Wrestling for that Last Dollar: A Lesson for Real Estate Investing

The Edge of the Mat and the End of the Period

During my high school and college years I spent a large portion of my time training and competing as a wrestler. I ended my career at the University of Maryland where I proudly represented the Terps on the national stage. With the wrestling season just getting underway, I was reminded of a line that my father, and scholastic coach, drummed into my head.

The difference between the close matches comes at the edge of the mat and the end of the period.

When two opponents clash in competition, its often the little subtleties that differentiate the winner from the loser. The point of my father’s words was to take advantage of the moments, at the edge of the mat and at the end of the period, when your opponent may let up or relax. Capitalizing on these moments can be the difference between success and failure.

I have applied this wrestling axiom to my Real Estate investing.

Pushing for Profit

Home sales typically slow toward the end of the year. People are focused on getting ready for the holidays, shopping and staying out of the cold. They often put off decisions about buying a home or moving until after the New Year.

The result of the sales slump is opportunity.

While everyone else has placed their focus elsewhere, when they relax, I tend to pick up my best deals. Now is the time to capitalize on the seasonal housing sales slow-down.

There are still people who want or need to sell their homes. The holiday season has not changed much for these sellers. The only difference is that there are far fewer buyers now than at other times during the year.

Now is the time to stay focused.

There are only 26 days before 2013. That’s 26 days to contact prospective sellers. That’s 26 days to evaluate properties. That’s 26 days to find one or two or ten incredible discounts for your Real Estate investing portfolio.

Take a day or two with your friends and family. But as we come to the end, finish strong. We’re facing the edge of the mat and the end of the period. It’s time to capitalize while others let up.