BTW the PH & ATI D chart you show from qcharts looks exhausted for a PUT. It’s big sign shows DMI starting to move up. So are you saying on your practice trades you would trade puts as it moves up because historically it fell more? I think we will definitely know within two weeks if the market is going up or down (or at least we think we think). But your D chart shows it laying on the BB’s. I just wouldn’t be in Puts only there was long-term bad news on the stocks and I practicing it as if I know nothing about it – just technical.

12/22/11
sold ATI 43 JAN Calls @ 5.60 (+2.00 or 85%)
if you sold your puts I believe Monday/Tuesday you should have been profitable but since down -2.00 it has gained +5.00 so I’d assume it’s trend will follow what I thought and now move up again.
Bought QQQ FEB 54 Calls @ 2.89
price $55.50 (mid-day expect it to continue uptrend – market is up trending for the week)
Bought AAPL FEB 395 Calls @ $21.15 – christmas rally (moving qqq’s) apple has moved 20 pts in last 3 days and expect it to continue up to friday likely get out today or tomorrow morning – with this big move apple has actually broken a major daily downtrend with a big green candle

12/29/11 – end of christmas rally 2011
Sold QQQ FEB 54 Calls @ $3.15 (+.26 up 8%)
Sold AAPL FEB 395 Calls @ 24.70 (+3.60 up 15%)
Sold PH JAN 70 Calls @ 7.40 (+.40 up 5%)
Christmas rally for end of Dec 11′ has been good. However PH seems weak and not moving with tech.
From what I’ve watched all of NAS has moved into the positive. Tech sales are up.
Currently I’m 5/0 (win/lose trades and up a total of 113%) Post some practice trades. I’ll post new ones after new year.

1/4/12
I think I’m going to practice two specific stocks because I think their stories will do them justice soon.
First EA due to a new line of games that are selling extremely well, significantly the Madden 12′ game. It’s at a low and also being advertised to the public on CNBC with a high upside potential. Second, EBAY, due to the changing of its ecommerce site. It has changed a lot. Now there are more options to sell online in which it can be auction, buy now, rerserve, and online store (with longer amounts to sell a product). This increases the amount of sellers (buyers). It’s also at a low and “sold” to the public with upside. I think there is. I’ll put up some practice trades soon. I brought up two trading books you should read.

1/6/12 – second week jan. practice trades after christmas rally
The NAS January Barometer is positive. The first 5 days of the year were up in NAS. I compared AAPL with other big NAS stocks like NFLX, GOOG, PCLN, and AMZN and all are up at least +1% for the first five days. NFLX up the most +25% from better-than-expected streaming services – basically more people are renting from them again but for online services. They also are going to be producing their own $100 million series of shows + NFLX has been down 60% after the customer drop in Sept. So this is big news and a reason why it is being bought up again. It has earnings this month. Play CLOSE ATTENTION to the NFLX and AMZN chart since they have the most to gain being positive for the first 5 days in January. If investors psychologically see gains they could be pototential 100% gains – NFLX has already moved 25% in upside movement. AMZN’s daily chart shows a beginning uptrend into Jan. I’m doing a real $200 trade on NFLX into earnings. I also suggest we switching to my blog. I can change the settings to private like this if you prefer because when I post a chart here it just updates. Plus you can’t actively search old trades. I can’t say search on this page “aapl” and all my aapl trades come up. This is really useful if you actually journal your trades so you can see all your past practice trades. I’ll create you a private login and post it here.
See link http://www.cnbc…xt%7C&par=yahoo

Here are my practice trades for second week of Jan 1/6/12′:
Buy QQQ FEB 55 CALL @ $3.41
Buy AAPL FEB 420 CALL @ $18.25
Buy NFLX FEB 85 CALL @ $10.00 (play – earnings is Jan 25th)
Buy AMZN FEB 180 CALL @ $12.25
Buy GOOG FEB 655 PUT @ $28.00 (received downgrade and has fell thur-fri so I expect it to continue the trend monday)
Buy PCLN FEB 480 CALL @ $22.40 (play – earnings is Feb 20th)
Buy GT FEB 20 CALL @ $3.10 (play – earnings is Feb 20th – plus GM is in the Top 5 stock picks for 2012 on CNBC which should increase buying)
Buy EA FEB 18 CALL @ $2.26 (play – earnings is Jan 30th – plus chistmas gift money will go into buying games post-christmas on earnings)
Buy EBAY FEB 30 CALL @ $1.82 (play – earnings is Jan 18th – plus post-christmas buying with gift money)

