Turkish Airlines Open Winners And History

First played in 2013, the Turkish Airlines Open is the opening event of the European ... Read more.

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Dick Stewart Elected Into The Michigan PGA Hall of Fame

  DICK STEWART ELECTED INTO THE MICHIGAN PGA HALL OF FAME EAST LANSING, MI – ... Read more.

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A Halloween Poem

For your Halloween reading enjoyment, one of my favorite poems—and the last published by Edgar ... Read more.

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New Outside Column!

My latest Outside column is about how all motor vehicles should be total deathtraps:

I have no doubt we'd all be much better off.

Happy Halloween!

Yours Etc.,

--Tan Tenovo

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Toto Japan Classic Winners and History

  The Toto Japan Classic is jointly sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the LPGA ... Read more.

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Zombie Golfer Costume For Halloween

Smiffys Men’s Zombie Golfer Costume I like this zombie golfer Halloween costume. I wish I ... Read more.

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You Better Knock On Wood

It's been quite a week of bicycle maintenance so far here at BSNYC/RTMS/Tan Tenovo, LLC headquarters.  Yesterday of course I tackled the brakes on my WorkCycles, and today I went a few rounds with the Renovo Aerowood.  See, there's nothing quite as exquisite as riding amid the brilliant foliage of fall on an artisanally-hewn wooden Fred Chariot:

That is unless that Fred Chariot is creaking like a haunted pirate ship on the high seas, which is what the Renovo has been doing lately.  I'd already snugged up the seat mast to no avail (It had been the source of some creaking in the past), so this morning I moved onto the bottom bracket, hoping maybe it was a simple matter of snugging up the cups.  First I removed the cranks and made sure they were tight (they were), then I gave the whole bike a quasi-thorough going-over, even going so far as to adjust the bearing preload on the rear hub.  (They're crabon and they're like two grand, but they don't seem to hold an adjustment.)  Finally I buttoned everything back up and went for a ride, and I was hopeful until I hit the first hill and...


It's a lot easier to inspect a bike under the brilliant rays of the autumn sun than it is under the energy-saving lighting fixtures in my basement, so that's what I did.  And here's what I fixated on:

See?

Yes, I realize it's in shadow, but what you're looking at is a split in the wood where the left chainstay is bolted and bonded to the rear dropout.  Remember how I said early on I found some cosmetic cracks in the bike?  Well that's one of them, and here's what it looked like back in November 2017 when I first discovered it:

The short version is Renovo were going to build me a whole new frame and send it to me, but I declined as it hardly seemed worth the effort.  Here's what Ken from Renovo had to say at the time:

The chain stay is both bonded and bolted to the dropout, shouldn't be a problem. If the gap changes in width or you see other changes we'll get you a replacement immediately. If that happened on a customer's bike we would replace it immediately, as we were prepared to do for you. In any event it won't catastrophically fail.

Anyway, now Renovo is Re-no more, so I'm not going to follow up with them, and while I can't tell from the photos if it's in fact gotten worse it is a bit more vexing in light of this new creaking I can't seem to track down.  I suppose I'll go through the usual steps of swapping wheels and pedals and so forth, but even if this crack isn't the culprit I can't help wondering what else might be going on deep in the bowels of this ship.  Or, for all I know it's temperature-related--maybe the bike swells up in the summer when it's hot, but then it contracts when it's cold and the fittings start wriggling around a little bit, hence the creak suddenly manifesting itself in autumn.  Or maybe it's unreasonable to expect a quiet wooden bike, just in the same way it's unreasonable to expect a quiet wooden staircase. Or maybe it's just termites.

Clearly I need to consult with an arborist.

Or, you know, ride a bike made out of metal.

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Play Golf At Devil’s Lake

Here’s the perfect place to play on Halloween: Devil’s Lake Golf Course at Manitou Beach, ... Read more.

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Scary Golf Hole At Green Oaks

The par 3 sixth at Green Oaks is a pretty scary hole. The green is ... Read more.

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Golf Bag Beer Mug Review

  Golf Bag Beer Mug Review Golf Bag Beer Mug Grade: B Teachers’ Comments: Cute. ... Read more.

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Srixon Z-Star XV Golf Balls

Srixon Z-Star XV Golf Balls Srixon Z-Star XV Golf Balls feature: 4 Piece Construction Urethane ... Read more.

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Them's The Brakes (Do You See What I Did There?)

I was going to get all kids of stuff done today.  However, as I took my younger son to school this morning the braking on the WorkCycles (Magura hydraulic rim brakes) was simply too bad to ignore.  (Believe me, I've been doing my best to ignore it for months, but when both levers are bottoming out on the grips you cross that line between "sub-optimal braking" and "bad parenting.")

"No problem," I figured.  "I'll just change the brake pads."  Indeed, I already had a set of fresh brake pads ready to go, and in theory installing them was a simple matter of popping the old ones out and snapping the new ones in.  Just listen to this German man explain it to you:


The thing is, on the WorkCycles, it's not quite so straightforward.  See, the great thing about this bike is that it has fenders, skirt guards, a full chainguard, an internally geared hub...  What all that stuff means is that the bike can spend most of its life outside, and also that you can hop on it without having to worry about your pant cuffs or whatever.

The bad part, however, is that half that shit has to come off because you have to remove the wheels to replace the pads.

