The Financial Analysis Guy

VEGAS REAL ESTATE GUY

This just in…all new blogging from Kevin Bushbaker will now be located at two different blog sites.  All professional blogging from me will now be located at the wonderful www.VegasRealEstateGuy.com blog.  This new site will be dedicated to every Las Vegas Real Estate and other fun Las Vegas things.  Since I am an investor and specialize all my real estate work as a professional with the investment community, it will definitely have this slant.

Also, since I am a financial analyst by trade and education, you will see tons of this type of analysis as it relates to not only Las Vegas real estate investments, but all real estate in general.  Yes, real estate is indeed local, but investing in real estate is universal, global or whatever you want to call it.  But how your look at an investment is the same in real estate, as is the stock market, as is bonds or debt instruments, as is a business investment.  It comes down to how much return you want on your capital invested for the amount of risk you are willing to take.  It is that simple.

Since I am a real estate professional in Las Vegas and know as much about land and investing in real estate as anyone, I thought it was important to focus my blogging efforts on this niche.  It will not be as “nichy” as some of the other local real estate blogs out there, but it will definitely focus the efforts more than the Financial Analysis Guy blog towards my true profession at the moment – Las Vegas real estate investments.

This new site will also possess a bunch of fun loving tiff’s and musings on Las Vegas in general.  Look, if you have ever been here to visit, which I am sure almost everyone has, you know how crazy it can get here if you simply let your guard down for a few days.  Not only how crazy it can get, but just the shear amount to do in Vegas while traveling here or actually living here, can send most people of the “over-stimulated” edge.  Not that there is anything wrong with in Vegas – matter of fact, if that doesn’t happen to you at least once while you are here, you are not trying hard enough.

BUSHBAKER

From a more personal perspective on life, visit my namesake blog site www.bushbaker.com.  This one is really going to be fun.  My wife, Gail, will do her best to post when she can, but it will mostly be my own drivel and musings.  This site will be a personal blog that focuses in on the Bushbaker household here in Las Vegas. 

Some of the main areas of blogging focus will be:

1.      Our amazing new little boy, Jackson Daniel Bushbaker – recently adopted April 2, 2008

2.      Our thriving craigslist business and ebay business

3.      What is happening around the household

4.      Personal finance and increasing our net worth

5.      Kevin’s undying efforts to de-clutter his life

6.      What it is like to live in Las Vegas

7.      Hopefully visiting with as many of you as we can while you are in town

8.      Running, biking and hiking around the southwest

9.      Roadtrips to Southern California to visit the beach (I am water and wind – Gail is Earth and Fire and I need, not want, but NEED to visit the ocean several times a year)

10. What it was like growing up, living, loving, having all my friends and family, back in my hometown, Detroit, Michigan - I love Detroit, but what a mess right now!!!

11.   Whatever else comes to mind

The Bushbaker blog site is selfish…no doubt.  I want to learn as much as I can about myself and where I am going in life by reflecting on my observations and writings.  I want to learn to write better and get feedback on it.  If I can get readers to read and comment, I will learn and hopefully provide better content.  It is all about having an open discussion on topics.  I WANT everyone’s feedback and comments on things.  If I am all wet on a topic and you need to correct me…do it.  If you completely agree and want to comment…do that too.  If you want a chance to be a guest writer, then send me an email…I want you there.  I need to learn and be educated so I can teach the prodigy, Jackson, all about what to do in life and what not to do.

GOODBYE FAG

No…No…No…this is not a bigoted comment or fun British slur.   The Financial Analysis Guy (FAG) is going away because it did not capture a few very important things in my writing.  The first is the fact that I am indeed a real estate professional first (for now at least) and financial analyst second.  I use financial analysis in everything I do and will continue to do so for my real estate investing clients.  This is my competitive edge and will continue to exploit this to my advantage.  However, being real estate professional means talking about anything and everything real estate.  Since I am here in Vegas, and investing in other southwestern states as well, I need to focus those efforts in real estate first……analysis second. 

Also, and this is very important, I want readers and others to see the personal side of me and our journey of being parents with our new adopted son, Jackson Daniel.  I wanted to write about both, but completely not confuse readers that may have interest one, but not the other.   I love getting feedback and this is some I got from the most important person I could think of, my wife, Gail.  She is my heart and soul.  I am the analytical guy and she is the emotional rock in our lives.

So, feel free to visit our two new blogs, read away, comment, criticize me (but not others on the site) and just have fun with it.  I know I will.

Kevin

The local rag here in Las Vegas called The Las Vegas Review Journalis an “OK” paper.  They are definitely right leaning and do a pretty good job on reporting the news - regardless of their political viewpoints.

Every year, like most local papers, they do an online poll for “The Best Of” in that metropolitan.  The LVRJ does a descent job of this but sometimes they miss the mark completely.  If you are local like me, you have your own hotspots you like to frequent.   I strongly encourage anyone coming to visit Vegas or who has just moved here to read this Review Journal article.

They even do a Razzie-type thing of the Best of the Worst.  This is actually really cool.  In this town, the press is part of the show and when you see someones face over and over again for the same things, you know that this list was needed.  Our good friend Oscar Goodman, Las Vegas’ Mayor, made the list once again, but I don’t fault him for it.  He is so freaking good for this city it is amazing.  I love what he has done and what he brings.

Now, on the list itself, they have some celebrity type folks that give their favorite places.  This is OK, but take their information with a grain of salt.  They are just one person’s opinion and some of these folks are transient in nature due to their jobs. 

I was really bummed not to see my two favorite pubs in Vegas.  One is a chain and you have all heard of it - Gordon Biersch.  I have been to almost every GB in the nation and this one takes the cake.  This one is not like any of the others.  If you are a local, or a visitor, go see Kala and Billy “The A-Team” on Wednesday or Thursday nights.  They are the absolute BEST in town.  They have the most amazing Southwestern Egg Rolls.  Enjoy a Heff with lemon or skip it and go straight for their flagship beer, Marzen.  Can’t go wrong with any of em.

The other is a genuine British Pub that made the list some time ago - The Crown and Anchor.  This place is rough around the edges - just like a British Pub ought to be.  They have all the soccer (or football everywhere else) matches and have genuine English food.  They make some of the best Yorkshire Pudding around.  Enjoy your favorite beer (Guinness, Bass or Boddington’s for me), take in a football match, and maybe even try some of the famous Snake Bite.  Great stuff.  And yes, if you are Brit coming to town, you will feel right at home.  Almost every British native in town ends up here at some point during the week.

On all of the other stuff on their list, you can’t go wrong with it.  There is always something to do in Vegas.  From world-class clubbing on The Strip, to outdoor activities, to top-notch shows for every genre - this place never sleeps and you can get pretty much anything you want here, literally.