1/9/12 – first year real money trade
REAL MONEY TRADE: Bought NFLX JAN 105 CALL @ $1.42 (around $92 stock price at 11 AM) I know it is out of the money but my reasoning is that I only had $198 in my account. I wanted to buy FEB 90 Calls. Netflix going into the Europe markets is a big deal and the charts back it up. The chart seriously at least tell me that soon NFLX is poised to pop high I think in the 120′s possibly by earnings if investors back the CEO. They compare NFLX now to how AMZN invested heavily into its worldly infrastructure, however, AMZN if it was able to get all the movie/tv libraries would likely put NFLX out of business. I think what NFLX really has is that it is the big dog in its niche market of online streaming/dvd. Currently it is the biggest and it wants to be the Amazon of movies/tv/possible future of TV on your computer/new TV’s. So while this news is big I’m playing it and its upcomming earnings + the technicals look very good (so far). My option within the first 3 hours is up 100% @ $2.73. My sell target is no later than this Friday. BTW GOOG also continued its trend over the weekend as I thought it would. My short is up big. Post your practice trades. We lost our competition but we have a whole new year to try again.

1/13/12
OUCHIE. someone in GS just took a hit today! And I told myself to sell out of my NFLX calls by Friday (today), however, it dropped for the 2 past days. Within the first 3 hours on Monday I was up 100%. I’m officially retarded. I might break-even selling now. My calls expire on earnings. I’m staying in until Monday. I’m worst then retarded for creating dumb rules like, “wait until friday to move higher” when I could of took a fat profit for a first confidence intuitive trade of the new year. Damn.

practice trades for 1/6/12 out today. Market looks to further fall through the weekend. All of these trades worked if I would of have sold on monday 1/9/12 but tue on the market fell.
Sell QQQ FEB 55 CALL @ $3.35 -0%
Sell AAPL FEB 420 CALL @ $15.95 -20%
Sell NFLX FEB 85 CALL @ $15.90 +60%
Sell AMZN FEB 180 CALL @ $7.25 -25%
Sell GOOG FEB 655 PUT @ $39.70 +30%
Sell PCLN FEB 480 CALL @ $16.20 -30%
Sell GT FEB 11 CALL @ $2.85 -10%
Sell EA FEB 18 CALL @ $1.35 -40%
Sell EBAY FEB 30 CALL @ $1.92 +5%

Up over 200% total avg. selling monday 1/6/12
Down -20% total avg. selling friday 1/13/12

For November, by chance, I came across this NanoWriMo.org novel challenge to write 50,000 words in 31 days for the month of November. How I come across these random things I end up applying myself to fully still seem to boggle my mind. However, I completed my 50,000 words in 28 days. I’m officially a NanoWriMo 2011 Winnter, well, for myself. It made me start actually believing I’m a writer. Ha Ha Ha. I’m also writing my postgraduate critical essays plus having to complete a 90+ page feature film script. All my professors ask me, “what about your school work? your reading?”, come on! I guess this where school and business get mixed up in my life. I personally would think it’s more valued and important to have a novel/non-fiction piece under your belt then write a dumb critical essay no one is ever going to see or is marketable as a product to sell! So now I have around 60 mini chapters of the most life changing pivotal points of my life completely typed out. It’s quite an accomplishment. I hope to turn it into fiction based book where the used can choose their own adventure within my life and possibly I might even offer some non-grim positive outcomes. I made it a goal to write 10,000 – 20,000 words a month for the next 6 months until I finish school. Why? I don’t know why. Scholars saying writing more each month makes you a better writer. I want to be a better writer because I’m usually, well, confusing to the crowd. For instance, I rarely get readers that realize I’m broke. Ha Ha Ha. Well, more like Donald Trump bankrupt broke.

