Why do We Seek Security? (And how a Land Trust can help us find it)

By Randy Hughes,

“Mr. Land Trust”

We all want it, we all need it, and we all look for it in every aspect of our lives…security. We seek security in our relationships, in our personal lives and in our financial lives. But why? What is it about feeling “secure” that makes this emotion the base of all human needs?

Have you ever been out late at night on the streets and found yourself in fear for your life? Or, maybe you have experienced the fear of foreclosure, lawsuits, judgments, liens or financial doom? Sure, we have all felt fear in one form or another, but facing your fears and taking action to reduce or avoid fear is what a mature person does. As a parent, I know it is my job to protect my family from all threats (personal or financial).

Security is the opposite of fear. Our primal instincts teach us to fear the unknown and protect what we have. Because the loss of what we have (or will have) makes us feel insecure. Nobody likes to feel insecure. As real estate investors we think differently than the average citizen. We take on more risk to ourselves and our family for the possibility of a brighter future. Risk and security are opposites. Yet, as investors, we try to balance these two concepts to yield maximum results with minimum loss.

Finding security in your financial life will help you find security in your personal life (how many divorces result from bankruptcy or money problems?). Personal security and financial security are intertwined.

So, what does “finding security” have to do with using a Land Trust to hold title to your investment property? A lot. When you hold title to investment real estate in a Land Trust you do not own the real estate…you own the Trust.

Not holding title to your real estate in your personal name keeps you out of the public records (your Trustee’s name is in the public records instead). Ninety percent of the information gathered about you (and often used against you) is mined through the public records in your town. Always ask yourself before signing any document, “Is this going to be recorded?” And, if it is, try to find another way to proceed.

Should you use an LLC to hold title to your investment property? Absolutely NOT! Yes, I use LLC’s and they are good asset protection devices (as long as they are formed in the right state…which is not necessarily the state YOU live in or your property is located in), but LLC’s are registered with the State and are easily tracked. Putting more than one property into any entity (LLC, Corporation or Land Trust) will create a nexus for a lawsuit. Most (smart) real estate investors will title each of their properties in the name of a separate Land Trust and then make the beneficiary of the Land Trusts their LLC.

Imagine how secure you would feel if you went to bed tonight knowing that you did not “own” any real estate. There are NO benefits to owning real estate in your own personal name…only risks. If you use a Land Trust you will still receive all the same tax benefits, etc. So, if you are feeling insecure and doubtful about owning investment real estate please consider a Land Trust. To reduce the risk of owning real estate and increase your feelings of security, use a Land Trust. You (and your family) will be glad you did.

It is difficult to convey all of the benefits of using a Land Trust in a short article like this. I have been using (and writing about) Land Trusts for the last 37 years.

If you would like to learn more about how to create your own Land Trusts, for FREE training go to: www.landtrustwebinar.com/411 or email me at: [email protected] for my FREE booklet, “50 Reasons to Use a Land Trust” or contact me the old fashioned way by calling 866-696-7347 (I actually answer my  own  phone!)  Randy  Hughes,  aka, Mr. Land Trust™

Finding Residential and Commercial OPTIONS in PROBATE REAL ESTATE

By Leon McKenzie, U.S. Probate Leads

Whether you are new to the probate business or consider yourself an experienced professional, there are times when you need to take a step back and make sure that your business model isn’t missing a potentially profitable option. Probates, with their deeply discounted prices and motivated sellers, can provide opportunities that you simply can’t find elsewhere. These properties exist in a wide variety of formats, from small residential properties, to dream homes to office buildings, and even strip centers and warehouses. There are many ways to find residential and commercial options in probate real estate.

WHY CHOOSE PROBATES?

In thinking about probate real estate, it is important to understand why so many investors are now specializing in this industry. While there are many options in real estate if you choose to become an investor – everything from foreclosures to working with traditional buyers and sellers – there are few areas that offer the deeply discounted prices and flexible terms that can be found in probate work.

The selling of probate real estate and other property is handled by a court appointed representative, called an Executor. This individual can be a family member, trusted friend or professional, such as an attorney or an accountant. As part of their responsibilities, they have to find buyers for the property that was left behind by a family’s loved one. The proceeds from these sales go to not only the family members, but to pay taxes, court costs, medical bills, funeral expenses, and other items such as past due credit card charges. This property needs to be dealt with in order to pay for these financial obligations.

The process to buy or sell a probate home is much the same as many other types of properties. Brendan DeSimone said, “In a probate sale, the property is marketed just like any other property. The probate attorney or the estate representative will hire a local real estate agent, sign a listing agreement, and show the property, just as they would a traditional listing. Generally, the list price is based upon the listing agent’s suggestions as well as an independent appraisal ordered and issued by the court.” During a private sale, there would be no court oversight, but in a probate sale, there is a need by the Executor to quickly find buyers and get the property sold. This is one reason that the pricing can be so flexible in probates. Additionally, if the Executor lives out of state and tires of coming back to deal with estate issues, they may be willing to take a lower price on a property if the terms are favorable and allow them to wrap up the probate more quickly.

