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Flipping Houses for Vets!!

20 year veteran who needs a hand to start a new business and give our returning veterans a chance.

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Flipping Houses for Vets!!

Flipping Houses for Vets!!

Flipping Houses for Vets!!

Flipping Houses for Vets!!

Flipping Houses for Vets!!

20 year veteran who needs a hand to start a new business and give our returning veterans a chance.

20 year veteran who needs a hand to start a new business and give our returning veterans a chance.

20 year veteran who needs a hand to start a new business and give our returning veterans a chance.

20 year veteran who needs a hand to start a new business and give our returning veterans a chance.

Douglas Blackwood
Douglas Blackwood
Douglas Blackwood
Douglas Blackwood
1 Campaign |
New Holland, United States
$4 USD 2 backers
0% of $400,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
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OUR STORY!!

Hello!! I am Douglas Blackwood, a 52 year old veteran with 20 years of service. After retiring from the U.S. Airforce, I was fortunate to be able to transfer my service experience to civilian life but unfortunately many of our returning heroes will not have that same good fortune. Despite what the fancy recruitment ads profess a good portion of the military jobs do not have a good civilian equivalent, army infantry or armor for instance. There is also little opportunity to attend school because they are very often in the field training or sitting in the desert in some austere part of the world serving their country doing the job they were hired for.
The last 6 years of my life have not gone the best, I experienced problems with my family that led to divorce after 24 years of marriage. The same ole financially destabilizing stories that happen to separating couples happened to me and now I am stuck in what seems like a never ending rut that I continually try to crawl out of.  I could share my whole depressing story but I am not here for pity. That is not me! I was always successful, the go to guy, able to help others, myself, and most importantly take care of my family. 

My son who is in the Army now, preparing to deploy to a location in the middle east has really made me want to get out of my rut more than ever. He and I were having a conversation one day and he told me that after his 9 months in the desert are over his enlistment will be up.  His fear is that he has no idea what to do for a job when he gets out.  He is great with weapons, driving a Bradley, land navigation, etc., but how is that going to get him a job when he gets out?  His fellow soldiers have the same problem. At that moment I knew I had to help him and other returning heroes. 

I soul searched my life and examined the things I was good at, what I made money at with little effort. I used to be a licensed Realtor and have experience buying, selling, being my own project manager for hiring contractors to fix up houses to sell, obtaining building permits and scheduling the final inspections and Certificate of Occupancy. 

MAKING IT HAPPEN!!

I realized I could help myself be happy again, help my son and others at the same time. The issue with this as with all dreams of substance involve money. Unfortunately, I can not borrow enough to get started. With help from all of you I would like to- 

  • Help a small team of veterans use there benefits and go to the necessary schools to obtain their license.
  • Hire unlicensed vets to do work they are legally allowed with supervision.
  • Work with the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and other veterans groups.
  • Purchase distressed and foreclosed homes, rehab and sell.
  • Repeat.

The donations would be used to-

  • Aid the trainees with tuition and license fees as needed.
  • Pay wages.
  • Advertising.
  • Property search, down payment, closing cost.
  • Security for loans or outright purchase if deal is right.
  • Licensed contractors as needed with the ultimate goal of needing no outside help so we are a self-contained team.
  • Building permits and fees.
  • Building Materials, Landscaping.
  • Business License.
  • Realtor Fees.
  • Unexpected costs.
The real-estate market has never been more flush with properties that offer the necessary profit margins to make this type of self-sustaining business possible. I have a solid full time job so I would be able to use all donated funds toward the business and necessary training. My son already trained in leadership and management, especially small teams, would be my full time foreman. He also has experience in construction prior to going into the army. I would oversee all aspects of the business.
I hope to get more than the amount of money I have wished for. If I get less than needed I will reevaluate my plan and see if what I did receive can make me attractive enough to a lender to get traditional loans. This of course will slow down my veterans training program as there will not be funds to pay them a wage to live on and I will have to work more vets in as each house is sold.  
As many of you already know, once you start pulling down walls and pulling apart kitchens and baths surprises always appear.  The donated funds are also for these unexpected expenses. I do have 30 years experience in management between military and civilian life, have started and helped my ex-wife run a successful business since 2003, which is still doing great to this day. I have flipped houses before and am familiar with the permitting and inspection code.
Your donations will help me finally crawl out of my rut and also help our returning and current veterans who often feel lost and do not know how to get on with their lives. 
What is in it for you? The satisfaction and good feeling you get inside from knowing you helped make a difference in someones life. Kept them off the street and out of trouble. A contributing member of society.  When I used to teach kids martial arts and I was asked one day, if I got tired of putting so many hours into it because I was not making any money as most of the kids could not afford the tuition and were free,  I used to say, "If we can save just one of these kids, it is worth it."

YOUR HELP!!

Please help us today with your $1, $2, $5, $10, $25, $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1000 or more donation. Anything helps reach the goal!! Remember if you can not contribute but would like to help, share this campaign with your friends and family!!

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