Just starting the insanity

Sold my business a year and a half ago and decided to get heavily into real estate. Actually had always wanted to build a big shore house on the bay. So when one came available I jumped in and bought the existing house. The most wonderful view of the Barnegat bay I have seen. What i forgot to tell you all is that I also am completely updating my house in North Jersey, and bought an old house at the shore in my sons name and am also building a new house there.

So much for the insane part right? Carrying the debt is one thing but the planning and designing is another. It is actually quite fun designing the house. When the architect of the bay front house says this is a really big house and will be expensive I love the feeling it gives me in my nervous system like someone just chewed on tin foil. I feel I know enough to not get nervous and after the first month or so of waking up at night with a calculator in my bed I decided to not run the numbers anymore and just work at the project. We are now well in to the northern refurbishment and are well over budget. The beauty of this is I am learning very fast how to deal with the builders ,and how to quote the jobs in an intelligent way so as to reduce overages and extras. They are the gravy of the builder. They I am sure count on you changing things, and all changes cost money. Once in a while you find a way to save some money ,but if the house will have integrity it must be built correctly. Anyway I feel so lucky that I can do these things ,but this blog is to merely discuss the whole experience and get out of it what you will. Next entry will be about craigslist and how if you know someone or can do it yourself you can sell everything in the old house and some of your friends stuff too. Signing off for now !

BTC