Monday, July 7, 2008

Rating John T. Reed and his Guru Rating BS Chart

[Unconfirmed Photo]

FYI: John T. Reed sells RE guru material! Commercial Review of J.T. Reed

He also spends a considerable amount of time in self-serving criticism of a majority of other RE gurus and their courses. I consider Reed, at best, classless in this regard, and at worst unethical and unprofessional, if not unsuccessful in real estate.

Why do I care? And why would I critique Reed?

Well first, quality operators don't make personally directed comparisons in order to sell their own products by putting down, impugning, or indulging in efforts and activities that otherwise diminish the reputations of their competitors.

Secondly, as a professional investor with several years of RE ownership under my belt, I've received a lot of insight from many of the gurus Reed bashes. In fact, I'll go as far to say that, I probably wouldn't have had the guts to do 30% of what I've done since 1981, had it not been for one of Bob Allen's No Down Payment workshops I attended, specifically.

Robert "Bob" Allen has certainly taken a fall, or two, over the years, as Reed is all-too-happy to inform you. But it's not the fact that one got knocked down a couple of times that counts. No. It's where one is headed! And it's about not giving in, or giving up! Allen got back up!

Notwithstanding, Reed takes specious quotes of Allen and blends them into a nefarious, evil, advantage-taking context. I had to laugh at one alleged quote of Allen that goes, "We're not in the RE information business. We're in show business". Well, of course Allen is in show business!

That's a lot of what marketing is. Duh?

But this is an anathema, if not a surprise for Reed.

Meanwhile, I have much respect for Robert Allen, if only that he's been willing to risk everything, several times over, in order to both become prosperous himself and help others do the same. Reed would not agree. Meantime, I don't mind one wit that Allen used "show business" to sell me on a "Possible Dream" many years ago.

This is the thing that John T. Reed doesn't understand. He doesn't understand that part of selling is creating a romantic image, even a dream in the buyer's mind of what could be possible. Yes, what's being sold can be mostly a romantic dream or image, but it's the romance that spurs imaginations and creates momentum in our hearts and minds to achieve something bigger than ourselves.

Look at John F. Kennedy. He made a romantic speech once about "...going to the moon, in this decade!"

If that's not a romantic picture --- that he motivated a nation to "waste" 30 billion on --- money that could have been spent on the homeless and hungry, I don't know what is.

No, Reed's all too mechanical and logical. He really doesn't understand people, or marketing. He prefers that RE guru materials must somehow equate to some MBA program with Harvard-like certificates (in what...Lease / Option Finance?).


Meanwhile, John T. Reed won't market himself out of a wet paper bag. He's afraid of the risk. He writes that he doesn't sell his books in stores because he doesn't want to risk printing too many copies at his own expense --- or let bookstores profit from his book (or something along that line). Whah!?

Essentially he won't take the risk that his book won't sell well, and he doesn't want anyone else to profit from his book either. How low-budget and greedy is this, I ask.


Anyway, let me just say that I did buy three copies of John T. Reed's superb book on Property Management. I bought them at Border's Books in Overland Park, KS back in 1991. Evidently someone bought several copies to be resold commercially, because I was shocked to hear him say his books have never been sold in stores. All I can say is, "Well John, yes they have been, and I liked them, too".

Meanwhile, I do not recommend John T. Reeds Guru Review or his BS checklist. The entries are subjective at best, and misleading and irrelevant at worst. Again, for example, who cares if Bob Allen filed BK 14 years ago, or several times since? Doesn't even the Bible authorize bankruptcy as public policy in the Old Testament --- as opposed to holding debtors in prison for the remainder of their lives --- both as a testimony of mercy and grace toward those who've gotten themselves in a financial jam?

We can only hope that John T. Reed never gets himself in a crack, and asks for financial mercy. He'll get none from me, because he gives none to others, and does his best to both embarrass and humiliate those who've once, or twice, been in a ditch.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said. For more on John T. Reed's erroneous judgments about real estate "gurus" go here to find out about his totally incorrect judgment of Robert J. Abalos, who was a complete fraud and is now a disbarred lawyer: http://robertabalosrevealed.blogspot.com/

Despite the disbarment and his being provided incontestable evidence of Abalos' frauds, John T. Reed still thinks Robert J. Abalos hangs the moon! Idiot.

Anonymous said...

Good words.

Anonymous said...

Re: Doesn't even the Bible authorize bankruptcy as public policy in the Old Testament --- as opposed to holding debtors in prison for the remainder of their lives --- both as a testimony of mercy and grace toward those who've gotten themselves in a financial jam?

Where is this found? send scripture verses to kingdavidlives@gmail.com

Jay Palmquist said...

With fear of getting into a theological debate I thus submit:
Nehemiah 10:31b:
"Every seven years we will let our fields rest, and we will cancel all debts." - Contemporary English Version

Deuteronomy 15:1-2:
"Every seven years you must announce, "The LORD says loans do not need to be paid back." Then if you have loaned money to another Israelite, you can no longer ask for payment. - Contemporary English Version

"At the end of every seventh year you must cancel your debts. This is how it must be done. Creditors must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the LORD's time of release has arrived. - New Living Translation

Agent86 said...

Nice post
It's sort of funny but really more sad about this subject.

I see so many people who bash others all over the net. They spend their whole lives trying to crush all that oppose them or disagree with them.
Sadly much of the information they may post could even be at times actual text quotes from the person their bashing, however it's always mis-understood or completely taken out of context. Do they do that diliberately. Well I think that some do, but many are just confused and why are they so confused to the point that they have to create large massive website with zillions of links of information to crush those the oppose them.
Well, my wife says it's probely because they have a small xxx. But I believe it's more spiritual.
They insist on having you post links to rebuttal them which they never considered that knowing the answer would not do them any good anyhow and they likely would not even accept the links you posted as any sort of fact.
They would be more honest in post that if you have any supporting evidence to rebuttal me and links please don't post them because I'm not going to accept your answer anyhow.
I find this that many may be right about a lot of things thus supporting what they may be thinking or at least leading them to think they are right which helps to enforce their own opinion that they know what they are talking about.However, without a real spiritual discernment they will never know that they can never be right.
Discernment comes from God knowing right from wrong, and many believe they are right about a lot of things and that their way of thinking is right. Only until they enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ will they then see that their way of thinking is not right. And only God can break the yolk of the self righteous spirits.
This discernment comes in a relationship with Jesus Christ and cannot be found anywhere else.
There are other levels of discernment that come from some levels of experience too but thats not the same as spiritual discernment at all.
It's like love if you have never know what this feels like you cannot really describe it. The finding of the One and only True God can also not really be described, however all are real and can be found if people look. The problem is the don't want to look because they think they know everything. So if anyone opposes them they seek to destroy them. I don't understand how they can think this is right ? I would never want to deliberately cause harm to someone or to destroy them or their reputation simply because I don't agree with them.
Well thats all I know , nice thread and excellent post

Agent86 said...

Forgot to mention I agree with the original poster about John T. Reed being way off on most of the things on his site especially when it some to bashing others to sell his product etc.
Sorry for the long winded post previously but just wanted to express that this is where my previous post was replying to as well.

Agent86 said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jay Palmquist said...

Removed accidental duplicate post.

Jay Palmquist said...

Steve,

Thank you for the thoughtful post. I agree with you.