WHY LOOK AT BOTH RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?

What many investors don’t appreciate is that there are far more options in probate real estate than just single family homes. While there are many investors that specialize in residential real estate, there are also ways to profit in commercial land and buildings.

Residential real estate has some obvious advantages. There is more demand for residential homes; and therefore, it is easier to find properties that may fit your investing profile. Investing in a single home is also more affordable as the price point for a residential property is generally less than the investment in a commercial property. Luba Muzichenko writes, “Probate sales are ‘as is’ sales, and… the estate does not have to disclose anything about the property. Does that mean you have to make an offer on the place blindly? Not a chance! You have every right to fully inspect the property. Bring a contractor, bring a friend, bring an architect, bring your mother! It doesn’t make a difference who you bring, just be sure to bring them BEFORE you write your offer. Also, one thing to keep in mind… with your offer, you will have to submit a cashier’s check for 10% of your offer price, payable to the estate.”

There are cases where you can have the property professionally inspected. Everything depends on the laws of the state that you are working in, the terms of the probate and the desires of the court. As you are learning the probate business, take the time to find a mentor who can help you to understand the process of a probate sale. Part of that process is the submission of earnest money. This deposit is traditional in any real estate transaction and applies to both residential and commercial real estate. The amounts in commercial real estate would obviously be higher due to the increased purchase price.

While some investors focus on residential real estate, there are options in commercial properties as well. In fact, one of the most profitable areas in probate is working with commercial real estate. The researchers at Inc., said, “Buying commercial real estate is a complex undertaking that is difficult even for experts to time right to maximize their investment value, let alone entrepreneurs or business executives whose areas of expertise are in different industries. It’s also a venture rife with risk, as buyers, sellers, agents, and renters alike can suffer the consequences of a dip or spike in demand. At the same time, for a business, on the upside the potential rewards can be substantial.” If you are interested in a “substantial” reward, as the authors indicate, then commercial might be for you.

What kind of commercial properties might you find in a probate? If an individual owned a business or was a real estate investor and held them personally, then the properties may end up as part of the estate that is being handled by the court. These properties may include everything from apartment buildings to undeveloped land, strip centers, office buildings, stores, restaurants, warehouses, industrial properties, doctor’s offices and medical facilities to malls and hotels. There is a wide variety of buildings that are considered commercial property with an equally wide range of pricing. Each of these properties has advantages to the investor depending on what your long term goal might be.

One of the best advantages in business property is the increased income potential that is present in commercial real estate. Matt Larson said, “The best reason to invest in commercial over residential rentals is the earning potential. Commercial properties generally have an annual return off the purchase price between 6% and 12%, depending on the area, which is a much higher range than typically exists for single family home properties (1% to 4% at best).”

Knowing that there are both residential and commercial options in probate real estate investing is one thing. Finding them is something completely different.

HOW TO FIND OPTIONS

Probate real estate investors have discovered that there are key ways to find out about residential and commercial options. Here are a few of the ways:

  • USE A LEAD SERVICE. There are professional services that are available that can give you the information you need in order to pursue properties in probate. While you could go to the courthouse yourself and look through documents to try to identify which leads are worth pursuing, you can save yourself a lot of time and frustration by having a lead service deliver that information right to your email. These services are both economical and helpful in that they provide information you might not otherwise find on your own.
  • REAL ESTATE AGENTS. You can work with a real estate agent in order to find a residential or commercial property. Said Muzichenko, “Most probate sales end up listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), but those that don’t are listed on the BlueSheet, which can be found at the California Superior Court in San Francisco. Of course, if you are a buyer working with a REALTOR® that knows you are interested in probate property, your REALTOR® will do the searching for you.”
  • CONTACT PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD. As your business develops, you may want to work with local estate attorneys or accountants. They would have firsthand knowledge about properties that may become available due to a change in family status. Building a relationship with them and offering them a finder’s fee can be a great way to add to your portfolio.

THE BEST WAYS TO FOLLOW UP

Once you do find a property that you are interested in pursuing, the next step is to follow up. Generally, probate investors have found that a professional letter directed to the Executor is a good way to start the conversation.

There are several critical components to your communications with an Executor. A short introduction of who you are and why you are contacting them is a good way to start. Adding information about what you do and how you can help them may spark some interest. Inserting a comment about how you found their information, such as, “Your property was listed as part of a search I was doing through public court documents,” will help them to understand that you are simply contacting them to see if they are interested in selling their home or commercial property. Make sure to add in all of your contact information, including your email, website address and cell phone number so that they can reply to your letter.

Understand that an Executor may not contact you after one mailing. Plan to follow up every thirty to forty five days for a period of about six months. These repeated mailings to residential and commercial Executors will help establish you as a serious investor and will be respectful of the many steps that these administrators have to take to close an estate. When someone does reply to a mailing, call them back right away. Once they have made contact, they are clearly ready to have a conversation, so promptness is key.

Finding the best options in residential and commercial probate real estate is a blend of knowing what you are looking for and reaching out into the community. While residential real estate may have a lower sale price, it may also not yield the same rents and income that a commercial property might. Take this into consideration when deciding about your next property.

