Using a Probate Lead Service Can Make Your Business Efficient and Profitable

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By Leon McKenzie

Have you been working in the probate business for a while and aren’t sure you are making any progress?  Do you find yourself dreading your trips to the local courthouse, frustrated by the amount of paperwork to sift through, when you could be spending time with friends and family?  If this describes your situation, then it may be time to take a hard look at how using a lead service can save you time and help make you money.

Professional probate leads services are designed to fulfill the needs of probate investors in two major areas.  First, by using a probate leads service, you can have access to a customized list of probate leads that are located in the areas that you choose to target.  Secondly, taking advantage of a leads service can make your business run more profitably and efficiently.  These are the main reasons that highly successful probate investors take advantage of a leads service.

Probate Leads Fuel Your Business

When a loved one passes away, they generally leave quite a bit of property behind, which has to be sold by the Executor of the estate.  The Executor is the court appointed representative of the individual who has passed away and has the job of making sure that legal and tax paperwork is filed in a timely manner and, once the assets are sold, will make distributions to heirs as noted by the will or the court system.

Gary Digrazia writes, “In my Probate Real Estate business our life blood, of course, is the leads we work.  Estates have real property which needs to be sold to settle the estate.  Where do we receive the leads and how do we have a constant supply for now and future business?”  This is really a core question for every probate real estate investor to answer.  If you are working in the probate business, then you know that having access to data is critical in order to move your business forward.  As an investor, you certainly can take the time to visit your local courthouse to see the records in person.  When you are beginning your business, this is probably a good exercise in understanding the process of how probates are filed and what is necessary in ensuring that the property is sold and the profits are distributed.  Taking the time to see and understand the process can be helpful in gaining a broad understanding of how the probate process works.

That said, taking half a day on a regular basis to visit your local courthouse can become a drain on your business.  In addition to the travel involved in going, there is the use of gas, the time spent parking, paying for parking if necessary, and then the hours spent finding and locating viable leads.  While having access to viable probate leads is a necessary part of the business, it frankly might not be the best use of your time.

Using US Probate Leads Gives You an Edge

As an entrepreneur, how you spend your time directly influences the ability of your business to succeed.  Going to the courthouse week after week can eat up a good deal of the time that you have available to actually work your business.  While you are at the courthouse, you could be sending communications campaigns, meeting with potential sellers, networking with attorneys that specialize in estate law or speaking to business and community groups in the area, getting more exposure for your business.  Taking the time to dig through records simply might not be the best use of your time.  This is the reason that many probate professionals choose to use a probate leads service.  Said Leon McKenzie, the CEO of US Probate Leads, “Our researchers, numbering into the hundreds, are in county courthouses across the country finding a never ending stream of probate real estate leads. This really puts us in the unique position of being the only source of probate real estate leads with such a broad reach into this niche market. US Probate Leads is second to none when it comes to both the quality and the breadth of research that goes into providing you with prospects that are both well vetted and favorably located for you.”

Having probate leads that are focused on areas and types of property that you are looking for gives you an edge in the real estate market.  While other probate entrepreneurs might prefer to get their leads the “old fashioned way” by going to the courthouse, you can move right to contacting the Executor and visiting the property.  By the time a competing probate investor finds what they are looking for, you may have already made a deal!  This is one of the most compelling reasons to use US Probate Leads.

Why Do Executors Want to Sell?