Still, I was feeling optimistic as I rolled the bike into the basement:

Indeed, the front brake was easy, since the only extra steps I had to perform to remove the front wheel were to move the front light out of the way of the brake's quick release, and to unplug the light's wire from the hub.

The back brake was another story.  I've removed the rear wheel on the WorkCycles a number of times now, and every time I have it's been a pain in the ass.  No doubt my own ineptitude has a lot to do with it, but even so there's no getting around the fact that you've got to undo a lot of shit--even with the handy removable dropout:

There's the axle nuts, and the dropout bolts, and the chain tensioners, and the chain guard, and the cable for the hub gear...  By the time I was actually able to access the brake pads I was pretty pissed off, and I reinstalled the rear wheel with the impatience and contempt of a cop shoving a perp into the back seat of a squad car.  Oh, also, the chain tensioners are directional.  See how the axle nut washer has a little tab that fits into a slot in the tensioner?

Well, if you flip the tensioner the slot's on the wrong side and you can't tighten down the axle nut:

Pretty much every time I remove the wheel on this bike I put the non-drive tensioner on there backwards, realize it when I'm just about done, and have to undo everything to put it back on the right way.

Anyway, two hours later and the bike finally stops like a dog outside of a veterinarian's office, but there goes half my day:

For some reason I insist on doing all my own bike work, but if I had any sense I'd just bring the WorkCycles to a shop.  In fact, I'd probably have given up long ago, except I have this (no doubt totally unfounded) fear that the shops in New York won't be sufficiently smug to service this bicycle.  Or else I'd move somewhere with a garage where I could set up a workshop, in which case at least I'd be able to spread out and take the time to do the job right.  Oh how I dream of hanging my tools on a wall instead of having to dig them out of a tiny storage space like a toddler rummaging through a toy chest every time I want to use them...

(Image stolen from Park Tool website)

Then again, if I moved somewhere with a garage I'd be in the suburbs, in which case might as well ditch the WorkCycles altogether and say "Fuck it, I'm leasing a Hyundai."

Anyway, at least I don't have to worry about it until the brake pads wear out again.

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Scary Green At The University of Michigan Golf Course

The par 4 sixth at the University of Michigan golf course has a scary green. ... Read more.

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Shriners Hospitals For Children Open Winners and History

Shriners Hospitals For Children Open Winners and History The Shriners Hospitals For Children Open began ... Read more.

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What Does Srixon Stand For?

What Does Srixon Stand For? Srixon is an odd name, and I wondered where it ... Read more.

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Last of the Golfsmith Grip Solution

I regripped a couple of clubs today and in doing so used up the last ... Read more.

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20 Mobile Apps Every Real Estate Investor Needs on Their Phone

You’ve probably heard trivia like this before:

“Your smartphone has more processing power than NASA did when it put men on the moon in 1969.”

That's a pretty incredible fact – isn't it?

Even more fascinating, is that mobile phones are starting to surpass many laptops on performance benchmarking tests.

All that processing power, combined with humanity’s combined knowledge available instantly with internet access, is sitting right in your pocket day in and day out.

And you probably use it for watching cat videos. (Don't worry: We all do.)

But what else can your smartphone do for you as a real estate investor?

How can it help give you an unfair advantage over all the other investors out there failing to use the gadget and its abundance of apps to advance your businesses and bottom line?

Here are twenty amazing apps that all real estate investors should consider — including several that aren’t real estate “apps” per se, but will help make you become a more nimble investor nonetheless.

1. Zillow

For many real estate investors, market research starts with Zillow. Zillow provides surprisingly granular data on specific properties and broader neighborhood data to boot.

You can use Zillow to browse available listings, get a sense for home values, and see what neighborhood landlords are asking for rent. Investors such as yourself can even list properties for sale or rent directly from their mobile devices, snapping photos with their phone and typing out a description of the property.

The Zillow app is especially useful as you walk the streets of a neighborhood where you’re considering investing. You can check property details in real time and a get a great gut-level sense for neighborhood housing values and rents.

2. DocuSign

The real estate industry is notorious for its paperwork — endless, endless paperwork.

You can spend an arm and a leg on printer paper and ink and end up with stacks of file folders piled to the ceiling in a home office. Or, you can skip the home office entirely and just e-sign contracts, lease agreements, disclosures, and so on by using DocuSign.

DocuSign uses top-of-the-line digital security and encryption and lets you share and store documents instantly. As an especially nifty feature, the DocuSign app lets you photograph paper documents using your smartphone, and instantly e-sign them. With over 50 million users worldwide, DocuSign is the gold standard for digital signatures on the go.

3. Scanner Pro

Similarly, Scanner Pro lets you snap photos of documents to share or store. Where Scanner Pro shines is that it can convert the document to text, and create a PDF from it.

The app detects borders in your photographed documents so it can remove the background in the image and provide clean, easy-to-read final versions you can share with the necessary stakeholders in your real estate investment transactions.

Once scanned and converted to a text-based PDF, documents can be emailed or shared through cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox. The text recognition software even lets you copy and paste text from a photographed document.

This one is a favorite of Rich Carey from RichOnMoney.com. Pretty nifty, eh?

4. Property Fixer

Love to buy and renovate properties? The Property Fixer app not only helps you estimate repair costs, but also gives you insights to break down soft expenses like carrying costs, taxes, insurance, et cetera.

The goal is simple: to offer a quick but accurate estimate of potential returns for flippers. Sometimes, you need to make a decision on whether to make an offer on a property quickly — and the Property Fixer app can help you run the numbers right on the spot as you walk through a prospective property.