For more personalized advice, call the team at US Probate Leads. We offer a professional lead service that can get you the most up-to-date, viable leads for the counties that you work in and provide additional support. We offer a wide range of tools that includes communications software, ebooks, webinars, seminars and even an individualized mentoring program. When you are ready to take your business to the next level, call (877) 470-9751. We can give you more information on how we can help you build your probate real estate business.

Turning DISTRESS Into SUCCESS in the Paper Business

By Tim Houghten

Distress has a unique way of polishing success.

Much like the abrasive grain of sand that results in the development of magnificent, beautiful pearls, the trials and tribulations of the mortgage industry are now revealing their silver lining.

While the pain of foreclosures, an economy in rehab, and building a business in turbulent times shouldn’t be minimized, the tests we’ve been through are being turned into something positive by those that really care, and are willing to put in the effort.

Fuquan Bilal, founder of National Note Group, knows this better than most. While some media outlets have posed that distressed property is declining in America, as of February 2015 there were almost 5,000 banks holding over $150 billion in non-performing mortgage notes, $600 million of this pool are newly defaulting real estate loans. National Note Group has been working to not only help heal the economy, and offer investment opportunities to help individuals get ahead, but has been going to extreme lengths to turn distress into sustainable success for homeowners.

Recently, in an exclusive interview Fuquan Bilal provided some of the most transparent, and detailed insight behind the scenes of the mortgage note industry.

“THERE’S A HEARTBEAT IN EVERY HOME”

While some funds, firms and individual real estate investors have purely seen the financial struggles of American homeowners behind on their mortgage payments, or in foreclosure as an opportunity to seize more property and make a quick buck; National Note Group’s founder says his firm takes a very different approach.

Bilal says it is crucial not to forget that “there’s a heartbeat in every home,” and how “devastating” foreclosure is. NNG goes to great lengths not to foreclose, and to find winning, and sustainable solutions for both homeowners and investors. In fact, Bilal says out of hundreds of loans purchased in 3rd and 4th quarter of 2014, the firm had just six REOs on the books in first quarter of 2015.

Going beyond simply offering loan modifications to borrowers, National Note Group’s team has gone to great lengths to aid them in improving their finances so that they can hold onto their homes, and enjoy a brighter future. This has reportedly included “helping individuals leverage smarter spending and personal finance, without becoming miserable by switching to more affordable  services like Netflix and Metro for phone and TV, assisting in job searches and arranging interviews for the unemployed, and even helping those with homes that are now too large to strategize renting rooms to students for extra income.”

Harnessing an Elite Level of Focus

So how does Bilal manage it? Clearly, consistently maintaining a clear level of focus, effectiveness, and creative strategic thinking that can deliver on the above without becoming burned out, and operating a multi-million dollar business that juggles hundreds and thousands of second mortgage loans, and provides double-digit returns to investor clients requires a lot more of a CEO.

Among his secrets to enhanced performance and success Bilal tells us his daily routine includes: “Starting each day with 24 minutes of meditation; one minute for every hour in the day,” as well as “daily exercise, and practicing time blocking.” The founder says turning these practices into regular habits just like brushing your teeth every morning makes all the difference in staying on track. It helps keep you refreshed and charged, though Bilal says it also helps when you are really passionate about what you are doing. In this expert’s case he says he doesn’t feel like he is really working at all, and often hops out of bed in the middle of the night with new ideas and strategies for helping homeowners.

However, the National Note Group executive says that he absolutely relies on having an amazing team for executing on all of the company’s objectives. Bilal describes his approach to leveraging top industry talent not only by offering good compensation, but by embracing “working with people smarter than me, treating them as partners, not employees, and giving them the authority, and creative liberty to be their best.”

When You’ve Got Warren Buffett Size Problems

When you are tackling a national challenge that dwarfs Warren Buffett’s wealth it requires a great system.

The distressed mortgage market is massive, and even when you are capable of raising millions rapidly like Berkshire Hathaway and National Note Group, you’ve got to be able to deploy capital fast, and efficiently in order to maximize investor returns, and the potential of your organization.

Bilal says that he tackled this challenge early to ensure scalability, speed, and efficiency by getting serious about Process Mapping. He explains that by “documenting processes the first time around, leveraging Microsoft Excel, and better managing data – the firm is able to hire and scale effectively, eliminate human error, and operate leaner and more profitably, with better margins than others.”

It is from this vantage point that Bilal says the firm is able to provide better service, financial strength and security, more investment and portfolio tracking tools, and advanced training through the NNG Academy.

For more information, please visit the firm’s new website, tools and trading desk at www.NationalNoteGroup.com .

Investing Insights from a REAL BLACK BELT

By Tim Houghten

Sensei Gilliland just kicked the real estate bandwagon in half. If you want to lead, get to the gold, and keep it – read this… Real estate master Sensei Gilliland has never claimed to be a real estate investing ‘guru’. He has just put in the work, stayed focused, and refused to be knocked out.