Once a probate has been filed with the courthouse, in order to have the best opportunity to purchase it at a low cost, you’ll have to move quickly.  Having access to a lead service can keep you abreast of the changes in your area and immediately shows you new filings.  Finding out as soon as a filing has been made gives you a distinct advantage in providing you time to drive by the property and also in contacting the seller.  There are real reasons that you want to have access to this information so that you can make a deal.  While leads are generally good for up to eighteen months, there are many Executors that move at a rapid pace once a loved one has passed away.  They may do this for a variety of reasons.  If the Executor is struggling with grief, it may be easier to simply sell the family home to eliminate the painful memories.  Also, if the Executor lives out of state, they may feel the need to sell as soon as possible.  This is because they will be facing repairs and maintenance of a home that they cannot easily supervise.  Selling the home quickly is a way to eliminate that stressor.  Executors also may need cash in order to pay bills that have accumulated in the individual’s name, such as funeral expenses, tax bills, medical charges or credit card expenses.  By selling the home quickly they will have cash to cover these financial needs.  The Executor may also have no one who is willing to live in the property and may not want to be in the position of having to rent it out.

All of these reasons are what compels an Executor to move quickly when selling a probate property.  If you have access to professional probate leads then you can take advantage of making a deal to assist them in moving on from their family home.  This is an important reason to have a professional lead service identifying options in your area.

The Professional Probate Leads Process by US Probate Leads

It might seem too good to be true to be able to have probate leads delivered into your inbox on a regular basis.  With the US Probate Leads service, you can have just that.  Said McKenzie, “We have relationships with banks and credit card companies that utilize our service. These contacts have allowed us to establish a network of Data Researchers throughout the US. This network coupled with our proprietary data mining tools and processes allow us to access probate data at a cost which allows us to provide reasonably priced information to you. Our network of Data Researchers located throughout the US provides the first wave of data access. We couple that with proprietary tools and processes which allow us to access the data you need.”

What this means is that every probate investor working with the experts at US Probate Leads can have access to probate real estate records without the hassle of sifting through tons of other types of filings, saving time and effort.  McKenzie went on to say, “We provide all estate-related probates. Most probate courts also handle guardianships, conservatorships and cases pertaining to minors. There can be a great deal of excess information in these records – information that does not benefit you as a Probate Investor. We cull those records out and provide you records that have the potential for having real estate as part of the estate.”  Once the record has arrived to your inbox, all you have to do is to contact the Executor and follow up on a regular basis if it is a property that you are interested in pursuing.  This streamlined process is what allows probate investors to net huge profits each and every year.

Finding More than Just Residential Real Estate with Professional Probate Leads

When you choose to use a professional probate lead process like the one offered by US Probate Leads, you may find more than just residential real estate.  Many probate cases have homes, vacation homes, businesses, commercial property, apartments and personal property attached to them.  This means that there are many ways to profit.  Having access to information that will propel your business forward is a powerful tool in a competitive market.

Being able to access information about more than just residential real estate offers your business the ability to diversify as well.  Instead of simply buying and selling or holding and renting residential real estate, you may be able to find a business that will generate additional cash or add commercial or vacation homes to your portfolio.  Having leads gives you this type of flexibility which will allow you to adjust to changing market conditions quickly. 

US Probate Leads is the Expert in Probate Leads Service

Now that you understand why it is critical to have access to a probate leads service and how the process works, it is time to take advantage of what US Probate Leads has to offer.  Whether you are a new probate entrepreneur or you have been in business for a long period of time, you can be sure that adding automated data retrieval will give you a competitive edge in your business investments and access to the newest properties coming on the market.

Contact US Probate Leads today for more information on how we can assist you in accessing probate leads for your county.  Our trained, friendly team of probate associates will help you get set up in just minutes.  And, if you are looking for additional support, look to US Probate Leads for software, books, webinars, seminars and individualized mentoring programs that can take your business to the next level.  Call today!

 

Sources:

http://activerain.trulia.com/blogsview/1936988/how-do-we-find-probate-leads

http://www.usprobateleads.com/FAQ.aspx

 

US Probate Leads
Leon McKenzie
Chief Operating Officer

Leon cofounded US Probate Leads more than 12 years ago and has witnessed its growth during that period from a one city lead provider in the probate space to the only national provider of probate leads for virtually every county in the country.

