’s a good step up in your attitude.
And I bet… Mike will be more than happy to share his knowledge and experience with you & us.
This blog is a good place to exchange info , ideas…etc. as you must have realized.
All what Mike Voss was trying to convey is that he feels consciously obligated to blow the “whistle” on Armando.
I have been reading John T. Reeds reviews on his website… have a look and enjoy the education. I know I am.
http://www.johntreed.com/Reedgururating.html
Cheers
Posted on 14-Oct-07 at 10:24 am | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
I don’t know about other parts of the country, but here in LA, due to the mortgage squeese, rentals are at a premium. While I wait for some properties to sell, I’ve been dealing in some apartment buildings. In fact, none other than Richard Davis is going to be checking out one I’m selling while he’s in LA this coming week. (his brother John lives nearby)
Owning a multi-unit rental is a great income stream any time, but possibly never better than during any kind of duress on the single family housing market. The buyers also tend to be better qualified, so the mortgage debacle seems to have little effect on them thus far.
I’ve read a bit of John T. Reed’s stuff - he definitely seems to have been around the block a few times - very no-nonsense approach too.
I am also quite pleased that This Old House started a new season this week!
WELL worth watching - a very cool New England house.
MV
Posted on 14-Oct-07 at 11:27 am | Permalink
Sharisse wrote:
William and Chantal McCorkle come to mind. They are now in prison for 18 years with no chance of parole. Same MO…rented expensive items to show-off their purported wealth, they sold their packages in the early 90’s for only $269 and $369 each…none of their claims were accurate, and they got in trouble for it…You better watch it, Mandoman, or you’re next.
Posted on 19-Oct-07 at 8:33 pm | Permalink
Sharisse wrote:
Uh, Jeff, (ahem), the name of this website is, uh, FLIPTHISLAWSUIT.com and it was originally intended to expose and document the lies which Sam Leccima was perpetuating on TV. That it has spilled over into Armando’s world is for the same reason — to warn unsuspecting folks as to the true nature of the person claiming to be an “expert.”
That it has exceeded that and become a place to exchange ideas is, as they say, “the icing on the cake.” But the original reason we all lurk (and post) here is still the same…the vent and groan at the (now-after-you’ve-read-the-myriad-of-posts) OBVIOUS lack of supposed expertise the guy is hawking for $100 and up.
I’m sure any one of the TRUE experts in this field who post here would be happy to exchange any ideas with you, assuming that is the REAL reason you are lurking on the site…
PS…regarding the predatory practices of POA and Sub-to…Until I read these posts, I had no idea that this is what it was called, although I know a very wealthy couple who did this over and over again in the 80’s and early 90’s (preying on people at their lowest time and crooning all the way to the Bank). KARMA, however, has found a way to bite them. They lost their only son, one of my best friends, at 21 years old. The last in the male line. Lemme tell you, the money is a cold and lonely replacement for him.
If you can sleep at night doing what you do, more power to you. If you believe in KARMA, then maybe you better think twice about those business practices. Kudos to Mike, Steve, et al, for sharing the knowledge and sharing the wealth. I know at least YOU guys can sleep at night.
Sorry for going off on a tangent, but that is my two cents. Thanks again for reviewing the book I was about to spend my hard-earned $ on…
Posted on 19-Oct-07 at 9:12 pm | Permalink
jfk wrote:
Well.. actually Sharisse.. you are a little mistaken. If I may take the liberty, the ORIGINAL intention of this site was not to “expose and document the lies which Sam Leccima was perpetuating on TV.” It was actually to document the lawsuit between Richard Davis, Trademark, et al vs. A&E. It does seem to have branched off into this bashing site for the next crews to film the Flip This House episodes after trademark was no longer involved.
Just thought you’d like to know….
Posted on 24-Oct-07 at 12:23 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Sharisse (uh, uh, uh)You’re not to smart if you were going to buy his book!
Posted on 24-Oct-07 at 5:31 pm | Permalink
New wrote:
Went to A&E site and see no new episodes of FTH ,, wounder why
Posted on 25-Oct-07 at 7:20 am | Permalink
John wrote:
I ordered the cd’(was quoted dvd) for $399, only to be found on ebay for $5.99
(lol) with my fellings hurt. I’m now getting calls from “my” coaches to invest another $14,500 for them to reavel mor informtion to me..hmmmm? I searches BBB to discover Premier Mentoring has partnered with them, they have only 76 omplaints, My regret is to wish i’d seen this site just 2 days earlier…
Posted on 29-Oct-07 at 12:03 am | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
I believe you can rescind any charge on your credit card within 30 or 45 days. You should callyour credit card company immediately and say you;re dissatisfied with the product and want to return it and get a refund.
FYI, this is why a lot of infomercial ripoffs offer a “30 day money back guarantee” They require you to “evaluate” the product for 30 days - just long enough that it’s outside the charge revocation window on most credit cards.
Posted on 29-Oct-07 at 5:44 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
Great review. I think you have a lot of valid points. Let me prefix my comments by first stating that I am not a fan of Armando. He seems like a major ahole to me, and a flake at that. And, I have no doubt that his book is a vain attempt to make money.
I do, however, disagree with several:
1) Although taking a property subject-to might be questionable, you can definantely take properties using a pact trust, requiring little down - and many desperate sellers are willing to do these. I have personally purchase this way. Although, there is typically little equity in these deals
2) I agree that any seasoned rehabber would definately shy away from Hard Money Lenders, but you are 100% wrong that hard money lenders lend on LTV and not ARV (at least in my area). I personally know a half-dozen in the DFW metroplex that loan (up to 70%) on ARV. Sorry, but you have this wrong 100% - they are very common, and why not? If you default on a single payment they take over the house immediately.