Okay, earlier in September 2011 my sister and I made a stock market trading competition with each other. I’m pretty sure she has won although she hasn’t talked to me. This brings me to conclusion that she has money still remaining in her account, however, she likely has still lost a lot of money. I on the other hand have lost my entire account once again. Well, I still have around $300 in an option in Sprint (S) in the money that expires in Jan 12′. That was a stupid trade. I’m glad I’m not a financial stock advisor. I’m not saying all my trades have been bad but just enough to continually wipe me out of existence. I told my sister we both need another extended break from Mr. Market. Take off a year and then come back with a different outlook. If you are doing horribly and can’t trade worth shit you should consider this as well. Practice and research makes perfect right? Hardly in these strange changing markets (at least recently after 2008).
There are still patterns. It’s Election Year. I was 100% wrong about the rally going up in November. It just went sideways and fell. My QQQ option hit 100% on a few days but not enough for me to get out. Well, now its worth $0. My goal was QQQ to go over $60. It never did. It hit $59 but kept falling to 56/57 dollars. I wanted to hit myself with a frying pan every time it dropped because my intuition said it would jump again. I just kept missing opportunity after opportunity. I have no excuses. I give none. I just bombed on the trade. I sky dived, had a perfectly good parachute, and ripped it half way through the trade because #1 I was desperate for a big winning trade #2 I didn’t get out when I felt the stock wasn’t moving the way I planned #3 I bought into way out of the money options #4 number #3 broke every rule in the book!

cheers, Paul

NanoWriMo Stats:

If you look at the technicals either the market is losing steam or its falling back to move only higher. Although, with todays -3% plunge dropped for nothing really. Sure, Europe is dying, but this has been a known fact for months. We know Greece and Italy have money problems. Do American investors really care about Europe? NO! They care about their homes, cars, college education, and fast food. Who doesn’t have money problems. If investing is going more towards short trades instead of buy and hold then this type of actions and constant changing movements is going to drive me nuts. It’s great if you can day trade it being in and out within 2 market days. But if you just want to catch a movement and wait for the trade to line up and BANG! Too late. You missed the trade and it took your money. Well, that’s how I feel right now. All I can tell myself to do is START practicing again, practice these short bursts of constant mini fall and jumping rallies, and then once I can just watch the markets during the day trade with confidence (unless the markets change again).

So I somehow stumbled upon NanoWriMo which is the yearly Novel writing quest for the month of November. Basically you try to write 50,000 words in 29 days and whatever comes out of that. I’ve had a funny business book idea for awhile so I’m trying my best to type it all up and get it published for young adult entrepreneurs. It is going to be a cartoon-comic styled storytelling novel of my complete chaos and future fictional success.

For more information check out http://www.nanowrimo.org/

Sometimes I think I am dreadfully depressed. With this thought I really want medically marijuana just to get high and laugh really hard at sitcoms and comedy movies being fuzzy and high. However, I don’t live in California and I really don’t have any great weed hookups anywhere. I’m not even a pothead. I suppose I’d prefer natural high over medications that have a list of side effects just to make you less depressed.

I find myself to level headed to consider myself a depressed person. You see, that is the problem. When you are not either or you are in a constant dilemma with your mood. Sometimes I just want to shout, “Someone help me! Someone hug me! Fuck me! Be my friend and hangout with me!” blah blah blah. I’m sure you have been there. I dread being so lonely and unexcited about my environment that is suppose to be so exciting told to me by everyone that learns of the position I put myself in.

I’ve thought about suicide. I’m a complete ultimate fiasco of a failure by any American success story. I suppose since I was brought up Catholic and all I know of the more spiritual world and reincarnation is that is suicide really worth it? I really don’t want to goto purgatory and be stuck in my current thoughts. I also don’t want to be reincarnated as a mentally challenged, disabled, or bug. No thanks. I want to die being free and maybe just get to chill out for a few centuries with some hot babes that are angels. I thought if I did just end this silly life I’d do it by sky diving. I have a fear of heights, but it would be pretty almost to fly and drop down for a few minutes before I flattened myself like a pancake.

