Paul Meyer Buys Houses

real estate investor blog

Stocks will continue to fall – PUTS – AAPL, RIMM, BIDU, GOOG, C, SHLD, RIG

The stock market had a small run this week, but not enough to make back the money I lost in my huge Nov 07 call positions. I tell you the most annoying thing that can happen to you is when your co-worker rubs your lost in your face. My reaction like any other trader is to want to beat his ass and prove him wrong, but I have to admit he’s totally right. I did lose some big bucks, I told him, and now he’s rubbing it in my face. I suppose I deserve it in a little way just to have this 3rd party in retrospect show me “you are trading crappy and until you prove me wrong I can joke and not believe you” and I probably shouldn’t of told him. Recently my co-worker has been trading real money. He has already told me he has lost -$3500 real money. Of course he is blaming the brokerage website, the stock (BIDU in this case), and everything else except his own trading actions. I think the only real bright future I have going for me is that I can handle the loss and can take responsibility for my own actions. I lost the money because I waited waited waited just to see it vanish when I could of took a big loss, but still had money left over. I also noticed he has been depositing more money into his account after he loses. This is another thing he doesn’t understand about me. I have not deposited money into my account. I use what I’ve got or else you lose more. His wife does not know about this, I’m sure. He is newly married and even though I shared options investing with him I’m not going to take the blame for any of his future dumb actions. He will not practice trade, he doesn’t read up about market history, and he doesn’t listen. He’s very scholarly, but as he will find out it’s not about being smart it’s about trading with as much information to make the probability in your favor to be right and not just trading off “feelings” or acting cocky.

Speaking of “feelings” I have to say I’ve been overwhelmed with them recently. It is almost as my dreams have be yanked away from me. Paying off that $35,000 note would of been huge for me not having that payment making owning that trailer park much easier. So bad decisions create dead dreams, not to say it won’t be a success, but it would have been a better success paying it off and not trading the markets as I did.

As for real estate I’m suppose to be selling my 2bed/1bath home in Hampton, VA for $105,000 down from $119,900 to an investor who says he will pay cash (equity). This will be good so I can finally close on my second mobile home park. Hopefully, God, yes that great universal truth will be at my side on my next deal. I will be putting around $40k down from my home sale.

Oh yes, the stock market. I bought AAPL DEC 125 PUTS @ $1.17 today. I only had less than $1200 left in my account so it cost me just under that for around 10 contracts or a $1000 trade. This is my last money. In Pring’s Technical Analysis for Charting book it shows 3 trends from the years 1987 to 1989. The charts currently for November 2007 match exactly with this historical charts. Even some of the same things were happening like inflation, slowing growth, and selling less and less (such as homes in our case/construction). If this proves correct we just started to fall from the second bearish top meaning it will fall much more. Then supposedly it will have a run Dec 07 into Jan 08. In jan 08′ it will start to fall through 09′ a fall much steeper and longer then what has currently been taking place. If charts stick then I will be watching for short Call plays and longer Put plays. This AAPL Put option should only last until mid-DEC 07′ if charts pull through with all the negative news. Apple is a great company, but many great companies fall with the markets. It is when everything settles the best companies have unimaginable runs such is what happened in 2003 on after the big fall of 01′.

well later -fn


Google (GOOG) @ $437 profited me $15,000 in 5 days off near month call options

Last week was an excellent week. My art was together doing its thing. The day I told myself I would sell out my profit went up to + $20,000, but I was at a major disadvantage because I had no phone to call my broker nor internet to sell out. I finally did get to sell out of my Nov and Oct 07 670 call options both well over 100% ROI in less than 5 days market days. I told myself I’d sit back now before jumping into a new trade. I might take a tiny bit of my profits such as $500 to go through GOOG earnings on Oct 18, 2007. The past 2 years GOOG jumped around $30 if it reported good results so if it was another good year my options should sell out the day of earnings profitably.

My eyes are back on Apple Inc. (AAPL @ $167). I think it has finally maken up its mind to start “moving” again. It is definitely capitalizing in on the iPhone and its monopoly. I am seeing more and more iPhones in peoples hands and personally I want one too! I currently have a Nano iPod and enjoy it very much without any problems. Earnings should be stellar with Apple also taking over the computer market currently staking a 25% stake in the share of all computers sold. Apple is hot right now. I’d like to be options and see it go to $200 price target. This may happen at its next expo in January of 2008.

Lastly the only other company I’m interested in is Sears Holding Company (SHLD @ $142) the retail sales reports scared the stock some, but many factors are coming into play to force the stock up going into major retail selling season. Historically on charts it doesn’t move much after mid-November it looks so I don’t know how much a play SHLD will be, but I will watch it for a trade.