This warrior spirit didn’t just lead him to become one of the youngest martial artists to be ranked in the nation’s top three, for five straight years. It has earned him the title ‘Sensei’ from his students, and makes him one of the few REAL Black Belt Investors.

For nearly 20 years Sensei Gilliland has been investing in real estate and he may be one of only a handful of notable trainers that still makes money from investing in real estate today. So what makes this guy different?

GOOGLE LOVES THIS REAL ESTATE INVESTOR

Sensei is the founder of 12 Rounds – ‘The West’s Top Ranked Investor’s Club for Successful Cash & Wealth Building’. We asked Sensei why people keep flocking to his meetup group, and why people should do business with Black Belt Investors. He said: “In 2007 there were over 100 real estate clubs in Southern California alone. When 2008 hit that number was slashed to around a dozen; and two of those left standing were mine. Now there are even more clubs. But who will be standing when the markets flex next time?”

Of his ability to withstand the second most severe recession in our country’s history, and how that is contrasted with the other 90% who folded, Sensei says: “They were very linear in their business models and thinking, and were too busy selling retail. Everyone was just jumping on the bandwagon of these copycats.”

If you really want to try to put Sensei Gilliland to the test in today’s ring he suggests you pull out your phone and see what Google says. We couldn’t resist the challenge! Try it…Talk about ‘mission impossible’. There are pages, upon pages of Google results for Sensei Gilliland, and everything is positive. And this is a guy who says he has never worried much about SEO. Seriously, even your teenager’s toughened video gaming thumbs would probably fall off before you run out of positive reviews of this guy.

Why does Google love Gilliland? He’s got depth. He is established. He has a rock solid reputation. And he has been in the ring since before most people even thought about ever using the internet to search for a home or a home loan.

WHERE IS THIS REAL ESTATE NINJA INVESTING NOW?

Most might have heard of Sensei Gilliland for his power packed, hands on, real estate training. Yet, he is still an active investor and is in the market doing deals every day. Sensei says that while you still might catch him helping distressed homeowners and serving up sweet wholesale deals close to home in sunny Southern California, he is also working with serious investors in re-emerging markets such as Cleveland, Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Phoenix, Arizona.

Investors can check out more details and find in-depth research on these markets at: http://RemoteRehabs.com

BECOME A REAL ESTATE CHAMP

For new investors, intelligent experienced investors, and even new gurus who don’t want to get KO’d and go belly up, Sensei extends the invitation to step up, and check out the 12 Rounds Investment Club. For information visit: http://www.meetup.com/bbinvestors/. This meetup is for those who want to enjoy long-lasting personal and financial success from their real estate investments.

HACK YOUR WAY TO HOUSE FLIPPING Success In 30 Days, Or Less

Meet the NEW Step-by-Step Map for Getting Paid for Flipping Houses

By Sensei Gilliland, CEO of Black Belt Investors

Flipping houses can be hugely profitable and freeing. It’s a complete life-changer.At least that’s true if you get it right, and you stick it out until you start getting those checks in the door. Sadly, far too many don’t make it. Despite all the knowledge out there, the books, the training programs, and big money bootcamps, and reality TV shows, they just never follow through to success. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. It can be a lot easier and faster.

The Two Biggest Challenges to Success in Flipping Houses

#1: IT’S TOO COMPLICATED

There can be a lot to think about and look at when investing in real estate. It should be given some thought. Yet, all too often it is made far more complicated than it needs to be.

This is especially true for those trying to do it all themselves, and build their own systems from scratch. They get lost in the analysis, the contracts, the financing, and building complex marketing funnels. Sometimes they never really get started. Or they spend months trying to do a single deal, or go broke before they make a buck. That’s tragic.

#2: GETTING STUCK ON THE NEXT STEPS

Far more get lost in the process. Some start taking action, then just hit a wall, because they don’t know what to do next. They’ll run some ads, and then freak out and freeze when the phone starts ringing.

They’ll make some offers, and then panic when someone is interested. They’ll close a deal, and then just drag out a flip for months. Others try to rely on just one tactic or strategy they see others using online.

They keep banging their heads against the same wall, wondering why it isn’t working for them, even if they don’t really know if it is working for the person they borrowed it from. They are always stuck on the next step.

MAPPING OUT SOLUTIONS

As a new house flipper or wholesaler, you really don’t need to get stuck or stall out like this. You don’t need to get hung up on just one tactic, make it overly complex, or stall out.

Providing you adopt a good system, follow the success path of others, and have a good range of marketing weapons on your back, or at least a really sharp Samurai’s blade to hack your way to the money.

THE FREE 30-DAY ACTION PLAN& ROADMAP TO SUCCESS

What new house flippers and wholesalers really need is a clear roadmap, and action steps they can take, and implement on a daily basis.

That’s why we created the 30-Day Action Plan & Blueprint for Flipping Houses. It’s literally a blueprint of what to do each day for your next 30 days. A visual day-by-day map from getting from where you are to landing deals and your next paycheck.

It’s currently available free, for a limited time, on the Black Belt Investors website. You can download it and print it out, or save it to your laptop.

