Julie Hall had an entrepreneurial awakening when she was 28 and never looked back. "Sitting at my corporate desk, I had this crazy idea: If I was going to work this hard for them, I might as well work that hard for myself".
Every day approximately forty-eight hundred baby boomers become
middle-aged orphans when their elderly parents pass away, leaving behind
a lot more than just memories. Now what?
Julie has become an expert in an industry which will always be relevant. She assists families, who have recently lost their loved ones, in resolving the matters of estate. Often heirs no longer live close by or perhaps they are simply too busy or overwhelmed to deal with the estate themselves. Having been through the estate settlement process before, I can say first hand that it is not an easy task - particularly given the emotion involved. Having a knowledgeable resource to assist in the process would certainly be worthwhile.
I would have to imagine - given the natual population growth - that this type of service would be in demand almost ANYWHERE. Julie's site provides some insight on how one can become a 'liquidator'. In addition, she has written a book on the subject.
Another great example of a woman with a fantastic entrepreneurial spirit! Some outstanding advice in these links:
Purchased on March 2, 2010 for $110,000, 238 Gerritt street has undergone a complete rehab and is now under contact for $209,000. The rehab took roughly 11 weeks and the total cost was $46,000. The interior was completely gutted and the exterior has a new brick front.
Closing is to occur within 45 days.
After all expenses (rehab, closing costs, realtor fees, insurance, etc.), the total profit will be approximately $28,000.
While the construction was underway, we were approached by a family who owns a property a few houses down, on the same block. Their mother had passed and they were looking to sell the home. We agreed to a purchase price of $105,000 and construction on that property is now in progress!
As we have all heard by now, the current economy is finding all sorts of people without a job. I know numerous people who have either already received notice or are feeling like the news is likely coming any day. It is a terrible position to be in, unless you are prepared with a back-up plan. In many cases, although it may seem like the end of the world, it could also be an opportunity to try something completely new. If you are fortunate enough to get a severance package, the level of risk may even be significantly lower, considering you will have some level of buffer.
Tina Aldatz is a perfect example of someone who took a job loss, turned it into an opportunity and ran with it. She gave herself a strict timeline (6 months) and was determined to make it work.
“The first year, Foot Petals' revenue totaled $60,000. The second year it was $600,000. Today, nine years later, Foot Petals is a $10 million company with 17 employees and three offices. It offers a collection of foot cushions and accessories, including the recently introduced Sporty Soles for athletic shoes."
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Our latest project - 1238 Alder Street is a 3 bedroom/1bath home in the hot Passyunk East district. This property was purchased for $169,900 and needs roughly $40,000 into rehab costs. We intend to list the home at $275,000.
Alder is a beautiful, tree lined, street, in a vibrant neighborhood - just blocks from shops, restaurants and pubs.
We will add value with an additional half bath on the first floor and overall rehab - hardwood floors throughout, new kitchen, new baths, etc. My husband and I walked over to the property last night and the upstairs bath is actually completely gone. The crews started work and are estimated to complete in 6-8 weeks time.
After 8 days on the MLS, 163 Poplar Street in under contract at $325,000. We had two offers:
$325,000 with a $10,000 seller assist (which means we, as the seller, would be required to kick back $10,000 in closing fees to the buyer - net result = $315,000
$319,000, with the buyer putting $140,000 down payment. No seller assist.
We countered both offers:
$335,000 with a seller assist of $10,000
$325,000, with 140,000 down payment and no seller assist
Both parties were interested in moving forward but we opted for offer #2. In the current economy, we feel it is better to go with the candidate best positioned for bank financing. $140,000 down should make any bank happy.
