Help Me Change my Career

[TDCTDI]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

my cousin does the same thing as you do, non profit case worker. she loves it. pay sucks.

soooo....she has gotten in with the state. I suggest you do that, or federal. I would LOVE to close shop and go do fleet maintenance for AMTRAK. big bucks, pension, guaranteed raises. you know, all the stuff you use to be able to get in the private sector.

I totally blew my chance at a sure thing. my aunt could have gotten me in as a CO (corrections officer) at one of the state prisons. had I done that, I would have been retired THIS YEAR....under 40.

hindsight.....

I would get in on the state level if I were you. get your feet wet, and if you want to move, you can....and get into another state position easily once you're vested.

for ha-ha's I tossed my hat in the ring for a municipal job. STARTING pay was 89k/year. tested, was #2 in their "top 10" then they pulled the rug out from us and 'hired within'. #1 was a good friend. we both promised if one of us got in, to try and get the other one in. not bad for servicing police cars....
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[vwracerdave]

I'll agree. Go state or federal with the insurance, benefits, and retirement.
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2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK
Featured in Dec. 2001 HOT VW's Magazine page 63

Watch my racing video's http://www.youtube.com/user/okvwracer/videos

[coad]

How about the railroad? The pay and benefits are great, and Union Pacific is so desperate for people they're offering sign-up bonuses right now. Marysville is a major point and you're not too far from there. Here in Nebraska they're offering a $20,000 bonus for train crews and apprentice diesel electricians, and $15,000 for diesel mechanics.

Most people can't handle the irregular hours and all the BS, but you're single, no kids, and used to working with unusual people, so you might fit right in.

[Raymond73]

If you are interested in a government career try USA Jobs. You'll want to click on the "Open to the public" option.

Edit: The active jobs typically have very short windows (a week is normal) so you have to stay on top of them if you are interested. Oh and good luck. I know what you mean about not knowing what you want to do when you grow up. I'm in my mid 40's now and still don't know.
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'70 Auto Stick Beetle
113 905 205AD
30 PICT-3

[marklaken]

I'm bullish on rental property, but it is more of a wealth building tool (aka, retirement plan), not really a career track.

Also, from my experience, if you have enough equity in your current house, many creative lending institutions, will do everything they can to make that second home happen. From my experience, they will typically count 75% percent of anticipated annual rent towards your total household income prior to qualifying you for a second home loan. You may need to sign something that states that you will keep a certain amount of cash on hand if the rental property is mortgaged property. You will certainly be leveraged way out there, so you better be comfortable with that risk.
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Wish List:
1967 Wesfalia SO-42 Parts Needed: Kitchenette, Cot Poles

'65 rear left beetle fender

15" Bus Wheels in fair condition

Mark Laken
Fort Collins, CO

[vwwestyman]

[TDCTDI]

Pay off your house before investing in another, that way you can change your career whenever you want without the stress of "how can I pay my bills without income?".

Think about how much money you give to a bank over the duration of a 30yr note ($100,000 on a $90,000 purchase?) & how much you could have done with that same money to build your own wealth.

Buy a duplex or a quad, that way you're rarely without income if someone moves out or doesn't pay. If you live in it & pay your mortgage along with the supplemental rents then you can pay it off in 3-5 years & move on to the next.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[vwwestyman]

[TDCTDI]

I had a six unit building that would pay for itself with two tenants, I got rid of it due to it being a PITA compounded by it being 100 miles away, used the equity to pay off my house & don't have to deal with all the stupid shit that goes along with dealing with people who effectively own your ass.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[TDCTDI]

[Mark Evans]

With your background, DHS or some other government position might be well suited to you. You can start by mailing applications in specific areas of interest. I know for a fact, with the economy the way it is and jobs not being filled, it shouldn't take long, if you're truly serious.
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'63 Ragtop

[vwwestyman]

[TDCTDI]

If you're willing to do the RV thing, sell the house & bank it until you can purchase a cheap fixer upper outright & rent that out, that way ALL of the rental proceeds will go to you vs the bank, then you can do the same thing much faster with new purchases because you're not giving the majority of your rental income away in interest.

Imagine putting your mortgage payment into your own account every month & think about how fast that account would grow. With the equity from your current house, you could buy a cheap house outright & rent that out free & clear (aside from the maintenance, taxes & insurance, which, by the way, you have to pay anyway).
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[marklaken]

Converting current residence into a single unit rental is much easier than buying a multiplex rental unit - really apples and oranges comparison.