Print it and post it on your door, next to your desk, or by your bed, so you know what you are going to do before your feet even hit the floor in the morning.

Or make it your screensaver, so it is always present when you bootup for the day.

Then we made it even easier and more powerful. We added a 30 day mini-email series. It pops up a new prompt every morning, with a daily mission to carry you forward. It breaks it down to easy startup to-dos, and the number of offers to make on a given day, so you are making non-stop progress.

You open your email when you are about to hit that morning run or cup of coffee, get your Mission of the Day, crush it, and keep making plays that are going to put money in your pocket.

It makes getting started in real estate insanely easy. And, yes, it’s totally free, no credit card number needed.

MORE SUPPORT

Of course, if you want more support we’ve got that too. The action plan and blueprint you can just run with by yourself, no roadblocks.

Or you can choose to come out to one of our live events, join a local Black Belt Investors Meetup group, or opt for personal live coaching. Or if you just want something that just works while you get on enjoying life, we’ve got deals too. You buy them. We’ll rehab and rent them, offering investors a truly turn-key investment at rock-bottom prices.

FOR INFORMATION VISIT:

BlackBeltInvestors.com/blueprint

SCOTT MEDNICK President of OCREForum.com and Marblehead Real Estate Partners

Scott Mednick, President of OCREForum.com and Marblehead Real Estate Partners is a seasoned real estate professional with a keen market insight and a thorough understanding of current investment opportunities. Scott has 30 years’ experience transacting residential and commercial properties. Scott has been involved in over 200 million dollars of value-add real estate and has collaborated with his investors purchasing distressed assets and repositioning for safe and consistent returns.

Scott’s experience includes rehabbing bank owned single family homes (REO’s). In the 1990’s, Scott had remodeled over 2500 homes for such clients as: World Savings, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, North East Savings, EMC, Berkeley Federal, Southern California Savings, Trans-America, and Home Savings.

Sought after for his talents in sales negotiation and strategic property marketing, Scott’s reputation for professionalism and deal-closing talents has earned him an impressive roster of investors. Scott is also a highly sought after speaker on how to invest here in Southern California and out of state.

At OCREForum.com, Scott runs a REIA group that has monthly meetings and all are welcome. We teach how to buy and sell single family homes, apartments and self-storage. The main theme of our group is buying value add real estate that will make safe returns for our investor partners.

Scott also mentors new investors how to buy here in Southern California. He also forms joint ventures with many investors on bigger projects. Scott looks forward to meeting new investors in the Orange County area, be sure to attend his next monthly OC Real Estate Forum meeting.

To learn more about Scott Mednick, visit http://MarbleheadREP.com ; Scott is a Real Estate Broker BRE#00913829 and a General Contractor #615087

SPECIALIZED IRA Services for MAXIMIZING OPTIONS & RETURNS

BY TIM HOUGHTEN

In an exclusive interview, CEO of Specialized IRA Services, Edwin Kelly, reveals new insights on how individuals, business owners and real estate promoters can leverage more options to accelerate their investments, fatten their net returns and reduce risk.

CLARITY, CHOICES & CONTROL

With ongoing concerns about the lack of fiduciary responsibility in the financial services industry and rising public awareness of the poor deal they may be getting from old-school investment banking houses, along with increasing pressure to catch up on savings and passive income, we’ve never before needed more clarity, choices, and control.

We need to know what we are investing in, be able to choose from a good variety of investment options, and have more clarity about what fees are and what we are really netting. Self-directed individual retirement accounts have become one of the best way to achieve this.

This is where Specialized IRA Services comes in…

OPEN UP A WHOLE MENU OF SELF-DIRECTED INVESTMENT OPTIONS

There are a number of self-directed IRA (SDIRA) custodians or administrators out there. One of the ways Edwin Kelly’s firm differentiates itself is by providing individual investors with more flexibility and options.

IRA OPTIONS

Some only do certain types of IRA structures, even though there are many to choose from. Some only service a very limited selection of investments. Not here. Kelly says, “with us you can invest in anything that the government will allow.”

Often that includes precious metals, real estate, businesses, mortgage notes, and private lending opportunities.

In addition to the ambiguous ‘self-directed IRA’, Specialized IRA Services can help with self-directed services for those with real estate IRAs, IRA LLCs, SEP IRAs, Roth IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and 401ks. Plus, they can even help you with leveraging funds in Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Using a combination of these options can dramatically increase the contributions investors and families can make each year, as well as giving kids an amazing head start on investing and building up a nest egg of their own.

SERVICE OPTIONS

Specialized also offers a menu of different service levels, so that everyone finds the right fit and balance of service and fees. These are scalable depending on your planned activity level. Some investors may just make one or two investments and will hold them for decades, and can benefit from lower costs.

Others may be highly active investors and desire fast personal service on a regular basis. Here you can choose from a standard service, pay as you go menu, flat fees, expedited Specialized Black service, and a Platinum level package.