Leon likes to point out that US Probate Leads is the only company providing Probate-related Real Estate-related leads to Investors and Realtors based on data collected directly from individual probate courts in virtually every state. This has been achieved by building a National Network of Researchers that visit each county one time each month. Leon’s team processes this incoming data and makes it available to individual subscribers for their use in reaching out to highly motivated property sellers.

Vast Inventory of Underwater Homes Causing Lead Shortage

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By Leon McKenzie

Professional real estate investors who are looking for properties have had a hard time finding a good supply recently.  Market forces, issues with the overall banking industry and consumer perception have all created changes to the real estate industry that have certainly hampered the purchases of homes and other forms of real estate.  These changes have made it difficult for real estate investors to find properties that fit the needs of their portfolio.

Underwater Homes Part of the Problem

You may have heard the phrase “underwater” used in the real estate market.  What it means is that the value of the property is less than the amount that it was originally mortgaged for.  This is common with homes that were purchased before the recession that started in 2008.   For the homeowner, this means that they are prevented from many options that would allow them to move to a bigger home or even to downsize.

When a home is underwater, the owner, in order to sell the property would have to provide the gap between the sale price and the mortgage value.  Most homeowners don’t have the financial wherewithal to come up with the thousands of dollars that it would cost to get out of a current property and move into a new property when they have to come to the closing table with cash.

Homeowners with properties that are underwater are also generally unable to refinance their homes as most banks require a full appraisal of the property before they will close on a new loan.  When a home is underwater, the new appraisal will establish the current value of the home, which may be tens of thousands of dollars below where the home was originally appraised when it was purchased.  This means that many, if not most, homes won’t be able to be refinanced. 

What is the result?  For the most part, homes that are underwater stay with their current owners until their mortgages are paid off because the owners can’t afford to sell them.  This situation in the market is a direct contributor to the shortage of real estate in the market.  Trey Garrison writes, “Redfin asks what’s causing the inventory crunch and what they found is that, according to RealtyTrac, more than 7 million homeowners can’t sell because they’re deeply underwater, meaning they owe more on their properties than they’re worth. That figure is falling as rising home values put more homeowners into the black, but those same price gains, coupled with weak wage growth and tight credit, are discouraging many from selling and trading up.”

Overall Inventory is Well Below Average

Due to the challenges with home values, there are fewer homes on the market than need to be in order to support a strong real estate investment market.  Garrison said, “Nationwide, the total number of unsold homes rose 5.3% in March to 2 million, but at the current pace of sales, that supply would be exhausted in only 4.6 months, according to the National Association of Realtors.  In the 50 markets Redfin analyzed, about 30% of unsold houses were fresh as of March 31, up from about 24% three years ago.  In Charlotte, where the number of properties for sale is at its lowest in at least three years, fresh listings — those less than 30 days old — accounted for only 5.5% of Charlotte’s inventory as of March 31, also a low. Last month, only 55 new properties came on the market, compared with 225 a year ago.”

This is a phenomenon that is being seen all over the country, though some areas are better off than others.  The shortage in real estate inventory means that prices are increased and real estate investors are having a much harder time finding properties that meet their budgets.  Garrison goes on to say, “In Indianapolis, even a 26.6% year-over-year surge in new listings in March wasn’t enough to replenish depleted inventory. Inventory is so low in Oakland, Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth that fresh listings abnormally accounted for a larger share of inventory last month as buyers whittled away at less-desirable properties and builders raced to keep up with demand. Dallas-Fort Worth added more than 100,000 people between 2013 and 2014. Last month, there were 14,332 fewer properties for sale than in March 2012. New listings fell more than 27%.  ‘All the desirable properties are getting snatched up in three days. The ones that are left become our stale inventory,’ Dallas Redfin agent Connie Durnal said. ‘It’s driving the prices up and increasing multiple offers. I don’t see it ending.’”

