Hello fellow real estate investors,
I’ll be using this blog to give you updates on my life, tell you what’s going on with myHouseDeals.com, give you updates on the latest real estate investing tips and trends, and more. So stay tuned!
But no real estate stuff today. Instead, I’ll begin by clarifying something that comes up several times a week here at myHouseDeals.com. We get the question, “Why are you operating different websites under different names? On myHouseDeals.com, your name is Doug Smith and on other investing sites, your name is Trent Smith. Sounds to me like you’re a scammer!”
The answer? I’m a twin! Check out the pic below of me and my brother, Trent. He’s the one on your left. I’m the one in the red on the right. In case you’re wondering, Trent is older … but only by 1 minute!
Trent and I grew up on a cotton farm in Lubbock, TX. Lubbock is about 2 hours south of Amarillo. It’s up in the Panhandle of Texas where, believe it or not, it actually snows! Here’s a pic of us as kids…
We must’ve gotten hailed out that year b/c my brother and I are surrounded by wheat instead of cotton. I’m on the right … I think 🙂
Our first business venture! We sold Kool Aid for 10 cents per cup. And then got greedy and went for 25 cents per cup. Profits plummeted. We realized that if we charged only 10 cents, people felt sorry for us and tipped us $1 or more. But at a quarter … no tips! We went out of business 1 year later because we could no longer fit in our lemonade “retail center”. I’m on the right.
Want some? I didn’t think so. (I’m on the left.)
I’m on the left. Trent’s on the right. It’s a pic of us in pre-K. We had just learned that we’d be in grade school for the next 13 years. And then we’d be in college for another 4. And that we wouldn’t be able to buy a property on owner financing and sell it on a wrap-around mortgage for at least 15 years. You can imagine the shock.
I still remember this pic. Trent had just hit me with a rock from his sling shot. I was pissed. But Mama said “Doug! At least put your arm around him for the picture”. Notice how I’m in perfect position to get him in the choker hold. We fought like cats and dogs growing up. But we were … and still are … best buds. (I’m on the right.)
More good stuff coming in a few days. Stay tuned!
Doug Smith
President
myHouseDeals.com