The lady I’ve been interested in is awesome, but I don’t think she is interested in me. Maybe the friend deal? Lame. I got to dance with her at Octoberfest here in Honolulu. I had a blast and wish I could do more with her. I did send her flowers and she loved them for sure. I guess only time will tell if I have a fighting chance at her heart.

As for my trailor park my new manager is doing a great job and I plan to buy some new trailers on the lots to rent out more. The second park is still waiting for appraisals and contracts to be done. I bought a residential lot near Austin, TX for $1000. Its right in a major new and upcoming community with tons of golf courses. If I do retire is that what retired people do? Play golf all the time?

After watching Michael Moore’s “Sicko” I think I’m going to also buy land in Canada, France, and Cuba since the healthcare seems to be great and Cuba buying up Peso’s could be a great investment long-term.


mobile home park repairs, new manager – non-farm payroll report

My new manager for my mobile home park #1 has been a life saver. He is on his game, at least seems honest, and will not put up with bad tenants. If we can get the park fully rented again I will at least break even in the mean time until I can buy more trailers to fill the empty lots available to rent. I am in another deal to buy an 18 lot park, with 18 park owned trailers, all fully rented, for $190k. You might ask why am I buying another park if my first park has gone to shit and I’m not profiting yet? Well I’m pretty ambitious so I don’t let one park bring me down. It will work. I believe in it, the people helping me, and fixing it up to rent fully. So far I have bought a park that is known as the worst/drug heavy spot outside of town. How’s that to know you are a park owner of scum? Hmm…I guess it could be worst. I was once a young man that would run away from this type of situation, now I’m going to go head on and fix it so I will suceed. If I want to be powerful and successful I need to learn how to fix problems. This is definitely a problem and with a $80k mortgage I definitely need to fix it. I will blog more as more trailers are rented out with more progress.

As for stocks. I steadily keep losing my money. It is simply amazing how well I can lose money. I’m not saying I’ve always lost money, but recently since August 2007 I’ve made some big loss trades. I should be making BIG gains, but for some reason I’m not making the right decisions. Granted, I don’t have time to watch the market all day, buy and sell when I want, but I had plenty of opportunities to make a profit and get out without losing the bulk of my money. Now that my down payment I was using to create more money for a deal is down I’m going to have to work and think triple hard to bring my trading money up to where it was before basically $40,000. Currently at $3000 (minus the $6000 that really doesn’t count because its my down payment, well was $10000 I should say).

I admit my ambitious move to put $10k into a trade to earn $20k probably wasn’t the smartest move, but a 50% chance is pretty good I think. Now that the $10k is $6k I’ll have to work it extra hard. I’m already -$8k down for the entire year. Not one withdrawed profit yet. My $40k profit should of been taken out immediately to put into real estate. Dumb me. Well I guess I learn repeatedly the hard way as usual. If I was married and she know would it make it any different? Would she convience my thoughts otherwise not to re-trade the big profit? Probably.

I plan on trading SHLD in the retail season. SHLD has broken its major downtrend and a lot of positive buzz has been on the stock from a billionaire buying up 5% of the stock just recently.
Currently at $151 and a high of $170s I think or should I say by the facts and charts right now seems like a great time to get in. AAPL @161 just moved up finally of course (taking forever).
AAPL might be the better stock going to $200? Whatever I trade it has to move up or I need to sell my options. The time value of Calls slow the price movement up if the stock stays flat and falls. This I have learned. The recent non-farm payroll report boosted stocks HIGH. I should of NOT bought Put options knowing that there was a “rumor” that the payroll report was going to be higher then expected which is bullish. Again, dumb me. Hard learning.

As for the ladies. I took one charming lady interested in the finance field out to lunch. Haven’t heard back from her – going to send her some small flowers. Will this get me any attention? noticeable? probably unlikely, but it is worth the try.

later -fn


stock market correction = uptrending

If you are a stock market follower you’d notice the different wording journalist are using such as “optimistic” that we hit our low just recently last Thursday Aug 16 to be exact. I was watching the market as AAPL was hitting $112’s and NYX was hitting $65’s. I was drawing my support lines because after the big red candle dropped a big white candle stood right next to it top to bottom and went right up with buyers looking for a golden opportunities. Since I’m still a student I really did not know which direction the market would go. On Friday stocks popped higher creating a doji star showing the market made up its mind. So now for the past almost 6 days the market has ran up with white candles breaking the downward trend since July 15th. I’m currently in AAPL JAN 200 CALLS up around 30% in my options +$3000 in 2 business days. I’m not going to sell at some crazy high number, but I am going to follow the major uptrend line until it is broken or bad news comes out, other wise I’m stick to my play. I’m very confident in Apple and until their next earnings call I’m going to trade it up to earnings or until I’m happy with my profit. I’d also love to be in SHLD and RIG Calls, but I’ve been taught to be in only one trade at a time even if there are other opportunities available. I need to stick to the rules and show some discipline or I’m never going to become a great trader.