Property Fixer is free to download, although it will encourage users to upgrade to a paid version with more bells and whistles.

5. DealCheck

Do you often find yourself crunching numbers and analyzing the numbers on prospective rental properties?

The DealCheck app makes it easier than ever to run your calculations on the fly – whether on the road or behind your desk. The free version of this app is extremely useful, and there's also a pro upgrade that will give you some added functionality (like unlimited property photos, unlimited reports, MLS updates, an offer calculator and more). If you've been on the search for a calculator that is a lot more simple than a complicated spreadsheet, you need to see this app in action!

Note: If you sign up for a Pro plan, be sure to use promo code “RETIPSTER” at checkout and you'll get a 25% discount for the life of your subscription.

6. DealMachine

If you've ever tried to find and contact a property owner directly, you probably know there are A LOT of inefficiencies involved with this process. There is definitely a need for software and solutions that can make it easier for real estate investors to reach property owners easily via mail, email and/or phone – and that's where the DealMachine app comes in. DealMachine makes it really easy to track down the contact information of a property owner (e.g. – mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers) and send out direct mail solicitations to the owners. This app doesn't do a lot, but what it does do, it does really well.

RELATED: DealMachine Review: So Simple, Even Your Kids Can Do It

7. Rentometer Express

Rentometer has long been a good-to resource for real property investors who are looking for comparable rent amounts and values in their market. While the flagship service (finding rent comps) is free, they also have a few paid versions for users who want access to more detailed information, enhanced report options and additional ways to analyze the data. If you find yourself doing A LOT of rental property analysis, this could be a very helpful tool to have on your phone or mobile device.

RELATED: The Beginner's Guide to Buying Rental Properties (A Case Study)

8. Trello

Trello is a hugely helpful (and mostly free) online resource that can be used by teams and individuals to manage tasks, jobs, and projects. Trello also has a very nice mobile app that can be used to add, update, move and delete tasks on-the-fly. I use Trello every single day because it’s a great way to visualize what I’ve accomplished and what still needs to be done.

9. Stitcher

Ongoing education is crucial for real estate investors.

I listen to podcasts while I work out, while I’m driving, while I fold laundry, while I go for long walks on the beach by myself. Instead of letting this time go to waste, why not further your real estate investing education? Or, perhaps you can learn about housing market movements, amenity trends, or new ideas for your investing strategy?

Stitcher is free and gives you access to countless podcasts (which, incidentally, includes the REtipster podcast!). Or, if you're an avid Apple fan/user, simply go to iTunes to check out numerous intriguing and eye-opening podcasts.

Try listening to a real estate investing podcast the next time you have some household chores to do. The time will fly by faster, and, more importantly, you’ll learn something new while you’re at it.

10. Airbnb

If you're in the short term rental business, Airbnb is a must-have service. One of the MANY helpful tools that Airbnb brings to the table is the Airbnb app, which is extremely useful for managing your properties, booking listings, taking payments and a lot more – all on-the-go. The Airbnb app is also great for booking reservations for properties as an end user as well. If you haven't downloaded this one to your phone yet, it's definitely worth checking out!

RELATED: Yes, You Really Can Make 3x – 5x More From Your Rentals. Here's How…

11. BombBomb

Have you ever received a video email? I remember the first time I did and it blew my mind. It's one thing to get email correspondence from someone you're working with, but it's something else entirely to see their face and hear their voice when they're trying to deliver that same message. Video email is an insanely effective communication tool that you NEED to be using in your business. If you aren't using BombBomb yet, sign up for your free 14-day trial on the BombBomb website and see if it might be a helpful addition to your toolbox.

RELATED: Have You Joined The Video Email Revolution?

12. Mortgage Calculator & Mortgage Rates by Zillow

This mortgage calculator from Zillow has been a great tool for a number of reasons. Whether I'm looking to calculate payments on my next property purchase, put together a seller-financed deal or refinance an existing mortgage, this app is fast and functional in a very simple, easy-to-use layout. I frequently find myself pulling this out when evaluating new projects and determining how each deal fits into my budget. If you find yourself making payment calculations on a regular basis – you should have this tool in your smartphone arsenal.

This one is a favorite of Lucas Hall from Cozy.co.

13. Google Maps

I know, this app is pretty basic (and most phones come with some kind of basic mapping app by default) and there's a reason for that. Google Maps is a highly-functional and useful tool for a lot of people in a number of different industries. I use this app regularly for several purposes, including navigation, locating properties and finding places of interest.

14. DropBox

Most us have heard of (or are heavily using) DropBox by now. Dropbox is a FREE cloud storage and file synchronization service that has exploded in popularity – but did you know they have a mobile app? In my opinion, this enhancement took their service from being “pretty cool” to “freakin' awesome!” Since my entire business is stored in my Dropbox account, this app allows me to pull up virtually anything on my iPhone in a matter of seconds. Contracts, photos, videos, notes, templates, etc… it's ALL in the palm of my hand, wherever I go.

RELATED: How To Stay Organized (Tour My Paperless Dropbox Filing System)

15. BiggerPockets

BiggerPockets has been an amazing online resource for a lot of years now… but did you know they also have an app? With this little piece of software on your mobile device, you can access the BiggerPockets Blog, the BP forum, your BP inbox and the BP Podcast (among other things). If you're part of the BiggerPockets community, this is a great way to stay connected wherever you are!