But I must get it together. I must finish my writing, a film or two, continue to trade the stock market, and continue to go mad going after the American dream I’ve been brainwashed so well with growing up watching Saturday morning cartoons. I don’t know it just might be Scotland weather…

Currently in the competition I’m down -50% in my QQQ and S trades. I bought so out of the money expecting the early rally in October to continue but it never did. Well it has but more less gone sideways. I really see the QQQ hitting $60 so I ridiculously bought Nov 63 Calls for $.09 trying to make a small fortune within 2 months. So only time will tell if my options hit between $.50 – 1.00 which is my target sell price. Sprint (S) is going through hard times but I really think opening it up to selling iPhones might get more traffic through their stores and since they are in every RadioShack it gives them double the exposure. You know they were the first to come out with 3G and 4G. I don’t think the company gets enough credit. So far the stock after I purchased Jan 2.50 Calls has been rather soft and bad news/negative news has come in. I usually NEVER purchase a stock under $20. It seems anything under this price moves like a snail and just has problems politically or financially within the company. However, I figured if the QQQ and DOW would move up than S should move along up with it. I don’t plan to make a killing out of it. I have 3 months to be right or lose $700 in the trade.

I hope my big sister doesn’t give up trading. When we started learning together we were told its about trading a lifetime. However, for most normal people trading a lifetime if you aren’t making money will basically ruin your life. It sure has ruined mine. I think I have over $40,000 in student loans I traded and ended up being at a loss. But fuck it. I’m going to show all you fuckers I can beat this game if it’s the last thing I do alive – of course if I die then I got beat. I trade with less now. I’m not going to make my 8 years of trading and paying my market tuition go to waste.

However, this is what strikes me curious – If Europeans are paid fair wages and you aren’t suppose to tip them then how come the majority of our servers came across as dulled by their job? Most people despise their jobs anyway, but it shows that a more capitalistic culture works even when working on tips. You are forced to smile so much you can fake your happiness into collecting more gratuity.

London, England was much like New York City but without the mass landscape of towering buildings. I enjoyed the simple plain colorful housing in Germany and England. It’s too bad American builders are so cheap and short thinking. I do believe in building to last generations. I suppose American culture/history just doesn’t run deep enough except in historical cities where some buildings have lasted due to founding settlers being European with this mindset.

Another very notable thing I saw was the cleanliness and enforcement to recycle everywhere. It was impressive. I suppose when you are forced to be a large number of people in a smaller amount of space you must not waste and keep your space clean.

On a personal note with the 30+ MBA students I went with I felt rather distant myself from the other students. Loneliness haunts me. One thought that kept coming to me is to stick with my trading. I need to work harder on it. I really wanted to sit in those first class lazy boy seats on the airline. Trading is the only thing I’d say I enjoy and stays fresh – I just need to work hard and get a bit lucky.

Me grasping the bull at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange

Paul Phillip

Paul Phillip Copyright April 2011 – All Rights Reserved.
Request if you want to use it in your business presentation – FREE to repost on blogs or business sites as long as you have a link back to this page or http://www.paul-phillip.com

Thanks, Paul

End of 2009:
Invested in a media company $14,000 cash + credit
Got used, Got kicked out now $14,000 is worth around $4,000 cash
Purchased used VW Jetta for $8500 cash
1 month later VW Jetta timing belt blew at 70mph – cost $6500 cash
Landed in jail 2010 New Years night for throwing large party
I ended up losing around $4,000 on (renovating business, warehouse, labor)
Landlord kicks my business out —> move to NYC for new start

End of 2010:
Moved to NYC with no savings left to go to school
Over $10,000 in credit racked up in first 4 months
Over $20,000 in credit racked up over entire year
Lost $2,000 in stock market losses (basically my entire account)

Begin 2011:
Positives. Wasn’t thrown in jail for New Years.
Currently have around $25,000 in credit card debt
My OptionsXpress account holds $191 left to trade
No luck in finding a cheap place to buy in Jersey City
Still have not produced one web show
Very creatively unmotivated and depressed
I definitely need help “all around”

