The road to.... Mississippi? What about Texas?

My sister and her husband have owned a triplex in Colorado for the last few years. They HATE it. There are a lot of reasons, but the primary one was that that it has a sewer ejection pit...

So after years of talking them out of selling, I cave and list it.

Similar time frame to when I’m deciding to sell the condo in Cali.

My brother in law asked me if we were still considering Texas when the condo sold? I said maybe, but I Mississippi had caught my eye and I was going to plan a trip there soon. He literally said “Cool. Wherever you go, we will go.” I said ok, and then looked at the calendar.

Turns out they were closing in a few weeks, and 1031 exchange timelines are QUICK. So while I was barely listed, he needed to make some decisions quickly.

We looked at the calendar, and I said, well shit. If we don’t literally go tomorrow or the next day, I can’t go until mid Jan, which is AFTER he closed on his duplex. Jay and I looked at each other and he tossed me his credit card to book the 72 hour trip.

By this point, I had already called on quite a few listings in MS, and one of the listing agents stood out as a rockstar, light years behind the rest. So I called him. His name was Brad. I said, can you work us in the next 72 hours?

Of course, he did. Like I said, I had already identified he was the top of the food chain of agents. I think we marathoned about 25 houses, duplex and other properties over the course of just two days.

Jay and I drove up the coast in the daylight after flying in super late to New Orleans, and finding a dicey Casio to stay at that “only had a couple rooms left” despite the nearly empty parking garage and parking lot. Never did figure out that one...

But here’s the first point at time, in which we both looked at each other and said, yeah.... This could work. We had just come through the Bay St. Louie area, and headed towards Pass Christian ending in Ocean Springs. The start of the 27 miles of gulf coast everyone talks about that we have grown to love.

About halfway through this set of properties Brad asks, why aren’t you just getting licensed here? My response was immediately “OH hell no. The last thing I need is another business.” Up until this point, I don’t even think Brad knew my BIL was even buying, he thought I was the client.

But it planted a seed. One that grew over time into a Broker License in MS, because I just couldn’t get over how much better the opportunities were, than they were in Colorado. And I’m never one to turn away from an opportunity or project.

So we are calling it a pivot at this point, from a business AND personal perspective.

Anyways, my brother in law and Sister bought my first choice house that trip. Something that of course I will hold against them until the end of time, because we are siblings:). But honestly, I’m super happy for them. I wasn’t quite ready, and I eventually ended up exactly where I needed to be a bit later. And they went on to work with Brad to purchase a long term duplex and single family as well, to complete the 1031 X after my favorite home choice to date, with a pool.

Good news. It’s mere blocks from our houses now, and hilariously the same situation as Colorado, where we live close to each other, but they have a pool, and take care of it, and we just use it!

Thanks Sami and Jay!