RELATED: BiggerPockets: A World-Class Resources Every Investor Should Be Using

16. Slack

If you're someone who dreads opening up your email inbox every day, you really need to know about Slack. Slack is an incredible (and free) communication tool that can be used on either a desktop or mobile device. If you find yourself sending several emails to the same few people every day, Slack will make this communication much faster and more streamlined… to the point that you can virtually replace email as a mode of communication.

This one is a favorite of Steve Chou from MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

17. Evernote

Evernote has been a long-time and well-respected app in the mobile marketplace. This option is great for connecting multiple accounts and bringing organization to the wild flurry of ideas, notes, resources, links, images, calendars and other pieces of media you have floating around on your phone. If you often find yourself searching for the information you need, Evernote is probably an app you need to download pronto.

This one is a favorite of Tyler Sheff from CashFlowGuys.com.

18. Snapseed

This is an insanely useful app when it comes to taking photos of the properties that you're trying to sell. Providing good pictures to your potential buyers/tenants/customers is HUGE in the world of real estate. Without a good, quality representation of your property, you're not going to get very far with finding people to do business with. This is an app that I use whenever I possibly can, because it's quick, easy, and delivers great results.

19. RingCentral

If you have a subscription plan with RingCentral, this can be an amazingly helpful app to keep all of your phone and fax communications cloud-based. What's better yet – you can use this app to call people from your business phone number. If you're as protective as I am about giving out your personal cell phone number (via the caller ID of the person you're calling), you can use this app to call from your RingCentral number – thereby allowing you to keep your personal and business communication completely segregated (as they should be).

As you can see, some of these apps are great for more than just real estate – they can be used for other types of business ventures (and even your personal life) as well. The majority of these apps are available on virtually every major mobile platform – so it doesn't matter which device you're using.

RELATED: Are You Using the Right Phone System for Your Real Estate Business?

20. Blinkist

Blinkist is an app that lists the top non-fiction books and gives users a brief, 15-minute synopsis of each one. Want to read a great book but you don't have several hours sit down and go through it page-by-page? Blinkist can help you FLY through a great book and still walk away with all the key lessons and insights that are buried deep within the pages of a full-length book. If you're one who struggles to fit in the personal development you get from books, this is a great app for you!

RELATED: 20 Books That Changed My Life

The Pros of These Mobile Apps: Speed, Agility, Knowledge

As a real estate investor, your ability to compete with other investors in your market is often based on three factors: the speed with which you can move on deals, the agility with which you can react and adjust to changes, and your knowledge of investing and the market where you invest.

Mobile apps can help you with all three.

Use the apps above to be able to operate your real estate investing business on the move — whether you invest full-time or simply do the occasional flip on the side. These (and other) mobile apps for real estate investors help you stay connected with your partners and support personnel, with your market, and even with your properties themselves.

You have a supercomputer in your pocket, connected to an endless well of human knowledge. Take advantage of it.

What are your favorite mobile apps for real estate investors? How do they help you earn more as an investor? Share your favorite apps below!

G. Brian Davis is a long-time real estate investor and a co-founder of SparkRental.com. Swing by to nab a free rental application, free real estate investing webinars, a free rental property calculator, comparison charts for investment property loans and more, and drop a line to say hi while you're there!

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Srixon Z 785 Irons

  Srixon Z 785 Irons Srixon’s Z 785 irons are a great looking set of ... Read more.

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Structured Piano Practice for Beginners: 10 Tips

Several readers have recently written requesting a post on structured practice ideas for beginners. I scrolled through my archives (you can browse them here) and realised that I hadn’t written anything on structured practice for this vast and significant group of piano students. I’m very sorry about this, and in order to redress the balance, I hope you find the following of interest!

1. Beginners, particularly teenagers and adults, might benefit from setting goals. Decide what you wish to achieve by next week, next month and next year. When goals are in place, you are working towards a tangible outcome. It will help focus your mind and encourage you to keep going during those less than fruitful practice sessions.
2. Stick to that routine. Find a time of day which works for you, then you can look forward to practising at the same time everyday or whenever suits your timetable. Piano practice might not always be possible, but if you can mark it in your schedule and are keen to do it, then you’ll be sure to make it happen.
3. Little and often can work well. A beginner really doesn’t need to practice for more than 20 – 30 minutes a day. You may find it easier to work in two sessions. Aim to practice regularly as opposed to a couple of rushed sessions before your lesson (if you have one).
4. Studying with a teacher is much more productive than learning alone. Find a suitable teacher and a beginner’s tutor or method book which is user-friendly and well organised (your teacher will probably advise here). Use this alongside other resources; it’s best to explore a variety of material as opposed to relying on one piano method book.
5. Try to start your daily practice with a brief memory session on note testing. Practice writing the notes on manuscript (music) paper, and follow this by naming and locating them on the keyboard. Repetition will prove key. Learning to read music is a prerequisite when studying the piano. In my piano course, Play it again: PIANO Book 1, there is a music theory section at the back of the book with note-reading and rhythmic exercises.
6. Begin your practice with a few relaxation exercises. Relax your shoulders as much as possible, and try to ensure they don’t rise up during practice. Keep your wrists loose, and arms, light and fluid. Fingers need to be firm, but the hand, wrist and arm should ideally be loose and flexible.
7. Rhythmic reminders are vital. Clapping or tapping on the piano lid may prove beneficial, as will counting out loud along to your playing. Always keep a steady pulse, and aim to ‘feel’ a regular beat which might be described as similar to that of a ticking clock or heartbeat. It can be helpful to clap along to either a metronome or stop watch in order to become aware of the regularity and steadiness required. Clap or tap the pulse and rhythms in your pieces before learning the notes.
8. Find and play the notes in your piece (or pieces) without the rhythm. Learning to coordinate both hands whilst grasping note patterns can take time, so try to do this before you add the rhythm. Write your fingering into the score, and ensure you use it! Take time moving around the keyboard and aim to find the notes with your fingers before you need to play them. Name the notes as you play, and keep your wrist and hands loose and relaxed.
9. Repetition is important when getting to grips with note patterns. When combining the notes and rhythm together you may need to work at each bar many times. Keep your fingers close to the keys, eliminating any possible errors. Set an extremely slow pulse at first. When confident, add speed and repeat the phrases using a different tonal colour (try playing softly, then much more powerfully, for example). This precludes mindless repetition, encouraging focus on dynamics, phrase shape and other important musical features.
10. Spend a maximum of 5 to 10 minutes on each little piece (similar to those in length in a piano method or tutor book), and in that time, concentrate fully until you can play fluently. The sense of achievement will feel monumental when you can skip through your piece with no errors. Play each piece from beginning to end after your practice session. This will channel your concentration, and illustrate what needs to be done at the next session.