2011 Goals!

Well for starters to save more monthly to pay off my debt.
I actually took out a student loan to build up my trading account. Yes I know it sounds stupid but
I need capital to offset risk. I have to admit it’s rather hard trading $500 when it’s the entire account unlike
it’s 10% of $5,000. My goal even with debt is to create an account of at least $20,000. Then I could just trade 5% of my account at a single time. Sometimes I will be wrong and I understand that but if I’m trading my entire account then I’m pretty much have to start all over again. I want to make a profit this year. Not that I didn’t want to make a profit the previous year or all the years before it but definitely a profit even if small would be nice.
I want to trade January. Looks like stocks are going to crash and burn from their highs. I want to be there and earn off the falls. That is my first primary goal. Another goal is to keep my GPA up for my MBA, pass all my classes, and make good friendships with my classmates. They seem nice and forgiving for once. That’s about it for now.
I tried to convince my family to start a LLP Investment Trust but they still weren’t interested. I still think grouping together 5-10 people putting in $1-2k each would lower the risk if everyone student the same 2-3 stocks. I think the experience and knowledge would increase and so would the profitability, but no one listens to a loser. I need to get on the winning side of the trade to prove I can do it consistently.

I delivered pizzas for 3 years and my customer service was better then this. Isn’t it the goal for Fedex, UPS, and USPS to complete the mission? Delivery the mail? Seems USPS is the only one who can continually complete the job. Fire your horrible brooklyn drivers and hire me! I’ll use my personal cell to call all my customers so they get their package on time instead of days later! I care.

First the UPS woman that answers my initial call to request to pick it up was rude. I asked her maybe a dumb question, but a smart one for me because it was pitch dark out and the area where I had to go was unknown and towards where my friends that live there tell me is a ruff area. I ask her if the area is safe at night? She gets an attitude with me while I’m being completely professional and polite. She either could of said I don’t know, yes, no, or it is well lit in a commercial area. Hell, I didn’t know! If she was in a UPS call center in the area she must of lived there and got upset by my question and took it personal. I told her I’d come get it and she told me it would be available 8:30-10. Then I asked do you mean 8:30-10am or pm? She did not specify and then became more rude. I felt like what did I do? I’m just calling to inquire about my UPS package with only 2 questions so far with simple answers.

Next I get on the subways to go there. Two trains. I mistakenly took one too far which ended up making the trip an hour to get there. I arrive and go into the center where a flock of people, unorganized, with 2 men behind the counter talking to customers, seems there is an upset vibe going on, and then I see the ripped paper sign taped in 3 different places, “MUST HAVE ID AND MATCHING ADDRESS ON ID TO RECEIVE PACKAGE”. I should of just left then. The UPS customer service woman on the phone NEVER mentioned anything about bring ID or a “matching address”. Okay bringing an ID with my UPS slip made sense to confirm who I am. A state ID should be enough right? No. It is finally my turn and I tell the two men I was not told to bring proof of address. When I sign for a UPS or Fedex package I don’t have to prove I live there. I could be anyone saying yes “I’m so and so”. But here I am at the place, took the time (MY TIME) to get there and they are telling me that my Virginia state ID and two school NY ID’s plus my package receipt slip with my name printed on it is not enough and turn me away. So let me break it down I pay UPS to ship the package and even though I paid for it and have 3 ID’s because I didn’t bring my mail with me I can’t pick up a package???? Am I asked to show my mail to the UPS driver when he drops it off? Talk about being frustrated. I’ve already heard about how corporate UPS screws over its employees during the holidays because the only thing important is UPS over family, God, and personal matters. Now I fully understand why the pick up service is such assholes to its customers. Now when I choose if choice is possible I’ll stick with USPS. I usually always go with the USPS just because it is cheaper and more reliable. You pick up your package and you bring your receipt and ID. So two days later I made a second trip with my mail, passport, and ID’s. Total time to get package 2 1/2 hours of my time. What a waste.

