kid, where I often had the pleasure of hearing him yell at and cuss people out who weren't doing their jobs correctly. A meticulous man with an incredible eye for detail, Grampa knew everything that was happening at all times. A Sicilian Brooklynite who worked his way up the construction ranks in Manhattan, Grampa left no room for error or mistakes. Grama was a tough cookie as well, born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, and raised in the Yunque mountains of Rio Grande as the daughter of a farmer. Together, they made my life a living hell. But sometimes, you have to go through the fire to shine at the end. Grama had always wanted to be a real estate agent, but having to be a full-time homemaker, she never had the opportunity. Luckily, Grampa acquired enough money to purchase a big house in Elmont, Long Island, with three apartments upstairs. Grama got her shot and rented out those units as possibly the best property manager I've ever known. While Grampa was at work yelling at laborers, architects, and contractors, Grama was at home yelling at the tenants. As you can imagine, we had a very loud house. These experiences prepared me for the real estate world and enabled me to deal with the many issues involved in the industry. So, what are these issues? Why do so many real estate investors fail, and how can you be among the few that don't? Have you ever watched one of those house-flipping or income property T.V. shows? They seem to just update what needs to be updated, then sell or rent it — and quickly — at a profit. Sure, there are always unexpected expenses, but for some reason, it seems to always work out in the end. And it’s exactly that portrayal of real estate investing that draws people in. Who wouldn’t want to do a little cosmetic work to
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