And finally, make a note of each practice session in a notebook. It can help to write down what was achieved and how you did it.

For more practice ideas for beginners, check out my book, So You Want To Play The Piano? published by Alfred Music.

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My Publications:

For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.

You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.

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Scary Golf Hole At The Medalist

For me, the scariest golf holes are par threes with no room for error. The ... Read more.

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Golf Cemetery And Covered Bridge

This cemetery is a feature at Carleton Glen golf course in Carleton, Michigan. The course ... Read more.

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Golfing Dead Card Game

  Golfing Dead Card Game Ridiculous Golf Item Of The Week

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Rigid In My Thinking

Further to my recent Outside column about the joys of voluminous tires, I see that a new suspension fork has hit the market with great fanfare:

Now I should begin by saying there's certainly lots of room for improvement as far as suspension forks.  I should also say James Huang knows his stuff, so if he says this fork addresses many of those shortcomings I'm inclined to believe him.  Nevertheless, as a cloyingly smug rigid bike enthusiast it's hard not to read stuff like this and wonder, "Why?"

“On every telescopic fork, when you come into a corner, you want stability. But what happens is that you weight the front of the bike, the fork dives, you get less mechanical trail, and the bike gets less stable. We humans have learned, over 120 years of riding telescopic forks, to just deal with it. The brain is good at just making it work.

“But I wanted to know what happens if you make it more stable? Is it worse? Does it not make any difference at all? Or is it super better? So I designed a device to answer that question. It was this crazy-ass test mule, a big Terminator-looking thing that weighed 7 1/2 pounds (3.4kg). I built it up, bolted it up, and went for a ride in the middle of January 2014. I got two corners into it and was like, this is way better.”

Sounds like he's managed to invent something that handles nearly as well as a rigid fork with high-volume tires.

Then there's the price:

As groundbreaking as the Message clearly is, my guess is that Trust may still have a tough time getting people to buy into the idea. For one, it may offer some genuinely tangible performance benefits but it also comes with an outrageous price tag of US$2,700. That obviously leaves an awful lot of room to expand downmarket with a less-expensive version, but for now, it’s only deep-pocketed buyers who will even consider this.

I strongly disagree, and in all sincerity I think $2,700 is way too cheap.  Two grand is the going rate for a wheelset these days, and the most expensive telescoping forks are already well over $1,000.  Why not just price the thing at $5,000?  Not only will the Mountain Freds gladly pay it, but they'll be more likely to pay it because with a price like that it's gotta mean business.

Anyway, hopefully this fork takes off and they have to start designing bikes around it, which will make pretty much every mountain bike currently out there obsolete.

As for me, I've been reveling in smugness recently by riding a bike that lacks not only suspension but also derailleurs:

I know I said I love the plus-sized tires--and believe me I do--but I also love flicking around a light, singlespeed bicycle with "skinny" tires:

Actually, it's not even that light, but after riding the Jones it feels like it weighs like fifteen pounds.

It's been just over seven years since I first took delivery of my artisanal handmade Engin, and while commissioning an expensive bicycle that can't be shifted may seem no different than paying $2,700 for a suspension fork that works almost as well as a rigid one, I congratulate myself for doing so every time I ride it.  I'd been a fan of Drew's bikes (check out his Instagram by the way) since I went down to Philly with some friends years ago to check out his workshop, I'd never had a custom bike, I wanted one because I was a newly-minted author and celebrity bike blogger, and here's why a singlespeed made the most sense for me.  For one thing, I have the most fun on them because they bring me back to my BMX-and-tube-sock days:

(© Danny Weiss)

For another, while you can put together a pretty sweet singlespeed mountain bike for cheap, most of the frames are suspension-corrected and/or designed to be run with or without gears or just generally funky because they're for people putting together their sixth or seventh bike out of stuff from their parts bin.  I, however, wanted a nice, clean, rigid, purpose-built singlespeed, and the way to get that was to go custom.  Sure, you can't tell from my shitty zoomed-in photo, but you don't get awesome rocker dropouts like that on a Surly:

Instead you get something like this:

And that's in no way meant as an insult to Surly, who I applaud for their versatility.  But I wanted a really nice singlespeed, not a giant adapter, and so Engin it was.

