THE OPPORTUNITY I LOST, THE PAIN I FEEL.

I have heard of people missing great opportunities but I have never thought I would ever fall into that pit. At least I consider myself intelligent enough to recognize when a good opportunity stares me in the face. But it seems that in Real Estate, it's not always that way, you could be standing in front of a great deal and not know it. Well! That was my case. This situation brings to mind the popular quote that " Great opportunities are not seen with your eyes. They are seen with your mind".

Sometime ago in the mid 90s I came back from the United States to begin the process of settling down in Nigeria. I had been in the USA for more than 20yrs, though I do visit Nigeria occasionally. So I wanted to come back home and settle down with my family because I wasn't getting younger.
I have a younger brother who was and still is, into Real Estate Marketing. He would come to my house almost everyday to tell me about Real Estate investment opportunities at Lekki. He was so persistent and unyielding that I got fed up with him.

One day, just to keep my sanity, I called my friend's younger brother and we both went with him to a place called OSAPA LONDON to check on some locations. The moment we drove into the place I lose interest immediately. Everywhere was waterlogged and had thick bushes. I didn't want to alight from the car but my friend's brother persuaded me. After the brief talk from my brother about the potential of the place which was selling for about 150K (one hundred and fifty thousand naira) that time, I refused to buy the land my excuse was that the place will never develop in 20yrs and that I wouldn't want it to rain and have water drown my family. However, my friend's younger brother that accompanied me paid for a plot, a decision I assured him that he will regret later. I could afford to buy up to 3 plots then but I didn't. Instead I bought a car and a cellular phone that cost the exact amount of the land.

Fast forward to 2003 (about 8 years later), I was in the country again and my brother invited me to inspect another location. So I followed him rather unwillingly to a location at Ikota. On our way I decided to stop by at Osapa london to see the level of development at the place . I was shocked: buildings were springing up everywhere though there were still some waters here and there but the place was much developed and it was selling for abt 5 to 6million naira then. I tried to see if I can get a plot for 2m there but it was impossible. I hated myself for my lack of foresight. A land sold for 150k some years ago now I can't get for 2 million naira!!! My budget was 2M that was all I had then and that was why my brother took me to ikota. When I saw the place at ikota, it seemed alright,at least the place they wanted me to buy was not waterlogged. The only challenge then was that it was far - infact too far inside and there was bush everywhere. They ask me to pay 2m but I insisted on paying 1.5m. My brother called me later that 2m is a good deal for that location and that if I don't pay up fast I will lose the place to another person. I didn't believe him I thought he was trying to use a Marketing strategy on me so I can pay fast. Each time he calls I will ask him that have the land owner accepted 1.5m? And each time he will reply no. Later he called that someone has bought the place and I asked him to get another one for me. But he didn't call me back I guess he thought I wasn't serious.

I have settled down in Nigeria since 2008. Business is not as good as it used to for me. Financially I am not as buoyant as I used to be. Things are quite difficult now.
I hear that osapa london sells for about 80 million naira now and ikota about 40million. I can't even afford 2 million naira for a plot of land now. To think I could have own 3 plots in osapa london which would have given me the much needed fund I need for my business today and I missed the opportunity, its unthinkable!

Was I bewitched?
Was it people from my village?

In retrospect now, I understand my problem was that my mind wasn't trained to recognize opportunities. I allowed my eyes to deceive me.

The fear of losing money which make it easy for me to see problems instead of opportunities and to readily come up with excuses. I was working against my own interest and I never knew it. My inability to see the opportunities or the potential of the various places I inspected. I was only seeing the problems. Driving by those places today my heart breaks all the time. I will give anything to turn back the hand of time. I never, in my wildest imagination envisioned these places ( osapa London and ikota ) to become this expensive, how I wish I bought then...but then that opportunity is gone forever.

Dey give us zobo......
E good for hot afternoon

Real fear of losing money. My family bought one at 600k. We Sold it off at 6milkion though the value was 10 million. When people keep treating opportunities like they want to scam me this is what happens. If I ask you where that money back then you had to invest is now, I'm sure you won't be able to give account

Cc Iwanttoto nah the mindset I dey attack all along be this. Come and see this


Lands in Osapa now sells for 40 to 80 million


The opportunity is gone, reposition yourself for the future. This wan Don go Tey Tey

Wow!.
I can relate. It's very painful when you let opportunities that would have been a walk in the park slip off your fingers.

Oya o. Other people with they want to scam me mindset come and see.

This may seem like an advert (and may very well be), but it's so true and almost happened to me. Except that mine was quite recent and the land (in Ibeju Lekki) was sold out two days after I managed to get a plot for 1.5m. Now I hear that land is already twice the value of what I paid for it.

Leta take this to front page mods. This is a thread worthy of national and global audience



Cc

Dominique

MrKnowItAll

Mynd44

Lalasticlala

healthserve:
Real fear of losing money. My family bought one at 600k. We Sold it off at 6milkion though the value was 10 million. When people keep treating opportunities like they want to scam me this is what happens. If I ask you where that money back then you had to invest is now, I'm sure you won't be able to give account

Cc Iwanttoto nah the mindset I dey attack all along be this. Come and see this


Lands in Osapa now sells for 40 to 80 million


The opportunity is gone, reposition yourself for the future. This wan Don go Tey Tey

Oga sir, free me na. Haba

Iwanttoto:


Oga sir, free me na. Haba

Enjoy