California is one area that is seeing both contraction and expansion in real estate inventory. Nick Nisperos writes, “Sales growth could be stiff where inventory is tight, experts said, such as the San Francisco Bay area. But in less expensive areas, such as the Inland Empire, demand will remain strong thanks to solid job growth in warehousing, transportation, logistics and manufacturing, experts said. John Husing, chief economist for the San Bernardino-based Inland Empire Economic Partnership business advocacy group, said sales are ‘gently rising’ during the economic recovery. ‘I think what is starting to come online a little bit more is migration from the coastal communities because a large share of the market has been priced out of the ability to buy anything,’ Husing said. ‘I think we’re going to start to see more of that migration with the economy of Southern California as a whole strengthening and the inability of a very wide percentage of the population to afford housing in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.’”

Certain geographical areas are seeing a rise in prices due to low inventory and other areas are more affordable.  What is happening in California is typical of what is happening throughout the country.

Slow Construction Another Factor in Lead Shortage

The shortage of homes on the market has also been impacted by slow construction. Decreased construction means that there are fewer new homes for people who want to move into another form of housing.  Construction has been slowed by a lack of demand as well as challenges for builders in finding financing in order to move forward with new developments.  Garrison writes, “Builders haven’t kept pace, either. They’re breaking ground on 1.07 million houses, condominiums and apartments a year, but the U.S. requires between 1.6 million and 1.9 million new units just to accommodate population growth and household formation, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing.”

New construction is an important way for the real estate market to create opportunities for people to move.  When enough new construction isn’t being created, then it decreases the overall amount of housing inventory for possible buyers and sellers, driving prices upward as supply slips.  Memphis is a prime example of where new construction has taken a nosedive, resulting in fewer leads overall for the total area and forcing companies to take radical steps in order to continue to build.  Not only is there shortage of homes being built, but a shortage of lots on which to build them.  Amos Maki writes, “’The lot situation in Shelby County is getting critically low,’ said David Goodwin Jr., owner of David Goodwin Jr. Cos. LLC and president of the West Tennessee Home Builders Association. ‘We know what the problem is. There is very little coming online as far as new developed lots are concerned.’ Some builders, including Grant Homes, even waded into the development world, developing lots and other subdivision infrastructure that developers normally handle. ‘Quite frankly we’d rather be a homebuilder but right now we’re a developer, too, because we need lots to be able to build on,’ said Kim Grant-Brown of Grant Homes.”

With a slowing of growth of the economy, fewer lots to build on and homeowners that are underwater, the stage has been set for investors to struggle in finding new homes and properties to add to their portfolio. 

Probate, Divorce and Bankruptcy Lead Sources Offer Hope to Real Estate Investors

Savvy real estate investors have come to the conclusion that current market forces are not that favorable in the traditional market.  There are other ways to find properties that do fit within most investors’ criteria.  Probate leads are one of the most popular and productive ways for investors to find homes and commercial property that can be purchased at a discount.  When a loved one passes away, an Executor takes charge of dispensing with the personal property that has been left behind, as ordered by the court system.  Due to the fact that items need to be sold to pay for funeral expenses, medical bills, taxes and unpaid credit cards, Executors are generally more than happy to sell property for thirty to fifty percent off.

Divorce and bankruptcy cases are another area where investors can take advantage of discounted prices.  Like Executors, those going through a divorce or a bankruptcy may be ordered by the court to sell a certain amount of assets in order to complete the case.  Many times, the owner is happy to let these go for a discounted price so that they can move on with their life.  It is important to note that the language used in these types of purchase agreements may be different than the typical forms used.  Check with your attorney to ensure that you are comfortable with the requirements of the court.

Finding Probate, Divorce and Bankruptcy Leads

Do you need to go to your local courthouse and spend hours digging through filings?  Smart investors use a lead service to avoid this frustration and streamline the process.  Professional lead services can deliver the results of a specialized search in your area directly to your inbox on a weekly basis, giving you the information you need to begin to evaluate these properties and connect with the individuals who are the current owners.