THE UNIQUE ADVANTAGES OF A SOLO(K)

One of the areas of expertise Edwin Kelly and his team stand out for self-directed Solo(k) plans. These are for those who have a business entity, professional investors, or may be self-employed with-out W2’d employees.

Some of the unique benefits of these plans include:

  • Larger contributions (up to $59Kper year)
  • Tax free or tax deductible contributions
  • No income limits
  • Flexible contributions
  • Simplified paperwork
  • Personal loan option

What’s really cool about these plans according to Kelly is the “personal loan provision,” and the ability to achieve “zero cost capital.” That comes in the form of being able to access up to 50% or $50,000 of your cash, penalty free and tax free.

Rules are applied differently to these accounts as well. They enjoy “federal level protection,” for assets, and do not get hit with UBIT or UDFI taxes when leveraging real estate.

SPECIALIZED SERVICE FOR INVESTMENT PROMOTERS

Many individuals and families find their way to self-directed investing through educators and alternative investment advisors or promoters. In the past, this has caused a fractured process and some frustration due to poor lines of communication and additional burdens on individual investors. Edwin tells us that his firm has championed this issue by creating new levels of support and services for both direct clients and referring businesses. This streamlines the investment process, making it more efficient and faster.

Professional investors and promoters will also find services like Specialized are ideal for broadening their potential customer base and increasing ROI on marketing and sales per customer, while packing in more value for their clients.

Everyone in the world with an investment or business idea is chasing that top 1% with cash to invest. That’s probably 90% plus of businesses vying for 1% of the market. And it’s a very small market.

Yet, there are some $27T in retirement accounts which can be better served with self-directed options. Edwin Kelly says he would “like to see $1T more go into self-directed accounts over the next decade.”

COMING SOON…

Specialized IRA Services’s leader has 23 years of experience in the self-directed industry. The company is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, with local representatives around the country. Plans for the new year include opening a new office in Ohio, launching a new educational training series, live events, and a users’ conference.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS

Check out all Specialized IRA Services has to offer online at www.specializediraservices.com and explore your options. Take a look at the FINRA Scam Meter for evaluating investments, and for a limited time, exclusive to Realty 411 subscribers – take advantage of a free consultation and custom investment planning session with an expert.

JUSTIN FORD – Owner at Encore Real Estate Group, Co-Founder / FOREX Trader and Educator at Team Take Profits

Learn with Justin Ford – Real Estate Broker, FOREX Educator, Entrepreneur and Visionary

From struggle to success, Justin Ford truly lives the saying “It’s not how to start, but how you finish.” At the age of 19, with his life in disrepair, Justin made the critical decision to turn it all around. Now at the age of 34, Justin has become a successful entrepreneur, business owner, real estate broker, investor, motivational speaker, author, and mentor.

Justin is the owner and broker of Michigan-based Encore Real Estate Group. He currently oversees a team of successful agents. In 2018, Encore will branch out to Florida as well. Justin plans to take his Encore Real Estate group brand nationally. He has his eye on soon opening a third brokerage in another state he frequently travels to: California.

Raised in a rough neighborhood, Justin is not shy about his troubled past and uses it as a tool to save young adult men and steer them on a positive path. He says life’s mission is to make a valuable difference. Justin has earned numerous achievement awards, and demonstrates daily that talent, drive, and ambition really do lead to success. Justin’s passion and desire to see people rise to success leaves a lasting impact as he challenges all to become the champion they were created to be.

Currently residing in metro Detroit with his wife and four children, Justin says the love and support of his family helps fuel his passion for success in all avenues. In his spare time, he loves to travel the world and donate his time to The Positive Zone Project Foundation, which empowers high school students through character education and leadership development.

Recently, Justin became involved with the financial strategy: FOREX. Trading foreign currencies is a trillion-dollar a day industry and individuals, as well as institutions and corporations are capitalizing on movement of currency. All trading can be done on your phone, 24 hours per day.

Justin and his team are actively trading on FOREX with a company that has opened up the knowledge and access to trading to average, regular people without a traditional financial background.

The SKY is the LIMIT for Former Pilot Turned Houston Property Investor & Manager

After his job was threatened by the aftermath of 9/11, Steve Rozenberg, co-founder of Empire Industries, LLC realized that obtaining financial freedom through investing in property is a much surer way of building wealth than working for someone else.

“I’m an airline pilot by trade,” said Steve. “I fly for a commercial airline, and so after 9/11 hit, I was on the verge of being out of a job. That’s when I realized that I needed to do something else to earn money because that secure job didn’t look quite as secure as I’d thought.”

“So what I did, is I started learning everything I could about real estate. I started trying to understand it. I read a book a week on real estate and I devoured as much information as I could so I could figure out this new society…this new language that I was engulfed in.”

“Then I started buying some houses. I sold a few houses, then ended up buying an apartment complex. I sold the apartment complex and started buying a bunch of low income property, which is probably my biggest mistake.”

Steve met Pete in 2005 and the two began flipping houses together before switching to a buy and hold strategy. Then, after buying twenty low income houses within a year and a half, the two realized they’d made a mistake.

