OK guys - no midweek game and boring time on here until the weekend comes around again - let's see who's out there. 
Luck/opportunity, call it what you will comes along now and again. It's not about taking advantage of anybody, it's just the way things pan out.
Back in the mid 80's I was doing OK as a contracting spark travelling around for the work. Although away from home a lot, I happened to be in Bridgend one weekend when I met my accountant by chance in the town. Amongst other things he mentioned that a mutual acquaintance whose small business he also accounted for had had enough and wanted to get out. He had a small business premises on the market and was asking £40K for it (a lot of money at the time).
He told me the guy wanted to draw a line under things and pack it in. As my accountant, he was aware I had some capital available and suggested I made him an offer that would suit both me and him. Although I didn't want the premises for myself, I had a look and offered £34K for a quick cash deal which he accepted. I spent a few weeks and a couple of grand putting someone in to demolish and clear the site. Another grand went on a local architect to bang in a planning application for two pairs of semis and got it approved. I decided to sit on it and headed back to Hull where I was contracted at the time and put it on the back burner for the future.
Not much more than a year or so later I got a phone call from my accountant asking me how much I thought the land might be worth. He said there were a number of development companies from up country (London in the main) sniffing around locally for small parcels of land with planning consent. He suggested I asked a local agent we both knew to tout it around.
I had another phone call barely days later from the agent which blew me away. He had someone willing to pay £110,000 for it but told me not to accept.
He came back the next day and said he'd got them up to £120,000 and told me to take it - you know I always do as I'm told.....
I used the proceeds to come home later and set up locally rather than chasing the dollar wherever it happened to be at the time. Sold out myself now about 5 years back but often wonder what if that chance meeting with my accountant in the mid 80's hadn't happened - right place, right time?
Other than winning the lottery, anyone else had that little bit of luck (good fortune) that resulted in a difference in your life?
Luck/opportunity, call it what you will comes along now and again. It's not about taking advantage of anybody, it's just the way things pan out.
Back in the mid 80's I was doing OK as a contracting spark travelling around for the work. Although away from home a lot, I happened to be in Bridgend one weekend when I met my accountant by chance in the town. Amongst other things he mentioned that a mutual acquaintance whose small business he also accounted for had had enough and wanted to get out. He had a small business premises on the market and was asking £40K for it (a lot of money at the time).
He told me the guy wanted to draw a line under things and pack it in. As my accountant, he was aware I had some capital available and suggested I made him an offer that would suit both me and him. Although I didn't want the premises for myself, I had a look and offered £34K for a quick cash deal which he accepted. I spent a few weeks and a couple of grand putting someone in to demolish and clear the site. Another grand went on a local architect to bang in a planning application for two pairs of semis and got it approved. I decided to sit on it and headed back to Hull where I was contracted at the time and put it on the back burner for the future.
Not much more than a year or so later I got a phone call from my accountant asking me how much I thought the land might be worth. He said there were a number of development companies from up country (London in the main) sniffing around locally for small parcels of land with planning consent. He suggested I asked a local agent we both knew to tout it around.
I had another phone call barely days later from the agent which blew me away. He had someone willing to pay £110,000 for it but told me not to accept.
He came back the next day and said he'd got them up to £120,000 and told me to take it - you know I always do as I'm told.....I used the proceeds to come home later and set up locally rather than chasing the dollar wherever it happened to be at the time. Sold out myself now about 5 years back but often wonder what if that chance meeting with my accountant in the mid 80's hadn't happened - right place, right time?
Other than winning the lottery, anyone else had that little bit of luck (good fortune) that resulted in a difference in your life?