Using a lead service allows you to concentrate on the money making end of your business – evaluating properties, making deals and getting estimates completed.  This is especially critical when you are starting your business.  A lead service can provide you with a steady stream of viable, timely leads that will help you to find the best properties in the area to add to your portfolio.  In addition to residential homes, a lead service can help you find businesses, vacation homes, vintage cars, antiques and other personal property that can be purchased and resold. 

Get more information now!  U.S. Probate Leads is the top provider of probate, divorce and bankruptcy leads.  Contact us today for more information on how we can assist you with lead services as well as individualized training to help your business succeed.  We offer webinars, seminars, books and even individualized mentoring to help you build your best business.  Call today!

 

Sources:

http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2015/jan/28/lot-shortage-leads-to-fewer-new-homes/

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33654-redfin-home-inventory-shortage-worse-than-it-looks

www.dailybulletin.com/business/20151009/housing-shortage-in-california-expected-to-continue

US Probate Leads
Leon McKenzie
Chief Operating Officer

Leon cofounded US Probate Leads more than 12 years ago and has witnessed its growth during that period from a one city lead provider in the probate space to the only national provider of probate leads for virtually every county in the country.

Leon likes to point out that US Probate Leads is the only company providing Probate-related Real Estate-related leads to Investors and Realtors based on data collected directly from individual probate courts in virtually every state. This has been achieved by building a National Network of Researchers that visit each county one time each month. Leon’s team processes this incoming data and makes it available to individual subscribers for their use in reaching out to highly motivated property sellers.

Outdoor Features That Help Sell Homes

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By Damien Justus

If your home is for sale by owner, you’ve probably heard that you’re at a disadvantage. Using a professional real estate agent is helpful to some, but numerous homeowners can focus on selling their own homes on their own terms regularly. By doing your homework and learning what it is that goes into selling a home effectively, you can sell your home quickly. For many, it’s outdoor features that sell houses in many neighborhoods. These outdoor features sell homes faster than any others, and they’re the kind of features buyers won’t soon forget.

Water Features

Beautiful landscaping is always attractive, but it’s not the only thing that sells a house. Outdoor features are meant to enhance lovely landscaping, and nothing does this better than a water feature. Whether you have a small pond installed in which the koi can swim freely or you install an in-ground pool with a resort-style waterfall and hot tub, buyers are going to remember your yard before that of someone else.

Resort-Style Backyards

This might not be such a benefit to those who live where the weather turns cold in the fall and winter, but southern homeowners get miles out of their resort-style pools and backyards. Think along the lines of natural stone pool decks, pavers, waterfalls, hot tubs, sun decks, and outdoor bars where cocktails flow nicely on a hot summer’s day. This sells homes for many buyers, especially those who love to feel as if they’re vacationing in the summer in their own yard.

Outdoor Kitchens

These are one of the most enjoyable outdoor features in any home. People love to spend time outdoors, and they love when they can cook out there. Buyers an easily imagine their kids running through a lush green lawn while they grill some steaks and sip a cold beverage with good friends on the back patio. They want to sit down for dinner as a family with the setting sun before their eyes, and they want to spend time outside. Outdoor kitchens make it easier to want to spend time outside, so people love to have them.

Built-in Fire Pits

If your home is located somewhere with low temperatures in the fall or winter, this could be the best feature to add to your home. A lovely fire pit makes buyers envision cold nights by a hot fire roasting marshmallows with their kids, laughing with friends, and sipping hot chocolate. It’s all about helping potential buyers see their own family doing something enjoyable and fun, and this type of feature helps tremendously.

Decks

Wood decks are an all-time favorite. Homeowners love to have somewhere to place tables, chairs, couches, and even bar areas outside. They love to entertain, to get the family outside, and to enjoy their space. Decks are easy to maintain, they are also quality features, and few people ever look at a home with dismay when they realize they have ample space in which to entertain in their backyard.

