WHAT WOULD MACGYVER DO?
We think almost all of the successful real estate investors we have met have a little “Macgyver” in their blood!
For anyone unfamiliar with the character or the expression, Macgyver was originally a TV show from 1985-1992. Then there was a re-make in 2016 (which is where my kids come into the story). The main character of the story, Macgyver, was a scientist, an engineer, an outdoorsman and had military training. Each episode was about the protagonist solving problems or mysteries in a usually non-lethal way. His main “weapons” of choice were a swiss army knife, and duct tape.
Nowadays, when we Macgyver something (yes it’s often used as a verb now), we find a simple yet elegant solution, often using existing resources in a different way. Both the current expression, and the original character, use persistence to solve an issue.
And this is where real estate investors come into our story. Don’t you wish you had one of these swiss army knives? Time, strategic thinking, listening, financing, good ol’ fashioned elbow grease, and the occasional lightbulb moment! These are perfect foundational “tools” for our investor protagonists in 2023! Would you agree?
Are we suggesting that duct tape and a swiss army knife can solve any property issue? Not likely, although we’ve seen some creative solutions in the fixer uppers we look at buying!
It’s about adapting and overcoming weird and unpredictable obstacles. Yup, that sounds like a typical day for our adventurous real estate investor!
So what’s our point today? We hear a lot of comments about “unprecedented” and “things are different these days.” We also hear a lot of people worried, stressed and even quitting the property investment strategy all together. Obstacles seem to be around every corner.
But what if we dig deeper. What if we use all the tools and resources we already have, just in a different way? We’re not trying to trivialize the real challenges out there, just to encourage more persistence. Canada desperately needs more rental housing. Despite what the media says, landlords and rental housing providers are the solution—not the problem. Those of us with a willingness to adapt, persevere and Macgyver our businesses are providing a very necessary service, and homes for our communities.
Are you up for the challenge? Do you have a little hero and a little Macgyver in your blood?
