Momentum Hunter LLC
Momentum Hunter LLC
The Joyful Wayfarer
Independent retail trader and founder of Momentum Hunter LLC who manages capital while traveling as a digital nomad. With 23 years of trading experience, the approach is both mechanical and discretionary. Several momentum swing trading methods based on trend are utilized as market conditions allow. Stage 2 markups and Stage 4 markdowns are the primary backdrop using a disciplined 1% risk rule per trade. The past 4 years have ably demonstrated that a self-funded account can grow substantially through disciplined focus--not luck. These blueprints represent the exact logic used to gather profits while on the road.
Life beyond the charts. Travel and adventure essays written under two pen names: Pierre De Moin and Tristan Jenevieve.
2007: The Year I Doubled My Account And (Why I Walked Away)2007 was a landmark year. It was a "sea change" in my life, marking the intersection of a 25-year career in ornamental plastering and my emergence as a retail trader.
At the time, I was a lead foreman on the Ty Warner Estate in Santa Barbara, overseeing the interior of a main house so massive it defied logic. My final project was a faceted dome ceiling in the master bathroom—a structure resting on ornate arched grills and stone columns. The project manager estimated the total cost of the estate anywhere from 125 to $250 million by construction completion.Engineering Under Pressure: The 400 lb. LessonThe logistics were the stuff of nightmares. Each faceted panel weighed 400 lbs. My biggest fear was the safety of the crew. If a panel became unwieldy during the hoist, it would crash onto the carpenters and plumbers working below.
I had to design a custom block-and-tackle system to augment the hydraulic lift. We had to "dry-fit" the entire dome—hoisting, mounting, adjusting, and removing all eight panels—before the final installation.
The Trading Parallel: That project taught me that high-stakes success isn't about "luck"; it’s about meticulous preparation and risk mitigation. If you haven't "dry-fitted" your trading plan, the market will eventually drop a 400 lb. panel on your account.Transitioning to the Screen: 100% Growth in 2007While managing that $8 million bathroom installation, I was also "engineering" my brokerage account. By the end of 2007, I had achieved 100% account growth. I did this while working full-time, placing trades on a cell phone during lunch breaks or at the end of day. My strategy was disciplined and focused.
The Universe: I strictly traded the IBD 100 Top Growth Stocks.
The Setup: I waited for elite stocks to pull back and "bounce" off the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA).
The Logic: The 50 SMA is the institutional line of demarcation. If the "big money" is defending that line, I want to be right there with them.2008: The Bear Market Reality CheckConfident from my 2007 success, I retired from plastering to trade full-time in 2008. I signed up for a day trading futures course from RS of Houston, which was marketed as "The last trading course you'll ever need." Then, the subprime financial collapse arrived.
I spent 2008 watching the market devour accounts. I was learning a complex futures methodology involving four moving averages and weekly pivot points. I was mentored by two opposites:
The Perma-Bear-- Who viewed a 12-trade losing streak as a "slump" he could power through.
The Perfectionist--Who was so afraid of the market he rarely pulled the trigger.
I finished 2008 at break-even. In a year where the S&P 500 dropped nearly 38%, break-even was a victory—but it taught me that my temperament wasn't suited for the "warfare" of day trading. I belonged on the Daily Charts.The Momentum Hunter’s Manifesto: 5 Market TruismsThese "Landmark Years" distilled my philosophy into several observations I still use at Momentum Hunter today: Winning Trades Move Immediately: If a stock doesn't "get up and go" shortly after entry, the probability of a failed trade rises.
Eliminate the "Crippling Loss": There are only three acceptable outcomes: a small loss, break-even, or a nice gain. You must surgically remove the "Big Loss" from your repertoire.
The 1% Rule: Never risk more than 1% of your total account equity on a single trade.
Flow, Don't Demand: Don't set "blind" profit targets. Let the market tell you what it’s willing to pay.
The 50/50 Coin Flip: Every individual trade is a coin flip. Your "edge" only shows up over a series of 20, 50, or 100 trades.How I Track My Edge (The 5-Point Checklist)I still record every trade in a physical spiral-bound notebook. If you want to "Be Your Own Prop Firm," you must track:
1. Ticker & Entry Price 2. Position Size (based on 1% risk) 3. The Setup Strategy (momentum entry, 50-SMA bounce, etc.) 4. Time Stop (how many days will you wait for movement?) 5. Exit Reason (did the trend break or did you hit a target?)The Modern Hunter: Evolution into 2026Trading is a game of constant evolution. While the "Sea Change" of 2007 was built on early cell phone technology and simple SMA bounces, today’s market demands a more robust technical "blueprint."
Just as I used a custom block-and-tackle system to manage those 400 lb. plaster panels, I now use a specialized suite of tools on Trading View. I’ve replaced manual searching with four custom screeners, several watchlists, and half a dozen charting templates, each designed to identify a specific type of market "structure."Case Study: Shorting the 2026 Homebuilders (LEN & KBH)In 2007, I was buying the 50 SMA. Today, I am using it as a "Ceiling of Resistance." In May of 2026, my system identified a high-probability short entry in the homebuilder sector, specifically Lennar (LEN) and KB Homes (KBH).
Success in these trades isn't based on a "hunch"—it is a result of Confluence. Here is the 5-point checklist I used to enter KBH at today's close:
The 50 SMA Fail: Price rallied into the 50-day Simple Moving Average but lacked the "buying power" to break through. This indicated that institutions were using the rally to sell their positions. Half Trend Confirmation: The price closed decisively below the Red Half Trend line, signaling that the immediate trend had shifted from bullish to bearish. 9-Period ROC (Rate of Change): The ROC closed below the zero line and is trending lower, confirming that the "velocity" of the move is now in favor of the bears.
The ADX Filter: With an ADX > 20, the market isn't just drifting; it is entering a "Trending Phase."
The Vortex Cross: The Red Vortex line crossed above the Blue Positive line, a definitive signal that downward momentum has overtaken the bulls.Precision Over PredictionMy current short in LEN is already up +5.3% in just three days. By using a few tools to define my "walls," I know exactly where my risk lies. Much like that $8 million master bathroom, a trading account is a delicate structure. One "heavy panel" (a big loss) can ruin the entire project.
By combining the discipline of the 1% Risk Rule with the precision of modern indicators like the Half Trend and Vortex, I no longer have to wake up in a "cold sweat" over market volatility.
LEN / KBH
Legal disclaimer: Momentum Hunter LLC provides educational tools for informational purposes only. Trading involves significant risk. Always consult a professional. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Hypothetical or simulated performance results have certain inherent limitations. Unlike an actual performance record, simulated results do not represent actual trading. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown.
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