HMLs are also a poor long-term solution to rehabbing, but for someone with good cashflow from a seperate source (i.e. job/company) but with limited savings - this is a good *first step*. Also, at least in my areas, the HMLs are closer to 12%. And typically close within 5 days unlike conventional lenders.
Again, a good starting point but definately something that someone with Armandos supposed wealth would find expensive to say the least.
3) Regarding your comments on “the money follows the deal”. There is an entire niche market of property wholesalers who write contracts on houses in the DFW metroplex with the intention of assigning those contracts to rehabbers. While you need a solid foundation of to do this successfully, I know many people who start out this way. They find deals, and no - they don’t have funding. Again, I have personally done this.
Posted on 11-Nov-07 at 2:50 am | Permalink
Warren wrote:
By the way, MIKE, since you were too dumb to figure it out in your review of Armando’s EBook, he never said that you weren’t or needed to have any knowledge of home construction procedure! He said “he did not in the beginning”, and of course if you had watched hie “Assessing Properties DVD” you would know that he is quite capable and knowledgeable about home renovation procedures and their management! The EBook’s purposely left out much of the detailed information included in the Master Study Course kit to include the forms, contracts, repair sheets, etc., and was merely intended as a prelude to allow people new to real estate investing to purchase something at a low cost and low risk to them, THEN decide if they wanted further products!
Posted on 12-Nov-07 at 9:30 pm | Permalink
Mike Voss wrote:
Give it up, Armando.
DIRECT quote from page 1 of book 4, “Fix”:
“You don’t want to be involved in the activity of fixing the house.”
As a licensed contractor and inspector, I have already determined that Armando is neither certified as an appraiser nor inspector and that he is wholly incompetent in those capacities and as any kind of tradesman or contractor.
There is no need to see his ripoff DVD because it’s already been demonstrated that he has no qualifications to speak on the subject. I don’t consider books on medicine from people who aren’t doctors, and I don’t buy DVDs on home repair/assessment from someone who has no credentials, 30+ foreclosures, and ZERO satisfied customers. Anyone reading this who wants to learn real estate appraisal can go out for less than 1/2 the price of your ripoff course and become a licensed RE appraiser in most states.
Just give it up Armando, you’re only proving the case against you. You know NOTHING dude. You’re a FRAUD in your leased cars and your unprofitable, foreclosed homes and your under 300 FICO score. Just piss off and die already, nobody is falling for your crap anymore. You’ve been completely exposed.
As soon as some unhappy customer sends me your ripoff $1000 course I’ll destroy that here too.
BTW: Check into Nolvadex for those man-boobs you’ve got going.
Posted on 13-Nov-07 at 1:56 pm | Permalink
Nizarola wrote:
Warren ..aka Armando …
spare us the late night guru sales pitch bullshit that you just wrote…
I can smell a bullshit scam artist miles away …
and am sure Mike Voss can smell you too … ur stench is unique!
keep on trucking mofo
Posted on 13-Nov-07 at 2:48 pm | Permalink
SteveSki wrote:
Mike,
I, for the most part, agree with your assesment of Armando’s book. He target’s the novice and does provide some poor advice. He also has some good advice. One piece of it is the importance of education. I’m sure part of that advice is to promote the sale of his Master Course, but his motives are his motives. It is, nevertheless, good advice. Someone considering this business should educate themselves…constantly. My fist flip was in 1982 and it was profitable. That’s why I do this. When I read something I take what I find useful and disregard the rest. The rest usually is what I feel is unethical or borderline illegal.
A novice might not have that ability. That’s why he/she should surround themselves with people who do have that savvy.
You seem to have made reviewing Armondo’s book an opportunity to attack him personally and this I don’t understand. If his business practices are unethical, he’ll get caught up in it and he will vanish. Why can’t you simply tell the buyer to beware and focus on being informative instead of so vengeful? At least that would be productive.
Posted on 13-Nov-07 at 7:13 pm | Permalink
Jamie Webb wrote:
Hi, I’m Jamie and I bought the $100 E-Book (in my best AA impersonation LOL).
I’ve read the 5 section Ebook and MikeV’s review. What did I find… well,
#1 I wish I had found this site before spending $100.
#2 MikeV is right in a lot of aspects and I feel wrong in a few.
#3 Some of the book obviously was not proof-read and or edited (Microsoft Word has spell and grammer check LOL).
#4 There are some really good ideas in the book, sure an experienced Remodeler or Flipper would already know these things, but I don’t think that is what this Ebook is aimed at.
#5 EXPERT WITNESS…… are you KIDDING ME???? (enough said)
#6 Giving Subcontractors cameras and requiring photos… VERY good idea and it’s the simple things like that that make this book almost worth it. You can get a decent Dig Camera at Walmart for $50.
So, overall, for me was it worth it. Yeah, I think it has given me my jump start I needed. I’m actively looking for my first property.
Ok, I’ve got to vent one more thing also….. does anyone else watch Flip This/That House and wonder how people with NO experience at all makes money doing this?? I mean some have absolutely NO common sense. I’m pretty sure if I had NO construction/rehab experience I wouldn’t buy a house sight unseen without at least getting a professional opinion or appraisal on the house. Maybe they just don’t show that on the shows…. maybe not.
I do like Property Ladder though, I think that is the way the shows should be done, even though they stretch it a little on there sometimes too. And why don’t they ever show what the house ACTUALLY sold for versus the Real Estate “Agents” Appraisal?????
Also, thanks to MikeV I’m not watching other shows like Holmes on Homes and I bought the books you suggested… VERY good reading. And yes, being a semi-novice home builder/remodeler I LOVE the “How To” books at the front of Lowes/Home Depot.
Jamie Webb
-Novice Builder/Remodeler (helped build my own house, a few buddi