Then there was obsolescence.  No velocipede is more obsolescence-prone than the mountain bike.  Suspension; frame spacing; drivetrains...all of these things are way different now than they were just seven years ago.  However, it's hard to imagine a time when I won't be able to find the necessary parts for this thing, and geometry fads aside, an awesome-handling bike is an awesome-handling bike.  Best of all, since it's designed not to use gears or suspension it was already "obsolete" the moment Drew finished welding it, so what do I have to worry about anyway?

In any case, the joy one gets from material things is always fleeting.  Nevertheless, thus far my rationale for commissioning this bike has been borne out, and I'm also glad I got in the queue when I did because now he only builds in titanium and on a limited basis and probably wouldn't even give me the time of day.  Really, if you think about it, my ordering this bike was like getting in on the Google IPO.  (Assuming someone would give me like $25K for it right now, that is.)

Wonder how it would ride with one of those Trust forks...



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Swiftwick Socks Review

  Swiftwick Socks Review Swiftwick Socks Grade: A Teachers’ Comments: You can’t go wrong with ... Read more.

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Should Real Estate Investors Get Their Realtor’s License?

A 6% commission on a $200,000 property looks like a juicy expense to cut out when you’re flipping houses.

After all, your listing agent did little more than take a few photos! And you have to shell out $12,000?!

And doesn't being a Realtor bestow countless blessings and advantages upon you as a real estate investor?

The thought crosses nearly every new real estate investor’s mind:

“Should I get my Realtor’s license to get direct MLS access and save money on agent fees?”

But the answer isn’t quite that simple. Here are the pros and cons of getting your Realtor’s license as an investor and how to decide if it’s a good fit for you.

Pro: You Can Save (Some) Money on Realtor Fees

When you go to sell a flipped house or a rental property, yes, you can list your own property for sale without the aid of a certified Realtor.

This, in turn, will help you save some money, but not as much as you may assume initially.

Let’s assume a 6% Realtor fee. First, half of that fee will likely to go to the buyer’s agent, leaving 3% for the listing agent (you, if you get your license and list your own properties).

Yes, you will still need to pay the buyer’s agent — even if you list your own properties. (That's simply how modern real estate works.)

Nor is the buyer’s agent commission the only cost you’ll incur. As a licensed real estate agent, you will need to work underneath a broker. That broker will take some of your listing agent fees.

How much? That depends. Brokers can take up to half of their Realtors’ commissions.

Or, they may charge a “desk fee” – a flat monthly fee simply for having you on staff and providing you essential resources to help you list and sell properties (e.g. leads, software, print collateral, etc.).

Or, a broker may charge both a flat fee and a percentage of their agents’ fees. And in some states, Realtors are required to be a member of the local Realtor association. (Spoiler alert: It's not free.)

As a general rule, the more training, marketing, and other support that brokers provide, the more money they’ll charge their agents — something that's well within their right.

The point is thisL If you get your Realtor’s license, you will be able to save a decent chunk of money on listing fees … but it may only be a fraction of the total commission charged.

Pro: You Can Gain Direct Access to Your Local MLS

This pro comes with fewer qualifications.

Having direct access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a genuine boon. You’ll be the first to know when new deals hit the market and have access to more, detailed information at your fingertips about listed properties.

Granted, this advantage is not as vast as it was 20 years ago. Today, websites like Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin offer every Tom, Dick, and Harry access to view publicly listed properties for sale.

Having said that, these sites don’t show the same depth of information, and, oftentimes, direct MLS access displays new listings faster.

Pro: “Earn While You Learn” the Real Estate Industry

Ready to quit your job and dive headfirst into the real estate industry, but worried that your income as a real estate investor will be too inconsistent to pay your monthly bills?

Becoming a real estate agent can help supplement your income while you learn the business.

Your first flip may take you six months (or longer!) before you actually see the paycheck. It takes time to find a good deal, get it under contract and financed, settled, renovated, marketed it for sale, and settled for a second time.

And we all know that building rental income is not an overnight phenomenon. It’s effective, but it takes time to stack up streams of consistent rental income.

If you know that the real estate industry is your calling and want to quit your current day job pronto, the commissions you earn as a Realtor can help sustain you while you polish your skills as a real estate investor.

Con: Getting Licensed Takes a Fair Amount of Work

Scoring a gig as a Realtor takes more than just showing up at a brokerage and saying, “Hire me.”

You have to, you know, actually get licensed.

That involves taking a lengthy course, followed by passing at least two exams (one based on federal laws, the other on your state’s housing laws). Most states also require ongoing education requirements.

This raises a separate point: The courses don’t teach you a single piece of practical real estate knowledge. They only teach you about legal compliance — something every agent worth their salt needs to know backward and forward.

In other words, they don’t prepare you one bit for the nuts and bolts of working in the modern real estate industry. No marketing strategies or negotiating tactics are taught — just the tedium of complying with Fair Housing laws.

The actual skills you’ll need in the real estate business you’ll need to learn on the job.

Con: You Need to Be Hired (and, Ideally, Trained)

We’ve already touched several times on how Realtors need to work under a licensed broker.

That means you need to find a broker willing to hire you when you have no experience — not the easiest task.