Currently I’ve been looking at a trailor park to buy for $190,000. I’ve talked to many experts in this field and the price looks very good for what I’m getting which would be an 18 lot, 2.37 acre, with 18 park owned homes rented for $350-450 each, with all utilities established. It is around 20 minutes away from University of eastern Tennessee (Johnson City, TN). I’d really like to do the deal, but I want to get an outside property manager if I buy it. This is the advice I’ve gotten basically to get rid of any favoritism within the park. It would make some serious cashflow to my real estate portfolio. Between the 2 trailor parks I will eventually be receiving around a $50k net income a year more than my U.S. Coast Guard income so it would finally give me the choice of retirement at age 29. I still want to be a great trader, but it would give me choice even if I did not trade stock options.

I’m almost done with my 3 classes at HPU and will start another 5 online in the next two semesters. I want to double major by 2009 then do some pastry or music school or both when I get out. 2007 has been a very volatile year for my portfolio and my goal is to come out higher than last years or at least breaking even. Many of my penny stocks are worthless so I will have to sell them soon or I will be paying some serious taxes from gains I do not have anymore. Trends are looking good and the technicals are showing major buying right now so look out!


HOKU, AAPL, SWN, NYX – Latest news on the trailor park

After HOKU earnings the stock plummeted to $8 and I totally expected it to fall. Everyone knew they weren’t going to show a profit and it is still very much a speculation stock because it hasn’t been able to start production yet. I’m with Jim Crammer about people rebuying it at a lower price and it moves up again throughout the year on its speculation of being the #1 for alternative energy. Our world is moving in that direction so I could only expect growth. As for AAPL it’s iPhone has been a success, but the market is turning over and its stock is finally starting to become submissive to all the selling. I’d buy AAPL later, but I see it moving much further down into the possible $110’s before it moves into the $200’s. If AAPL is able to continue momentum then I’d buy Calls on it if it moves past $150. Then it will be fighting the selling, but investors are true believers in it. It’s PEG score also has moved down to around 1.66 from over 2.00. So its value has gone up as well with its super profitable earnings. SWN’s charts have been showing a flip to oil/gas companies. Its major trend on the Daily and Weekly are going down with all smaller charts. Just yesterday it bumped up because it was slammed down into the Bollinger bands. I expect it to keep moving further down in the lower $30’s. I’m playing SEP 07 35 Puts on it currently up around 10%. I plan to sell out once it hits around $35 if I’m correct. NYX is always a confusing stock. You’d think this stock would be doing what ICE is doing, but it isn’t. I’m in Calls and I think I’m going to lose my entire $7,000 investment if by Sept. it doesn’t move higher than $87. At its current price of around $74 I’m left dumbfounded and believing in the stock that makes me seem living life a bit bicariously. NYX has had almost 4 major falls with small peaks. This stock has to pop high if on Aug 2nd earnings are awesome and profits are up. It should pop past $90 because there hasn’t been much news on it. So if it surprises investors and analysis it could finally get back in the game and be a more volatile stock like it use to be. If you are currently playing Puts on it you are probably a lot more correct and wise thinking then myself.

As for the good old trailor park I bought. I’ve been working with my property manager. I’ve been trying to get the cable tv hooked back up because it was disconnected before I could transfer it into my name. Two of the tenants are refusing to pay their rent because they are not receiving cable tv. Can you believe this? I’ve never heard of such a moron of a tenant in my life! I told him to turn off their electricity and gas that day until they paid their rent or enforce them to be evicted that week. I’m not going to tollerate this type of behavior. Business is business and you pay your rent regardless if you get cable tv or not. I pay for their housing and all utilities. Cable tv is a luxury. I only see future problems with very low income low education tenants like this in the future. I’m trying to move all the tenants in and rent the trailors properly with full leases, applications, and deposits so I don’t get shitted on. If I’m going to make this profitable I need to take the steps to make it profitable and not deal with unacceptable tenants.


Trailor park success to be or not to be?

Well all I’ve got to say to yaw financial blog readers out there ya hear is that my good old trailor park will be a success becomes I’m going to make it one. I’m a proud trailor park owner. Below is a picture of some of my lots of trailors I own that will generate my future retirement with the right plans to help people and help myself. (Click to enlarge picture)

trailor park

I’m currently collecting enough cashflow to pay my mortgage, property manager, and all utilities.
What I feel I need to do as a landlord and real estate investor is to sell off my trailors as “home ownership” to the tenants to create long-term tenants that will fix up their own trailors over the time they own it and receive a small tax break on their taxes for interest they paid on their mortgage note. Then I’d receive longer-term tenants leasing the land the trailor is own. If they defaulted on their loan I’d foreclose on them and take back the trailor since I’m the bank.
I’d inflate the prices on the trailors I sell on my land to create low enough payments to be more affordable then they are currently renting them for to create an incentive to buy the home they are in. I’d still pay all utilities (water, gas, electricity, cable) as a full service trailor/rv park, but I would not have to pay for upgrading and repairing the trailors saving me a lot of money. I’d also be able to sell my mortgage notes at a discount to investors to earn back my initial investment of $10,000 and possibly a lot more. My goal is to buy 4 more trailors on the 4 empty lots and sell all 10 for at least $10-15k each collecting my mortgage note cashflow plus my land rent of around $200 a lot. If I could pull this task off with my property manager cooperating and on his game I should be able to pull off around a $3,500 net cashflow.

