I Was Losing My House... Then I Did THIS (5 Lessons That Changed Everything) » REI In Your Car

I want to share a story that still hits close to home. There was a season where I was losing my house, cash was bleeding out fast, and my wife was eight months pregnant. I had bought course after course, tried to learn everything, and still wasn’t doing the one thing that mattered most. Taking action.That pressure forced me to make a decision. I stopped trying to customize everything and finally committed to following a proven system exactly as it was laid out. No tweaking. No overthinking. Just doing the uncomfortable work. That shift changed everything.In this episode, I break down the five lessons that helped me turn things around and why having the right coach and actually listening to them can save you years of frustration. If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like you are doing all the right things with nothing to show for it, this conversation might be the wake-up call you need.What’s Inside: —Why following instructions matters more than trying to be creative early on—How a coach saves time, money, and painful mistakes—The power of accountability and focused action—Borrowing confidence until you build your own

I love direct mail, but I also get it. A lot of you want to do land deals and you just don’t have the budget yet. So in this episode, I’m breaking down my favorite free strategy that works incredibly well, even if you’re not mailing anything. This is exactly what we teach inside the Flip Dirt Challenge and people are getting crazy fast wins with it. All you need is a phone, a good market and a little consistency. I’ll walk you through how to find older vacant land listings, exactly what to say to realtors and why the real gold here is the relationship, not the first offer you make. If you do this five times a day, you may never have to spend a dollar on marketing again.What’s Inside: —The simple script I use when calling realtors—How to filter homes.com for motivated land listings—Why networking with realtors leads to off-market deals—The strategy that can replace direct mail entirely

The land investing space is shaking out big time right now, and that is creating one of the best opportunities I have seen in years. A huge percentage of investors have quit, which means less competition and more motivated sellers for those who stay consistent. I break down why people are struggling, why consistency matters more than ever, and how smart investors are doubling down on marketing when everyone else is pulling back.I get into the importance of picking better markets, focusing on velocity of capital, tightening up your offers, and dumping bad deals fast so you can stay cash rich. I also talk about community, masterminds, and why isolation kills momentum. If you want to stay in the top tier of land investors this year, this conversation will show you exactly where the opportunity is and how to capitalize on it.What’s Inside: —Why so many investors are quitting and why that is good for you—How top performers are succeeding in a tough market—What markets and deal types have the strongest demand right now—Six specific steps to win in the next 6 to 12 months

In this episode, I share a strategy that can completely change the way you make offers and land deals. I was driving home from the Tesla charger thinking about how many investors overcomplicate this business. You do not need huge mailing budgets, fancy tools, or massive lists to start doing deals. What you need is a simple daily routine of sending five to ten intelligent, targeted offers to sellers who actually own good properties in high-demand areas. That is exactly what I am teaching in my upcoming Get a Contract By Christmas workshop. I am giving you my letters, my calculator, and my comps process, and I am even making five real offers live so you can follow along. If you want to take action without the fear of messing up, overpaying, or wasting money, this workshop will fire you up and give you a plan you can use the same day.Contract By Christmas live workshop happens on December 5th at 11am EST. Go to joemccall.com/ChristmasContract now.What’s Inside:—How sending a handful of smart offers outperforms blasting thousands of blind offers—The exact criteria for finding quality properties in top-performing zip codes—How to write persuasive cash and owner financing offers sellers actually respond to—Why this simple routine can get you a deal in three weeks if you stay consistent

I’ve been thinking a lot about the simple habits that separate struggling investors from the ones who thrive, and this conversation reminded me just how foundational the basics really are. I pulled together ten principles I learned from my good friend Tom Krol, a guy who built his business through real trial and error. These aren’t theories or motivational fluff. They’re real habits that have shaped my own journey and the journey of thousands of investors I’ve coached.As I walked through each point, I found myself revisiting the times I ignored these habits and paid the price and the seasons where I doubled down on them and everything started growing again. Whether you’re new to real estate or scaling into bigger numbers, these ten habits can completely shift the trajectory of your business and your life. They’re simple, but they’re not always easy. If you take them seriously, things will change.What’s Inside:—Why the people you spend time with determine your long-term success—How reading daily transforms your decision-making and clarity—The power of tracking net worth and putting revenue first—The mindset shift that comes from massive imperfect action

