Most people don't know this, but before I founded Local Home Buyers USA and built PropTechUSA.ai, I spent time in juvenile detention. No college. Got my GED in alternative school. The kind of background that usually doesn't end up building tech companies.
But here I am. And I've been sitting on stories for years that I think need to be told.
Today, I'm announcing the launch of my author website and a lineup of books that span everything from AI coding to industry exposés to fiction. Some are technical. Some are deeply personal. One's about a kid who can turn invisible.
Let me explain.
Why I'm Writing About the "We Buy Houses" Industry
I worked inside this industry for four years. I know how the sausage gets made. I've seen the scripts. I've heard the justifications. I've watched good people convince themselves that lowballing a widow on her dead husband's house is just "business."
It's not.
That's why I built Local Home Buyers USA differently. We operate on a transparency-first model. We show sellers exactly how we calculate offers. We explain what a novation is. We don't pretend to be something we're not.
And now I'm writing the book that explains all of it.
Coming February 20, 2026
The Founder's Stack
From Juvenile Detention to Exposing a Predatory Industry
Four years inside the "we buy houses" world. The scripts they use. The psychology behind the pitch. How acquisition managers target desperate sellers. And how I decided to build something better.
This isn't a takedown piece. It's a blueprint for doing things differently.
Pre-Order Signed Copy →Teaching People to Code (Without the BS)
Here's something else most people don't know: I taught myself to code in 2024. No bootcamp. No CS degree. I used Claude AI to build everything—custom CRMs, API integrations, valuation engines, the entire PropTechUSA.ai platform.
When I tell people this, they don't believe me. They think you need years of experience to build real software. You don't. You need the right approach.
So I wrote a book about it.
Coding with Claude
The beginner's guide to building real programs with AI. No syntax memorization. No boring tutorials. Just you, an AI, and working code.
The Claude Command Series
Two books that take you from zero to building enterprise systems. Databases, APIs, Stripe payments, cloud deployment—everything I learned building PropTechUSA.
These books aren't theoretical. Every example comes from real projects I've shipped. The code works because I use it every day.
And Yes, There's Fiction Too
Not everything I write is about business or tech. I've had a story stuck in my head for years about a kid who discovers he can turn invisible. It's YA fiction—the kind of book I would have loved as a kid who never quite fit in.
The Invisible Boy: The Unseen Order
Nine-year-old Danny Owens can disappear. Literally. The first book in a supernatural series about a boy who never fit in—until he discovered why.
It's a departure from my usual work. But that's kind of the point. I'm not just one thing.
Why This Matters for Local Home Buyers USA
You might be wondering what books have to do with a real estate company.
Everything.
The whole reason I started Local Home Buyers USA was because the industry needed someone willing to do things transparently. The Founder's Stack is that philosophy in book form. It's the same reason we show sellers exactly how we calculate offers. The same reason we built technology to make the process clearer, not more confusing.
If you've ever wondered why we do business differently, that book will explain it.
Where to Find the Books
Everything is available at justinerickson.co—my new author site. You can:
- Pre-order signed paperback copies (with personalized messages)
- Get Kindle editions through Amazon
- Chat with an AI version of me that can answer questions about the books
- Sign up for release announcements
If you're a seller who's worked with us, a tech founder trying to figure out AI development, or just someone who likes stories about kids with superpowers—there's something there for you.
What's Next
I'll be sharing more about each book as we get closer to launch. If you want updates, you can subscribe at the author site or follow along here on the Local Home Buyers USA blog.
And if you're a homeowner looking to sell—none of this changes what we do. We're still here, still transparent, still doing things the right way. Now you just know a little more about why.
—Justin