“We realized why we shouldn’t have done that. All of a sudden we had a huge waterfall of problems attacking us from all angles; so we did what any normal male would do, we turned around and bought another 15 properties to try to fix the problem, which really just ended up being like gasoline on the fire for us. It just ended up making our problems ten times worse!”

The solution they created for their problem became Empire Industries, LLC.

“So to solve the problem we’d gotten ourselves into, we had to create a management company of our own, just to manage our own properties.”

“This is how the management company got started. We started it out of necessity, from the result of making our own mistakes of buying the wrong properties, but also figuring solutions out for that.”

INVESTOR SOLUTION

Today, Empire Industries, LLC is the fastest growing single family management company in Texas. They manage about 750 properties in Houston and Dallas, and have a client base that spans the globe. Investors from California to Japan use Empire Industries for their property management needs.

“We’re the number one referred management company by REALTORS®” said Steve. “We give referral fees to our agents and we make them look good. At the end of the day, what an investor wants is a property that is going to make them money and not give them a headache.”

“Empire Industries is a full- service property management company. Our services run the gamut, from helping people find properties to managing their investments; we do it all from an investor’s perspective. Because we’re active investors ourselves, we’re looking at the market from that mindset. We are in the business of helping investors find properties that match their goals.”

“Often, beginning investors fail to see results because they don’t have policies, procedures and structures in place…they run it off of emotions, not a business model.”

“What I always tell people is that when it comes to owning a rental property, you own a business. Whether you have one or fifty properties, you run a business. Fair housing, discrimination…all of these laws that dictate what you do as a landlord say that you’re a business and the only one that does not realize they’re a business is the owner.”

Investors choose Empire Industries, LLC because they’re more than a property management company. As active investors, the founders are in “the heat of battle of owning properties.”

“We look at it from an investor’s perspective,” said Steve, “As a partner, not as just a customer/client relationship. This means our goal is to help them be successful and to reach their financial goals, whatever those goals may be.”

INVESTOR EDUCATION

From hundreds of free videos to free ebooks, investors have access to a huge resource of information…for free…from the team at Empire Industries, LLC.

Ask any savvy investor and they’ll tell you…learning as much as possible about investing in property is key to achieving success.

“Most importantly, have a plan,” said Steve. “If you don’t have a plan and you don’t have goals you need to talk to someone like myself and figure out what your goals are so that when you’re trying to find a deal you can know what that deal is, based on your goals.”

Steve Rozenberg owns a property management company based in Houston Texas. It is currently the fastest growing PM company across Texas. Because of his extensive knowledge and background being an international airline pilot flying Boeing aircraft such as the 737,757,767 and the famous Dreamliner 787 he has been able to take that knowledge of systems, structure and checklists to help create a company that while being an airline pilot went from 0 – 600 properties in under 4 years without buying a single rent roll, all through learning and mastering marketing and sale techniques. This knowledge won his company a National Award of Best Marketing in North America by ActionCOACH Business Excellence Award earning a 1435% return on their marketing dollars. Steve’s company Empire Industries has since partnered with the owner of ActionCOACH to help grow their company across the US. Steve is still currently an international airline pilot and is also stepping on stages as keynote speaking in areas such as motivation and drive, marketing, systemization and checklist mindset and methodology across the United States as well as other international cities.

OP-ED: Why Chinese Investors Are Still Buying CA Properties & Will Continue To Do So

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Foreign investors made up a large number of real estate buyers in the past few years, but is their activity diminishing in our new political climate? Discover insight from a Top Producer with direct connections and years of experience with international investors.

by Yumiko Blaschko

There has been much speculation that mainland Chinese home-buyers will pull back their California property purchases amid China’s economic slowdown as the country’s escalating trade war with the U.S. dampens growth.

These concerns were fueled by reports from Beijing this week that China’s economic growth slowed to its weakest pace since the first quarter of 2009 with the economy growing at 6.5% year-over-year in the ’18 third quarter, missing expectations for 6.6% growth.

California home sellers, take heart! As it stands now, the facts on the ground do not support recent forecasts of a Chinese pullback from the California real estate market.

On the contrary – – At present, Chinese consumers still have ample means and appetite for California real estate.

Here’s why.

While data has shown that in recent years the Chinese economy, on paper, is slowing from previous levels, the Chinese government has been unable to detect and stop the flow of illicit money out of mainland China. Simply put, Beijing’s capital outflow controls have been ineffective in stemming the international transfer of underground money, a phenomenon that continues at a rapid clip.

In recent years money flows originating from illegal sources in China has been on the rise. In the first quarter of 2017, for example, US$58 billion of capital outflows from China came from illegal sources, demonstrating the difficulty of identifying and measuring the flows.

In some respects, this should not be much of a surprise. Due to the needs of corporations to maintain cash flow and liquidity, company executives devise ways to facilitate the illegal and undetected flow of money. This can come in the form of direct investments, sometimes as current account transactions and at other times it is the flow of plain old-fashioned underground money.

Chinese regulators continue to be outwitted and overwhelmed by consumer demand originating from their soil. Undeterred by authorities, mainland families and individuals eager to buy their piece of the California rock continue their efforts unabated.