If you’re only interested in becoming a real estate agent for the side benefits (like direct access to the MLS) and don’t actually want to do much work as a Realtor, getting hired may pose a challenge. After all, how many brokers want to hire agents who won’t produce any clients or revenue?

Then, there’s the training we mentioned above. Don’t expect any practical training from your course or exams – practical skills come from your broker and senior agents who can mentor you (sometimes for a price).

And brokers who provide quality training expect quality results (a.k.a. lots of closed deals).

Con: You Need to Disclose Your License as an Investor

Think you’re going to become some kind of stealth real estate investing ninja, scoring deals without anyone knowing your secret Realtor superpowers?

It doesn’t work like that. Legally, you have to disclose to sellers that you have your Realtor’s license.

That means every seller will know that you’re a pro and that your offer probably isn’t for full market value.

Likewise, when you list your own property, you’ll need to disclose that you’re both the seller and the listing agent.

The Verdict: Should Your Get Your Realtor’s License as an Investor?

There are good reasons to get licensed and master the skills of both a Realtor and an investor.

In addition to the advantages outlined above, a greater understanding of the marketing and selling side of the business will help you score better deals as a flipper.

If you’re genuinely interested in building a real estate agent business, then yes, absolutely get your Realtor’s license. Start with a brokerage deeply committed to training and developing new agents, so that you can learn on the job as quickly as possible. Even if that means paying half your commission to your broker.

As you grow in skill and develop a wider client base, you can negotiate with your broker for a better commission split. Or you can simply move to a brokerage with a better compensation package.

Earn money, soak up knowledge, maximize the advantages offered in being a combination Realtor-investor.

But if you only want to save money on listing fees? Forget it – getting licensed is just not worth the hassle.

The post Should Real Estate Investors Get Their Realtor’s License? appeared first on REtipster.

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Scary Holes: The “Monster” at Brae Burn

Here’s a scary golf hole for your Halloween consideration. Braeburn Golf Club, in Plymouth, Michigan ... Read more.

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Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen – Medium Nib

Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen Even as writing — especially handwriting — becomes a lost, I ... Read more.

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Cobra F-Max Superlite Fairway Wood Review

Cobra F-Max Fairway Wood Review Cobra F-Max Three Wood Grade: A Teachers’ Comments: Finally, a ... Read more.

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Golfer Tombstone

For Halloween, here’s a golfer’s tombstone.

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I'm All Over That Internet!

Not only do I have a new Outside column about the joys of riding chubby tires...

...but I've also got this whimsical post on the Brooks blog about the insights you gain into humanity by riding a bicycle:

(Spoiler alert: humanity is stupid.)

And yeah, apparently plus-sized tires are out of style now, which I guess makes me out of style like a fox:

I gotta say I love this bike more every time I ride it, and I ride it a lot.  It's pretty much the perfect bike for autumn, which is when you want to be popping in and out of the woods and listening to the delightful sound of the leaves crunching beneath your plush, grippy, confidence-inspiring, and inexplicably outmoded plus-sized tires. 

Finally, let's hear it for helmets and the USA!

"An analysis by the Toole Group charted helmet use against fatality rates across eight countries. Riders in the U.S. had the highest rates of helmet use among the countries included. But American cyclists also had the highest fatality rate per distance traveled. " @bikesnobnyc pic.twitter.com/P3Dgyzyhqp

— Seth Haberman (@sethhaberman) October 24, 2018

Shocking.

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Electric Heated Vest

Electric Heated Vest Extend your golf season with this heated golf vest. I have a ... Read more.

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Moberg Wins Closest Hickory Open In Almost A Century

  Closest hickory shoot out for almost a century! Luffness New Golf Club, East Lothian – ... Read more.

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Sear Fifth, WVU Seventh at Tavistock

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Oct. 23, 2018) – Senior Max Sear posted his second consecutive top-five finish, ... Read more.

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Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship Winners and History

Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship Winners and History Debuting in 2011, the Taiwan LPGA was ... Read more.

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Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship Preview – 2018

Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship Preview CHINESE TAIPEI WELCOMES THE LPGA The 2018 fall Asia ... Read more.

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A Royal Soirée in San Francisco

This is sponsored advertising content by Chase. All opinions, as always, are my own.

There are lots of reasons to go to San Francisco: A desire to ride a cable car. A craving for cioppino and Napa reds. An intense longing to walk up and down hills.  

But I’ve never gone to San Francisco for the purpose of indulging my British Royal Family fascination — until now. 

I attended one of Chase and British Airways’ cardmember events: a Royal Soirée at the Fairmont San Francisco. At this exclusive event, we shared a four-course meal with Chef Darren McGrady, former personal Chef to Queen Elizabeth II, and later to Prince Charles, Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, and Prince William. 

Fittingly, this British event is presented by the British Airways Visa Signature Card from Chase. This was my first-ever miles card! Years ago, I earned 100,000 Avios and used them to fund my flights around Europe for several years. (Flights around Europe are one of the best value uses of Avios, and I could fly from anywhere in the UK to anywhere in Portugal or Spain for just 4,500 Avios!) 

And while the Avios themselves are a nice reward, being a credit cardmember of the British Airways Visa Signature Card allows you to attend events throughout the year like this one. Follow the link here to see a gallery of the amazing experiences cardmembers can access.