The fastest way to lose momentum and money in this business is to get buried in the chaos that happens after you put a property under contract. Most investors think losing a deal comes from bad marketing or weak negotiation, but more often it happens because nobody is truly owning the closing process. Title delays, missing documents, confused sellers, nervous buyers, and endless back and forth can quietly kill what should have been an easy five- to twenty-thousand-dollar payday.That’s why I brought my friend David Olds on to talk about what really happens behind the scenes and how to finally fix it. David is a longtime investor who built a transaction coordination company designed specifically for the problems we face as land investors. What shocked me is how simple he’s made this for anyone in real estate and how inexpensive it is when you structure it the right way. The truth is your time is far too valuable to waste chasing title companies, tracking paperwork, or herding buyers and sellers. When you hand this off, your deals close faster, smoother, and with almost zero stress.If you want more time to focus on marketing, making offers, and following up, this is one of the smartest upgrades you can make. Get exclusive access through closelikejoe.com.What’s Inside:—Why investors lose deals even when the numbers look great—The hidden bottlenecks inside every wholesale or land closing—How transaction coordination speeds up assignments and double closes—The simple contract line that makes the buyer cover the TC fee

I’ve been doing this for a long time—thousands of podcast episodes, countless students, and hundreds of deals—and I’ve noticed something powerful. The most successful people I’ve coached aren’t the smartest or most experienced; they’re the ones who keep things simple and stay consistent. In this episode, I break down the top ten lessons I’ve learned from my most successful clients. These aren’t theories or guru talk. This is what’s actually working for real people doing deals right now.From why consistency always beats perfection, to how simplicity scales, to the mindset that separates the winners from the rest…this is your shortcut to real results. Whether you’re flipping land, wholesaling houses, or just starting out, these principles will keep you moving forward and making money.What’s Inside:—The 10 proven habits of the most successful members in the Dirt Flippers community —Why consistency is more powerful than perfection—How keeping things simple builds unstoppable momentum—The mindset that separates deal-makers from dreamers

I’ve been in the real estate game for a long time, and I’ve learned this truth—if you can master a few simple skills, you’ll never have to worry about money again. Too many investors overcomplicate things when this business really comes down to fundamentals. Whether you’re wholesaling houses, flipping land, or holding rentals, the same principles apply.In this episode, I’m breaking down the five most important skills that every real estate wholesaler must master. We’ll talk about marketing, talking to sellers, making offers, following up, and being brilliant at the basics. If you just focus on these five, you’ll do more deals and make more money than you ever thought possible. These are the same skills my students use to quit their jobs and build real businesses.What’s Inside:—Why marketing is the lifeblood of every real estate business—The simple mindset shift to get over the fear of talking to sellers—How to make offers that get accepted (and why you should send them in writing)—The secret behind consistent follow-up that closes 90% of deals

I was driving my daughter to school this morning, thinking about what I’d do differently if I could start all over again from high school. Truth is, I wouldn’t change much. College took me ten years, and I’ve got degrees I never really used, civil engineering and an MBA, but I’ve learned more running my own businesses than I ever did in a classroom. Still, as I’ve grown and raised four kids of my own, my perspective on college has shifted. It’s not useless. Not everyone is wired to be an entrepreneur, and college can teach valuable life lessons that you can’t always get in business. From learning financial literacy to finding direction and discipline, there’s purpose in that journey. Whether your kids choose college or carve their own path, the key is helping them seek wisdom, take responsibility, and find what they’re truly called to do.What’s Inside:—Why I’ve changed my mind about the value of college—The difference between entrepreneurs and employees—Lessons I learned the hard way about money and taxes—Why seeking God’s wisdom matters more than any degree

If I had to start over from scratch in real estate, I’d focus on one thing: becoming a deal finder. That’s the most important skill you can develop in this business. We are not deal creators; we are deal finders. Too many beginners waste time trying to force bad deals to work instead of finding great ones that already make sense. In this episode, I share exactly what I’d do differently if I had to rebuild from zero and what I believe every investor should master to build a sustainable business. It all comes down to three things: marketing, talking to sellers, and making offers. These simple skills are what drive consistent income and long-term success. Forget the distractions like logos, websites, or chasing the newest strategy. Focus on actions that move the needle. If you can learn to find good deals, build real connections, and make offers every day, you’ll never have to worry about where your next deal or dollar comes from again.What’s Inside:—The difference between a deal creator and a deal finder—Why marketing is the real business you’re in—How to master talking to sellers and making offers—The three daily habits that keep revenue in first position