Resisting temptation

[John Galt]

I know that Cut-Throat and others say they have this
problem beat. I still have trouble with it, even after
years of retirement. I think it's my entreprenuerial
instincts mostly. There is a small clinic building for sale
about 12 miles from here. It's been empty and for sale for years. I know the area well and think it would make a nice duplex. Since I drive by it several times a week
I am continuously reminded. Yesterday (Sunday) I
happened to be driving by the realtor's office who has it
listed. Fortunately, no one was there . In a few hours
the urge had passed. It gets easier to avoid these
"opportunities" , but the ideas still fow
continuously.

JG

 

[Eagle43]

Who's gonna manage that duplex? If it's you, is that considered work? 8)

 

[John Galt]

Aye, and there's the rub! Also, even if you hire
professional management (which cuts into your cash flow), it is still "work" IMHO. I am sure Cut-Throat
would agree having read several of his posts on this
subject.

JG

 

[unclemick]

Our duplex went fairly early into ER - doing without the rental cash flow was a tad nervous - but spitting distance of an age 55 pension helped. Literally consumed the sale/cap gain $ in the first ten years of ER.

When you are the owner of rental property - everything breaks in the middle of the night - or when you a just leaving on a trip - or so it seemed. I do not miss it - even though it helped in the accumulation/savings phase getting to ER.

 

[ESRBob]

What's wrong with a little unstructured 'work' managaing a duplex during ER? I think its a great use of a tiny fraction of all that free time we have, can generate nice cashflow or long term returns not highly correlated to stock and bond markets (which dampens portfolio volatility).

Rehabbing, landlording and so forth seem like ideal ER pursuits -- who says ER has to be all about leisure and fun? It got to be so much work for me trying to keep myself amused without any commitments or projects bigger than my wife's honey-do list that I nearly went bonkers until I discovered the joys of low-stress part-time 'activities' which might make a bit of money some day. Maybe its just how I'm wired up.

John, if temptation to do something wholesome and profitable is knocking, what are you resisting? If you spend 100 hours a year researching stock portfolio stuff, how is that any different than spending 100 hours a year managing a duplex? I bet you'd have fun with it anyway, and you'd feel good about yourself to boot.

 

[Beachbumz]

I agree with you ESRBob, managing a duplex or other RE can be no more work than managing a portfolio. Don't resist the temptation to make some money. JG, if it's what u r good at, and your gut says it will work, go for it.

Beachbumz

 

[azanon]

JG,

You're having urges to "work", i'm having urges to live like a typical consumer. I keep thinking what it'd be like to own a 2005 Subaru WRX almost daily, though I currently have a 10 year old 240sx.

Live it up now..... ER Live it up now.... ER. Will the pain ever go away