UPS stock at $67 is actually up around 20% for the year doing well with some ups and downs. After my experience I wouldn’t consider it a long-term investing stock. As a young New Yorker I’m a person transiting. I haven’t lived in a spot more then 4 years for the past 12. I was *lucky enough to have JUST changed my bank statements to be mailed to my address because if I hadn’t I couldn’t get my package I paid for and had proof of my identity. UPS work on your customer relationship skills.

So if you are picking up your package these are THINGS YOU MUST KNOW – BEFORE YOU GO!
1. Have all your mail with you
2. Have all your ID’s with you
3. Have your UPS slip with you
4. Bring patience with you
5. Double check your Subway directions
6. Bring a good book

however i actually had a scary dream the markets crashed a huge percent and i only had the next day to get out of a call position or my account would be wiped out.

today though the markets continue to go up and i’m playing and earnings trade with Southwestern Energy (SWN) the stock has done much. it’s earnings is Oct 28th. it is actually at a 52 week low period something i did not even taken into the equation when trading it with real money. damnit. well it’s a bad sign. it has moved up 10% and going into winter it earns more money, but going into earnings this could mean the stock is weaker than i expected. i guess i’ll see this thursday.

Some stocks including your normal fast moving tech stocks GOOG, AAPL, and BIDU I’ve see really move recently are solar stocks LDK and JASO which supposedly have very profitable revenues coming up. Earnings for solar is mid-November. I have to admit the days I have gotten to watch the OEX to see it moves doesn’t really impress me for an index of $500 level. Maybe it use to move or only around really market moving events, but compared to AAPL or GOOG it doesn’t move at all.

I slept all yesterday and night so now I’m up because I have a job interview today as a baker’s assistant. It is actually what I have been seeking to learn more about cooking, but the negatives are that I’m probably going to get on $7 bucks an hour for my time. Plus what is more worrisome is that it is a Monday-Saturday 6am-2pm type job. Almost exact as my military schedule that I dreaded. I’m not much of the morning person. I need work though and I can keep practice trading around work since I can watch the markets (if I can) 2pm-4pm.

Since I’ve drowned myself in around 20k @ 28% interest of credit card debt plus the bad student loans of $45k @ 12% plus lets add on $340k @ 6% mortgage which I can’t reduce the interest rate I’d say I am fucked for awhile.

My goal if I can actually keep a job since I’ve been offered one is to pay off my credit card debt. Currently paying $800 month to credit cards just making minimum payments is heart breaking.
I know you must think I’m crazy. I am. I never had credit card debt until 2010 moving to New York City. I was broke moving here from other entrepreneurial things I tried at home. I have to admit I’ve tried probably 5 other businesses since I’ve been here (small but they add up costs). I guess putting myself into a 48 hour week job even if pays low might keep me out of spending more money on things that just never work out. I just don’t understand how such a nice guy who volunteers 20 hours a week to making other entrepreneurs and small businesses people profitable he himself can’t make a dollar and can’t get the necessary volunteer help to make his business a money maker. It’s just depressing. I was watching Maxed Out and how college kids commit suicide from racking up credit card debt. I totally agree. If you just live and going to die with money owning you there feels like no reason to live. I’ve considered bankruptcy but I just wasn’t brought up that way and I’ve worked countless years paying for shit to own my homes. If I did do bankruptcy I’d look to major real estate investments I have around $40k cash of my own money in. If I could sell them and get back my money to pay off my debt I would but markets have been just too bad. I’d lose my initial investment plus pay to sell them. No thanks.

Life is a mother fucker.

I actually know the guys and helping them come out with a fresh newer corporate site for their solar alternative energy business they are starting up. Great guys. Great website. hahaha.

-p

I think AAPL @ $264 will fall more but historically around August it will zoom past $300 into December 10′. The iPhone 4 is hot and hot drives a stock not to also mention the iPad is starting to kickass. Kicking Amazon’s ass that is.

This trade worked out well, but I’m actually earning more from this business anyone can join www.CarDataBiz.com hook up with me if you are interested. My business is booming.

-p

recently i’ve been buying up some domain names. now if i actually build and start motivating myself to run the site is another story. domain real estate prices have been going up. i’ve recently bought some ipad ones especially if there will be a ipad 2.0 in the next year domain names could be worth a lot.