The Main Event

The Fairmont San Francisco is arguably the most iconic luxury property in the city. As you step inside, gold and marble columns fill the high-ceilinged lobby. It’s a perfect place to dress up, and while the event is Black Tie Optional, I ignore the “optional” and rock an elegant cobalt gown with an asymmetrical hemline and shimmering chandelier earrings. 

I walk into the room and accept the offer of a glass of champagne. And there he is — Chef Darren McGrady. Chef McGrady was the personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II for many years; afterward, he was the personal chef to Prince Charles, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Prince William and Prince Harry. We’re kicking off the evening with him talking about his favorite memories while working for the Royal Family. 

The older I get, the more I appreciate people who are able to tell the same stories over and over again as if they’re telling them for the first time, with excitement and enthusiasm. Chef McGrady has undoubtedly told these same stories hundreds of times. But from the wonder in his voice and the big smile on his face, I can tell how much these memories mean to him. 

The Queen loves anything chocolate, he shares. Chocolate cake is her favorite. But she’s not a fan of scones — she crumbles them onto the ground for the corgis to lap up! 

William may have inherited his grandmother’s sweet tooth. Growing up, he would eat Chocolate Chip Haagen-Dazs straight out of the container and would talk about his life and dreams. He said he wanted to be a police motorcyclist when he grew up. 

William’s favorite dish was chocolate biscuit cake, a crispy dish made from layering biscuits with chocolate. “It was so fun when I heard that Prince William had chosen the chocolate biscuit cake as his groom’s cake. It was his all-time favorite.” 

And then there was Harry. “Harry was always my favorite and so much like the Princess,” Chef tells us. He remarks that he always found it ironic that Harry’s wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, joined the Royal Family at age 36 — the same age that Diana left it. 

Princess Diana passed away when I was thirteen years old. The stories people tell of her reflect her dignity and compassion. It’s easy to forget that Diana cared for people living with AIDS, often holding children dying of AIDS, at a time when these people were reviled by the world. 

Chef McGrady told us that Diana once asked him to dance at a traditional Scottish ceilidh. He didn’t know how! He danced with her anyway (how could he say no?!) — but he thought he was the worst person there and was embarrassed, wondering what the Queen and Prince Charles though.  

He promptly signed up for Scottish dancing lessons — and his move paid off. He and the Princess went on to dance together for the next 11 years. 

Diana had quite the circle of friends, and once she came back to Kensington Palace with Gianni Versace, Elton John, and George Michael. “And I stood there thinking, ‘This is cool,’” Chef McGrady says with a laugh. 

As for Diana’s culinary proclivities, she often requested Chef McGrady make fat-free versions of dishes for her. (Oh, the nineties — back when we thought fat was the enemy!) At one point, Oprah Winfrey was a guest and eating a fat-filled version of Diana’s low-calorie entree! 

I’m enthralled at these stories — honestly, I could listen to Chef McGrady all night. At any rate, I go up to him at the end of his talk to ask a final question. 

“Chef,” I ask, “What about comfort food? Are there any comforting dishes that the Royal Family loved?” 

“Cottage pie,” he says without a missing a beat. Whenever William and Harry came home after being away for a while, he told me, they would often request cottage pie — a meat pie topped with a mashed potato crust. Both of them loved it with cheese on top. 

“And I taught them to appreciate a roast chicken,” he adds with a smile. “When I saw that Harry proposed to Meghan over roast chicken, I thought, ‘Yes! I taught him something!’”

A Royal Meal

The lights are dim, the candles are lit, and the long table is something you’d expect to see in Buckingham Palace. Chef McGrady gives us a brief overview of the meal and soon the first course is served with elegant flourishes by the wait staff. 

First we have beet-cured salmon with a horseradish panda cotta and marinated lobster tail. It’s served with an Austrian white wine. 

The second course is a parsnip and apple soup with an onion bhaji and cilantro oil. (Harry was the big fan of Indian food in the family, Chef McGrady told us.) And a white wine from Santorini, of all places, honors the Royal Family’s Greek roots. 

Next up is a seared beef tenderloin with a Zinfandel wine reduction, sage derby scalloped potatoes, baby carrots, and wilted brussels sprouts. The beef lives up to its name with its tenderness, and a knife slices through it smoothly. A red wine from Napa accompanies our dish. 

Finally, the meal concludes with a bread and butter pudding with raspberry coulis, salted caramel sauce, clotted cream, and a compote of soft berries. Interestingly, it’s served with a glass of sloe gin as a digestif! 

Satisfied from the delicious food, cheeks pink from the wine, and smiling from Chef’s stories, I say goodnight to my new friends and revel in the joy of the evening. 

Upon my return to my room, I find a surprise: a copy of Chef McGrady’s cookbook, The Royal Chef at Home, and two of William’s beloved chocolate biscuit cakes. 

The Morning After

I’ve got a few hours to kill before flying home to New York, and I join my fellow attendees for a British-themed breakfast downstairs. Eggs and British-style bacon, of course, and sausages, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, and baked beans. Plus some scones for good measure. 

I look at the bacon and smile — suddenly I remember another of Chef McGrady’s stories last night. William and Harry wouldn’t eat brussels sprouts as kids — but once he cooked them in bacon, they couldn’t get enough of them! I wonder if that love of bacon led to Harry bringing a late night delivery of bacon sandwiches to William’s wedding. 

This was an evening I’ll remember for a long time — and from the reaction of my friends so far, I’m going to be talking about this event for a long time.  

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