EOC WEEK 7

The 1990 movie “Pacific Heights” starring (Melanie Griffith)as Patty Palmer, (Matthew Modine) as Drake Goodman, and (Micheal Keaton) as Carter Hayes is a great example of what can go wrong if you don’t cover your butt as a Landlord. Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine play a young couple who see their purchase of a San Francisco Victorian triplex in upscale Pacific Heights as an opportunity to invest in their future, as well as create a home. Micheal Keaton plays a tenant from hell taking advantage of California’s lenient laws towards tenants. I use the word tenant loosely, because he never really pays the proper considerations to occupy the space; nor signed a lease. Drake being in a rush due to a colossal mortgage, and feeling a good judge of character takes Carters’ word at face value, avoiding the necessary steps in verifying Carters’ credentials. Right from the start red flags where shown indicating that there was more to Carter than he let on. Using deception and manipulation to gain access to the unit, once inside the unit Carters’ real motives start to un-fold, using tactics of noise pollution and breeding cockroaches to infest the other tenants unit is only a glimpse. Another rushed decision by Drake put Carter in a position of power, establishing history depicting the landlords as the slum lords. Drake and Patty stressed by the unwanted tenant, struggle with what to do, as their relationship feels the effects.
If your find yourself in a similar situation purchasing a rental property, I suggest you watch this movie not to scare you from the thought of owning real property, but on what no to do in selecting a tenant. There is a reason why certain steps are taking in processing a tenant’s application for rental, especially someone you don’t know, or even someone you might know.

GREED IS GOOD

EOC Week 6
Wall Street the hidden face on the American dollar, few realize the significance of Wall Street and its effect on American culture. If you wish to know where we stand as a nation read the indexes, one of these being the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This is where will find the price of oil by the barrel, or how much Orange Juice is going to cost in Super Markets. When something has value and enough people want it, and can become a publicly traded item known as shares or stocks. The day the idea of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), was conceived the inventor truly thought he had something and so did Wall Street, another way to fuel their greed, however; I can see the potential in this concept. I feel as though it was poorly governed and regulated, but was truly meant to give those with not so great credit a chance, to obtain an American quality of life that may have been unimaginable before, or was it? I firmly believe anything controlled by man can be manipulated to work in another’s favor.
Being the father of this brain child entitles you to a certain amount of compensation, but when your child becomes the destroyer of worlds, that compensation should be forfeited until all the bugs are worked out of the system, or is it the price Americans pay for doing business?
The movie “Wall Street” depicts the power of greed and what one will do to achieve it, regardless of whose left holding the check. The movie is 30 years old and still reflects today’s business practices indicating the same problems that existed then, we still experience today. As long as business is conducted someone is guaranteed to receive the short end of the stick.

What I Think of Lawyers

When I think of lawyers, I think well educated gangsters; until I need one. Most people are not well versed in the do’s and don’ts of law. To me; this is where this criminal is validated and accepted in our society. I use the terms gangster and criminal loosely, but this is not the case for all lawyers. Now you have lawyers whose sole desire is to change the injustices that plague or society, these lawyers to me are true champions of the people. However; most didn’t get into the profession to help the little man, but to increase their income along with their stature. There are different forms of law and different boundaries in which these lawyers can maneuver, these being criminal, civil, business, real estate, entertainment, as well as contracts, etc….

Hopefully there will not be a day where you feel the need to be represented by a lawyer, but if you do make sure you get the best lawyer you can find within your budget. Some lawyers will work pro-bono (for free). Even then you have to watch out, making sure they are truly on your side and do not have a hidden agenda. For you never truly know what a lawyer position is until the end verdict. To me or should I say my experiences have taught me to never use, I repeat; never use a court appointed lawyer also known as a public defender. Ask yourself are they defending you or their job? Their adversary on the other end table might be the lawyer’s best friend or someone they admire and want to impress. All I’m saying is, just because they wear the title of lawyer doesn’t place them in a special class, for they are truly no different then you and I, and are affected by the world around them.