All of this despite the slowing real estate market in the Golden State as well as recent trend of rising interest rates by the Fed.

This momentum of Chinese home buying in California has continued notwithstanding predictions that stricter policies out of Beijing and growing uncertainty surrounding U.S. immigration and trade policy would lead to a slowdown in foreign investment.

Another reason local sellers of homes will continue to find Chinese buyers is ongoing demand. The fact of the matter is that Chinese property hunters find California housing an attractive prospect.

In a 2018 study by the National Association of Realtors, California amounted to 14% of all foreign purchases of residences in the U.S., up from 12% in 2017. This likely indicates a growing confidence on the part of foreigners in California real estate.

Of the foreign purchasers of U.S. real estate, buyers from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan topped the list of overseas buyers. The study found that Chinese home buyers elected to buy in California 38% of the time, a 1% increase from the prior year.

According to Jonathan Lansner of the Orange County Register, non-U.S. citizens bought approximately 41,500 homes in the Golden State in the 12 months ending in March, 2018, marking a 9% increase over the past year. Of those purchases, China-based buyers accounted for 17,000 of these transactions, a rise of 3% from the previous 12 months.

Some other numbers to consider…

•The biggest consumers of U.S. properties in 2017 were from China, accounting for $31.7 billion worth of property, an increase of over $4 billion from 2016.

•Non-U.S. citizens bought $35 billion worth of California properties in 2017, an increase of $8 billion from 2016.

•Last year property buyers from the Asia Pacific accounted for 71% of foreign buyers in the Golden State. This was a 20% increase from just a year earlier.

•Taking into account larger trends in the global economy, Asia has been the fastest growing market for wealth management since 2013, consisting of 45% of global inflows from 2013-2018. Asia-based asset managers reported US$66 billion in revenue in 2017 and this trajectory is expected to double by 2023, according to McKinsey. Currently, China alone represents 37% of assets under management in Asia, and analysts are forecasting that China-affiliated assets will grow at a per annum rate of 17% over the coming five years.

Yes, a clampdown by regulators in Beijing is in effect. Nonetheless, it’s end result has been ineffectual due to both the undetected flow of money to the U.S. and continued Chinese demand for California properties.

For the time being, Chinese homebuying in our state will continue in spite of China’s government-mandated restrictions and other factors, i.e., the current U.S. real estate market slowdown, rising interest rates and the U.S.-China trade war.

About Yumiko Blaschko

A real estate veteran based in Orange County, Yumiko services luxury home sellers and buyers throughout Southern California and the Asia Pacific. Raised in Singapore and Japan, Yumiko is multilingual in Chinese, Japanese and English. She specializes in connecting California-based home sellers with buyers in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Japan.

Known for her dynamism and work ethic, Yumiko has a long track record of helping her Orange County-based clients sell their exclusive properties and purchase dream residences. A few of her geographical areas of expertise include Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Balboa Peninsula, Lido Island, Dana Point, Laguna Canyon & Laguna Beach, Pelican Hills, Pelican Crest, Huntington Harbour, Irvine and Beverly Hills.

Through her work, she has developed an expertise in the international transfer of funds between various Asia-based and U.S. financial institutions, and she regularly helps international buyers in transferring investments and remittances to the U.S. Yumiko has also put together extensive business relationships with numerous industries in California and high-end real estate firms in China.

Yumiko’s training in Christie’s International Real Estate and as an affiliate of Luxury Portfolio International enables her clients to benefit from a peerless range of marketing opportunities in Christie’s offices around the world. With public relations initiatives tailored to each property, these services include the placement of elegant brochures in auction house lobbies, Christie’s window displays at major salerooms, events that bring art collectors to properties in addition to joint advertising programs through Christie’s International Real Estate. Luxury Portfolio’s inventory of properties exceeds $44 billion with a global reach that extends to 50 countries, attracting website visitors from over 200 countries/territories every month to local sellers.

Working tirelessly on behalf of her clients, Yumiko achieves high sales prices for property sellers. Her years of experience have honed her skills in negotiating real estate transactions and mastering diverse aspects of real estate. She believes strongly in connecting people to achieve her clients’ goals, promoting sellers through her networks and in a variety of Asia-based publications as well as the Fox Business Network, Wall Street Journal and Forbes.

Yumiko is devoted to volunteer initiatives with the Saddleback Church, the Dana Point U.S. Marines 5th Regiment Support Group, the Segerstrom Center For The Arts and to programs that foster entrepreneurship. She enjoys theater, classical music and supporting educational projects that improve understanding between East and West.

我們擁有超過30年專經南加州房地產的最佳口碑和經驗. 張裕美以她值得信賴的和豐沛的政界, 商界人脈, 以及和當地社區的緊密聯係幫助您擁有最好的位置, 最佳的價位, 先人 一步的房源. 我可以幫助您:
•買賣自住或為您產生出租收入的獨立房屋
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•30年の豊富な経験と実績そして信頼をもつユミコ・アンド・ミックモニゴル・チーム
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