As easy as it sounds it is not in the least. I do understand great costs will be ahead. I am already redoing the flooring in a couple of trailors and some cosmetics to sell them. I’m also paying for better upkeep of the land they are on for better curb or should I say trailor appeal.
I’m hooking up a coin operated dryer and washer to increase my income. I know the tenants will use them and I’m actually considering building a mini-laundry mat on my property because its a major road and there aren’t any near by. I figure if I invested in at least 5 of each washer and dryer and charged $2.00 a load it could be worth building a small structure just for having people come, park, and wash their clothes, plus having my own tenants using them.

I took out a loan and I’m trying to use the least of it as possible. Unless buying more trailors I don’t want to invest anymore then $20,000 into the property because I want to pay back my loan before the payments are due. At the same time I need to create a master plan to make this trailor park a success in a rather small town in no-where Tennessee. There is a lot of traffic daily near my piece of land and many apartments are near it so a small laundry mat could possibly be a good idea to own. Have any thoughts?


Glory glory I’m feelin 40…happy 4th july to myself

Last night was another crazy one. Lately I’ve been hangin with a cool lad lets call him Eric and we go out to the bars a lot for our social entertainment. I met a woman, a much older older woman I think 8 years older to be exact, and I met her once before at another bar. She seems pretty cool and I’m hoping she’d like to go out to dinner with me this weekend. She’s a bit everything I like in a woman, but she smokes so I don’t think it could work out realistically having so many problems with a previous girlfriend that smoked. I had a good time with her and I know she enjoyed my wacky dancing style that wooed the entire crowd.

Here’s a weird fact about hawaii: They do fireworks on the 3rd of July.

Also I’ve noticed at age 26 that I’m starting to feel like a 40 year old after heavy binge drinking at bars only to have to wake up hours earlier for work. I’d definitely call myself an alcholic at a bar. I drink extremely too fast and I’m out of control probably because its accepted with other people drinking. I become a dancing machine, which most people probably think I’m some type of speed drug, but believe me it is all natural.

My trailor park I bought has been coming a long. I finally got a bank account setup with Suntrust and hope to collect enough to pay my mortgage this month. I need to be creative with this business to make it ultra successful. Since Tennessee is a low rental cashflow type state then I’m thinking I could possibly sell trailors backed by promissary notes to receive a more residual stable income then a higher turnover with weekly rentals. If I could sell “home ownership” to the same tenants that receive low incomes which they pay their own utilties since I have meters ready which would save me more money and only charge them rent for leasing the land that the trailor is on for a very reasonable rate of like $100 – 200 /month.
This way they own something, could use the interest off the loan to get more taxes back, feel like they own it instead of renting, and pay me bi-weekly or monthly instead of choosing to move out. If I could sell each trailor for $10,000 for 15 years at $200/month they would be paying almost $100 less a month then they currently are which would be insentive to buy it. I’d still collect it like rent, but now my mortgage notes are backed by a contract so if they ever forclosed and didn’t pay I’d get the trailor back (since I’m the bank) and I could resell it again.
This property has the potential of a $4000 gross income and possibly $3000 net if I didn’t have to pay utilties. By reducing my cashflow a little I could create longer term tenants and sell the trailors for almost 5-10 times what they are worth creating more value in the property if I resold it a couple years later with a large cashflow back by notes cashflow.

This is all one big idea, but I think it could work if the tenants are interested. I’ve been checking out other properties, but I’m thinking it’s probably just to focus on this one and make it generate cash well now then buy others. My goal is to fill the other 4 units and just rent the land instead of renting trailors. 10 trailors = $100,000 or $2000/month income + 10 unit land leases would be $2000/month ($200 each). If I rent weekly my cashflow is higher, but I have more turnover months and less proof selling the park, but with a stable rent history I could possible sell the land, promissary notes, and business for $300,000. With no money down a buyer would still generate a $1000/month cashflow which is still really awesome or 33% ROI a month.

Do you own a trailor/RV park? What do you do to increase income?

As for the stock market. SWN still shows going down a trendline, AAPL is still on its uptrend, and HOKU is wishy-washy. NTRI still looks like a bargain at $71. It is at its low for price target making big earnings. cha-ching.