-p

My pissyness is enlightened due the fact that I was volunteering for 14 hours the entire day so I didn’t get out of the trade and this bullshit falls on my lap when I check it when I get home after 10pm. Just crappy. I just don’t get Ying & Yang and balance in general. How can Google investors get such shitty karma after earnings. All I can think is that within the next few days this low dip will be bought up, but I wanted out friday. Good grief!

See my post 3 years ago talking about BIDU, GOOG, and AAPL. If anything repeats I’ll probably see some yoyo movement after Google earnings.

Also recently I did my first full length shoot of a documentary on non-profit company. Now I just have to edit it, yeah. I also need to hit the real estate firms and get some more real estate photography gigs. Lastly I put in an offer on a Virginia Beach oceanfront home and that deal is likely going to go through.

-pm

new york city real estate photographer/photography

Well today I got back from Philadelphia after my in-laws finally would leave since I was getting a ride with them back to New York City. The sister in-law was actually cooler than I thought and we got a bit drunk together so that was a bit funny too. I had a real estate photography job at noon, but wasn’t able to make it till 4pm due to normal stuff like in-laws driving, traffic, and taking the wrong subway train. When I did get to the landlords pimpin pad off 70th St in Upper West Manhattan she was happy I was still able to show up, even late. I got right at it taking tons of pictures of her two 1 bedroom vacation rentals in her five-story 1890 brownstone. I was kind of nervous due to this being my first big client getting to do some real estate photography. I was almost worried because this is Upper West Manhattan. Her place must have been worth as an asset around and no less than $5-10 million (and that’s probably a small number). The mahogany wood work was amazing.

After getting all the photography done she wanted me to edit everything on spot in her apartment, upload it, and create another profile for another rental website. I helped her do everything and by the time I was done it was around 9pm. She ended up offering my dinner and I took it. My stomach couldn’t stop growling. I was basically tutoring her for almost 2 hours. It was rather chill. I kind of expected a more snobby preppy white woman from the name and sound of her voice, but she was a chinese immigrant who spoke excellent english, semi-retired after being in the banking industry, and received her parents apartment building. She was actually really laid back and really open or maybe I’m more charming then I give myself credit for. She actually told me a lot and it really gave me a good perspective on landlords with very expensive real estate and the costs going with it. She recently has started making her normal long-term rentals into vacation rentals due to the prime location. The more I asked I found out she has done quite well with the switch, but its just much more work for her then she wishes.

I found even though the place is paid off the inheritance tax alone is 50% of the MARKET VALUE of it. YIKES! Talk about big monthly payments so no wonder rent is SO HIGH in that area. The city is really makes owning real estate and making it profitable (with tons of equity) a really difficult task for manhattan landlords especially. That must suck. You pay off a place, you die, it goes to your kids, and then they are stuck with a huge property tax + basically new HUGE mortgage from inheritance taxes for life since her place is in the upscale Manhattan prime prime area. I suppose when you rent a 1 bedroom 500 sqft place for $2700/month (which is low she said due to bad market conditions) you must be banking on the job and in a SUPER nice area, which the upper west side is of course. I figured if the place was fully rented it must bring in around $30,000 cashflow a month or through vacation rentals for nightly rates. She should be well off with income, but instead the taxes alone without any income in a sick and sad position, that comes off really stressful.

Between 10pm to 12am we talked about America’s government policies, healthcare, people getting fat from food, life, and how to make me make better curry dishes. She was quite charming for a baby boomer and I hope she enjoyed my inquisitive aggressive question asking personality, I mean she did buy me dinner and we drank really great white wine.

I retired after 12am because it was getting late and I had to get back to my ghetto in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. I never got to move in to the new place in Prospect heights, but I did walk away with a $250 check ($50 extra then I requested). So it felt good to have a first real pay check even if small in New York City doing something media related. Now I’ll definitely have an excellent real estate photography client references and I hope I pick up more jobs with more work examples.

I’m sure I’ll be working with this landlord again on something if not just hanging out with her offering company for some stress relieving landlord small talk.

-pm