My advice if you dream of being a small time RE mogul, first find a bank that wants to risk other people's money on you - I call them creative lenders. Then buy a second starter home ASAP (still low interest rates) (use your crappy current career as collateral), convert house #2 to rental ASAP, repeat every 3-7 years. Resist the urge to update the homes you are collecting - just keep them safe and functional. Make sure your career shifts coincide wisely with your home loan applications and also maintain excellent credit.

Also, in your rental income cost analysis, you need to consider that you have to pay income tax on the rental income (assuming positive cashflow), home insurance will be higher on mortgage escrow (mortgage goes up), and you need to set money aside for typical repairs. Very plainly put, if you can't at least break even in an appreciating RE market, you should consider putting money elsewhere.
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Wish List:
1967 Wesfalia SO-42 Parts Needed: Kitchenette, Cot Poles

'65 rear left beetle fender

15" Bus Wheels in fair condition

Mark Laken
Fort Collins, CO

[chickengeorge]

Well, I can chime in on this with some insight based out of experience. Finally, I get to add value to this community!!
I have a 600sf rental above my garage as well as a separate rental home about 6 miles from my residence. The garage apt is a one bedroom with full bath, kitchen and living room. My rent up there could easily pay my whole mortgage, but it took some time to get there. My wife's cousin is up there now and pays about 2/3 what he really should. I've had one renter who was not either friend or family up there in 20 years. Fucker still owes me $200. Besides parking issues, I've loved having it and would consider another on my premises. The rental home I own is also a plus in my book. I stretched and bought the most expensive little house I could afford in an upwardly mobile neighborhood. I might have been able to make more money up front slum-lording it, but the way I did it was much less stressful. I make about $300 a month on it and all of that goes back to the mortgage. I bought it in 2014 and owe about 1/3 what's it's worth now. I enjoy being a landlord, but I'm super laid back. If you're wanting to be on top of renters, hovering...waiting for that payment and if your'e not good at dealing with people and their issues...do not do it! I think the guy I have in my rental home's sister has died at least three times now. As a matter of fact, it's the 20th of the month and I still haven't been paid. His girlfriend found his cash rent payment and used it to pay other bills, he said. Supposed to get paid tonight. If that kind of shit stresses you out, again...don't do it.
On a side note, I am probably not an average case. I almost look at my rental home as a four-leaf clover, I've had such good luck with it. We had a wind storm here in 2015. It was considered a natural disaster. I got a new roof without insurance rate increase because of that. Our local utilities also had a deal to convert from electric to gas recently. I talked to my neighbor and they allowed me to pull gas from their front yard, before their meter instead of coming under the street from the other side. It allowed me to use all the funds from the LEAP program to pay for the rest of the installation. $7200 for furnace, gas hook up and water heater...all free. I paid nothing.

As far as a job goes, I can give you one bit of advice...whatever it is, do it now. I've spent 20 years at a dead-end job. I enjoy the job and I make an average income, but I have a bachelor's degree and never used it. I think about where I could be right now and it's upsetting sometimes. Don't be thinking back, like me...think forward. Do be like me though and find a nice girl who makes 2.5 times as much as you and marry her!

[skills@eurocarsplus]

if you're dead set on a rental, do a commercial building. when people don't pay, they (typically) leave...and sometimes leave neat shit behind. you can get them out way, way easier than a deadbeat family. they have more rights than you do....

I have a friend that use to own a few rentals. come eviction time, he would offer these losers 1,200-1,500 cash to be out on whatever day.

these were people that thought they hit the lotto with 2.00, let alone a 1k+ lump sum....almost all of them left fast, and left the place reasonably clean too
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[Manfred58sc]

You have skills much needed by the elderly and veteran community. Both environments are easy to access and provide many avenues for employment. The senior center and VFW will open a world of high quality people with money and contacts.

My journey was to tune in, turn on, and drop out. Oddly that lead to great success in small business and rentals ( I give preference to disabled vets ).

Doing what you love really helps . Be brave and change!

Drive away from Kansas, Colorado is right next door!
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Fat chick owner/operator

[iowa vw]

[Mike Fisher]

We sold our home in Redding, CA and bought a used 22' travel trailer & towed it to Eugene, OR for cooler weather/politics etc. 3 of us lived in it for 4 years in various private RV hookups/trailer parks for $300/month including utilities 15 years ago. You can move anywhere in 1/2 hour whenever you want to! We finally bought a 5 acre place outside Eugene and are happy here so far? We make extra money towing/storing cars,trucks,boats & boarding horses. You can find care giver etc jobs everywhere until a different job/career/business catches your eye. A friend from Redding is always talking up Union Apprentice programs if you like construction. Come to the PNW for the good weather/wages/girls!
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https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

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