Landscaping

It should go without saying your landscaping is the most important outdoor feature in your home. A closely cut lawn, trimmed hedges, and gardens that are well cared for speak loudly. It’s also helpful to have a pressure washed driveway, house, and a pretty front door. You want buyers to feel welcome, which is far easier when everything is clean and welcome.

Selling a home for sell by owner means putting up the best features in your home on your own. Outdoor living is popular no matter where people live, and playing that up almost always helps buyers sell. If you have something no one else has, you could be holding the key to a successful sale in the palm of your hand. Play up these features by adding a few if you haven’t already added them, and watch as buyers salivate over the idea of so much indoor-outdoor living in their new home.

Damien Justus

Damien Justus writes in the home improvement and real estate spaces, and is very passionate about health, cooking, diet plans, and anything that has to do with staying fit. He grew up in Oregon but now is a resident of Salt Lake City, where he has fallen in love with the snow and the people.

Understanding the Mindset of the Investor

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By Leonard Rosen

In my 38  years of being involved in the real estate marketplace, I have come to the conclusion that not many promoters of real estate syndication understand the mind set of of the investor.

In order to begin the process of raising capital, the promoter needs to understand the risk tolerance and appetite of the investor. Every investor needs to feel comfortable with the asset class, geographical area and dividend yield associated with the investment. Real estate investors have different comfort levels, consequently, the investment must fit into their strategy.

Also, investors come in all shapes and sizes, some investors will deploy capital utilizing their self directed IRA, while others deploy capital outside of their retirement accounts.

Obviously, these are easy questions to be answered with a quick due diligence check list. I ask real estate syndicators all the time, what is your investors most dominate question prior to deploying capital? I receive answers such as dividend yield is the predominate concern. After further discussion, we realize that the dividend yield is used as an excuse for not feeling comfortable with the investment proposal.

Investors participate in business deals with people that they like and trust. If the trust factor is not addressed, the likelihood of an investor participating in your deal will be low. Addressing the emotional needs of someone who is asked to give you money is a complex issue.

I believe you should follow my simple 4 step rule.

Rule number 1. Never ask your investor for capital on a first meeting, simply share some concept and ideas and gauge their interest. This is a time to fact find and begin your relationship. The ultimate goal is to begin a dialogue in the purpose of creating a trust factor.

Rule number 2. Exchange contact information and reach out to your possible investor by email or phone and thank them for the time they spent with you.

Rule number 3. Schedule a time for coffee to explain in detail your investment strategy to determine if the investment strategy fits into the investors comfort level. You can speak about risk factors, dividend yields and security interests.

Rule number 4. Be patient, move the relationship along at the speed the investors feels comfortable with. This is the time to gauge their interest for their participation.

Always remember, Have testimonial letters available, website address and a detailed executive summary of the proposal.

Good luck

Leonard Rosen

CEO, Pitbull Conference
“The Most Interesting Man in Hard Money”

Leonard Rosen’s career has spanned over 30 years in the financial services market as it relates to real estate. In the 80’s, Mr. Rosen was the nightly news anchor for the Financial News Network. After the network was sold to CNBC, Mr. Rosen hosted the nationally syndicated television program “The Leonard Rosen Show”.

Today, Mr. Rosen hosts “Financial News with Leonard Rosen”, which focuses on the real estate markets with an emphasis on the private lending sector. Mr. Rosen’s market commentary has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and MSNBC.

As the CEO of Pitbull Conference, he is regarded as “The Most Interesting Man in Hard Money”.

Mr. Rosen believes you sell the problem you solve not the product. His visionary approach has earned him praise from the real estate and lending community nationwide.

Mr. Rosen provides private consulting to major banks, hedge funds, mortgage companies and private lenders.

“Business is based on two essential components, power and leverage. The most common way people give up power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

 

 

Crush Those Goals!

