The Meeting is Wednesday

Jacksonians,

We still need your support.  On Wednesday of this week (4/27/11) we will sit before the City in hopes of being granted our Special Exception, so that Walt Wofford and I may use 1104 Jefferson as our professional real estate office.  We would greatly appreciate your support in this endeavor!  We're excited about the opportunity to serve Belhaven, Fondren and greater Jackson in all it's real estate needs.  We can't wait to get this building renovated and have a place to serve as a resource center for you.  If you haven't signed the petition, and you would like to: Please go to www.theneighborhouse.blogspot.com.  Thank you for your support!  And, once we have approval, please watch the NeighborHouse blog as we renovate our office...

What I'm learning about Zoning...

The text below is a direct quote from the City of Jackson's website. You can view it by clicking here.

And, I post it here, because Walt Wofford and I are applying for a special exception for 1104 N Jefferson St. Jackson, MS. We'd like to open a completely new Professional Real Estate office (called... NeighborHouse) for the betterment of the Belhaven neighborhood, the preservation and appreciation of comparable sales and to work as a resource center in real estate transactions for not only the Belhaven neighborhoods, but for the entire Tri-County area. So, here's what we are filing for - A Special Exception. And, it's safe for the neighborhood because:

• The designation only follows with ownership of the building.  So, if we sell it the Special Exception must be reevaluated.
• The Special Exception is annual-ably renewable.  In other words - If the people of Belhaven dislike the anything that is happening in this location the special exception won't be renewed.
• It's the higher use of a what is seen as a problem property.

So, here's what the city of Jackson says about Special Exception, and if you'd like to pop in and sign our petition it should be live on our blog www.theneighborhouse.blogspot.com by Saturday April 4th. 

"What is a Special Exception, Variance, or Use Permit?

Special Exceptions, Variances and Use Permits all require the same action as a rezoning. Please refer to the Zoning Action Application for additional information needed.

Special Exceptions are permitted on some properties whereby residential structures may be used for professional offices. Exterior alterations to the structure are prohibited, off-street parking can not be in the front yard, and landscaping screening is required.

How can I find out how my property is zoned?
To verify the zoning of property and uses permitted, contact the Land Development Division front desk (601-960-2037). The Official Zoning Map is available online in PDF format."


Commerce Street Overlay District
Fortification Street Rezoning Project
C-4 Down Mixed Use Zoning District Map
For More Information Contact:
Land Development Division
200 S. President St., Room 204
Jackson, MS
601-960-2037 or jwarnsley@city.jackson.ms.us

Google and Efficiency

Readers,

If you're out there - I've found that the more my work, file storage and general digital life moves forward the more it moves to the web (the cloud), and the easier all those things become. I've found that I'd like to remove anything that slows me down. The more I build a business that works on and through the web, the more it becomes less and less about specific hardware. My productivity becomes less intertwined with: software, enormous file storage, phone books or any certain chair. As I use the web the more I'm not stuck in that certain chair. The more I'm using websites and applications to complete work the less I have to "get back to my office before I can answer that question." The more I have submerged my business into Google's services the more Google works to administratively streamline my business.

And now, Google has taken the next step. With the unveiling of Google Chrome OS and the release of their first laptop, the cr-48 it has taken me and my business to the cloud. Watch the video and enjoy.

Buildium

Your mind can be free to continue building a business. Plug in and let go of your real estate accounting by clicking the link above. You will be blown away by how much can be "taken off of your plate." You can chill out because all your management billing can be done on the web by any PC/Mac and all on - total automation. You're going to love how much you can virtually unplug from the day to day of real estate accounting and let "the machine" do the work.

Enjoy.

Keyboard shortcuts - Gmail Help

Keyboard shortcuts - Gmail Help

If you're a Gmail user and you aren't using keyboard shortcuts - You've got to try it out. Its a pretty simple concept: Quit lifting your hands from the keyboard and just use the keys... For instance, how many times have you finished reading an email and then you slide your hand to the mouse to hit "Archive?" In essence you've had to look down to find the mouse, look up to see where you're driving it and then you click it. I know, it didn't take that long - we're talking milliseconds, but what if you just hit the letter "y" immediately archiving the message and sending you back to the inbox? Now isn't that easier? Gmail is full of these sorts of shortcuts. Click the link and check it out.

It Has No End

It's a funny thing about entrepreneurship, its just one building (block) after another. It rolls like seas. You go through ups and downs. You have highs and lows. Its the same for many professions because we all have times that are seasons of growth and times that are quiet.
And though the seas roll, you must keep your eye on your bearing. You must keep your goals in clear sight because in any business it is easy to become overwhelmed with the details, administration and project work load. For instance, take a look at the picture in this post. If I am overwhelmed I can only see a disaster zone, but if my eye is on the bigger goal I see progress.
This picture is of the basement at 1104 Jefferson. It is the bottom portion of the house on the NE corner of Jefferson and Carlisle around the corner from McDades. We're opening up this dark, dingy old basement apartment. All in all, we are consolidating several units that were just depressing, small spaces and opening it up into something desirable. It will be turned into something all together new and inviting, where it was once something drab. We bring in the light, and through doing so we can all see that "bearing" better in these rolling seas.
And with that small introduction I welcome you to come and see my next endeavor at www.TheNeighborHouse.com and at its new blog www.TheNeighborHouse.blogspot.com.
The next step, the next building (block)...

Progress.

Mike Butler

If you haven't read Mike Butler's "Landlording on Autopilot" then click on the book icon on the left and check it out.  Quite honestly, I don't know how I would have even begun building the ideals, upon which my management company is now built, without Mike Butler's insight.  It is full of tools, niches, and a wealth of general knowledge that I doubt anyone (who owns rentals) can live without.  Mike was a full time detective who was buying houses on the side.  He got to a point where he was spending a little bit of time in the evenings working on his portfolio, then, it got to where he was going to bed pretty late one night a week...  Next thing he knew he was working all day, every Saturday.  He stopped what he was doing and looked around.  He looked around and realized that he was managing 75 rental properties from his crowded basement.

Is his trail beginning to sound a little familiar?  Do you feel like you're spending every Saturday answering the phone and driving to houses?  If you do, it's time to automate.  It's time to get out of the drag of managing and streamline your business.  This book isn't a total problem solver, but it's a definite eye opener.