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By Sensei Gilliland

This is not your average financial planning article…

If you want to be lulled into a half conscious Sunday afternoon post-game coma, or find yet another excuse to go back and take another 6 months to build a business and investment plan, this is not the advice you want to read.

If you do want real results, and you want them today, then the next 5 minutes are going to produce a nice healthy ROI.

Let’s do this!

What Do You Really Want?

Financial goal setting doesn’t have to be a dull, laborious, or time consuming affair. It really doesn’t. Spending hours with financial planners who give you colorful presentation packages can make you feel warm and fuzzy. Commissioning another revision of your 25 page business and investment plan might give you a little ray of hope. But do these things put money in your pocket? Or are they just stealing your most precious resource – time?

Airbnb is famous for its one page business plan. On August 7th, 2016 TechCrunch values the bed and breakfast app at $30 billion. Not too shabby. So if you are simply hoping to score somewhere south of $2 billion in the next 8 years you’ll probably be fine with a paper napkin. In fact, in my latest book Wholesale Warrior I reveal how I ended up boiling down my model to the simplicity of being able to fit on less than a 10 inch square.

Your plan is really all about four questions.

  1. Why?

What are your finances going to achieve for you?

  1. How Much?

How much are you shooting for? Wealth, income, and time?

  1. When?

By when should you be enjoying these benefits? What date?

  1. How?

How are you going to get there? Break it down into three simple steps A, B, C.

  1. Acquire rental properties
  2. Scale to owning 100 cash flowing rental units
  3. Spend free time helping to train other investors

Now focus on accomplishing A.

Be a Financial Champion

If real estate is all about “location, location, location,” then winning at your financial goals is all about “ACTION, ACTION, ACTION!”

We had the Rio Olympics. What did it take for those world class athletes to win those medals? Did they wait to get a master’s degree? Did they have a bigger binder and financial prospectus than all of the millions of spectators around the globe? Or did they just go?

They practiced, they trained, they took action daily, and they got the best coaches they could find.

I competed in martial arts for years. How do you get great at combat sports like martial arts (or real estate)? Not in a corner office or in front of the TV. You get on the mat, and you train. You spar. Sure you’ll get hit. You might even get a bruise or two. Guess what; you just get smarter, faster, and stronger. Next time you are less likely to leave yourself open to that blow. You’ll be faster and more accurate at securing a win.

Now I’m a big fan of education. I wouldn’t recommend anyone just jump in the UFC octagon after watching Rocky or a Jean Claude Van Damme movie. Just like you shouldn’t just rush to put all of your money into real estate based on a ‘reality’ TV show episode, or a handbook printed in the 80s. You’ve got to have some knowledge, a good trainer, and an up to date system. But at some point you’ve just got to take action.

You’ve probably seen martial arts block breaking. Practitioners can smash through stacks of concrete blocks, boards, and other building materials. But those items aren’t going to break unless the artist swings on them. Without action nothing will happen. The same goes for your financial plan.

Even Water Breaks Stone

Even dripping water breaks through stone over time. That small drop of persistence can literally drill through seemingly insurmountable boulders. And this is one of the reasons that building a rental portfolio is so powerful in breaking through financial goals.

I am a big fan of wholesaling, rehabbing, and even private lending. However, rentals are also a great choice. They are great for steadily building wealth, building up powerful streams of cash flow, and it can be a completely passive strategy that delivers the results you want, while you sleep.

I firmly believe that anyone can benefit from rentals, if they have discipline and a good system. With a good turnkey system it doesn’t matter whether you own 10 or 100 in your portfolio, you still have all the free time in the world to do what you are really passionate about.

Over at Remote Rehabs we took rental property investing two or three levels further by giving investors access to wholesale priced properties, in the best nationwide markets, have a pro team handle all the rehab and leasing, and property management. They get the best value and cash flow, while retaining the maximum amount of their most precious resource – their time.

Five Ways to Take Action Right Now

  1. Answer your 4 questions above; write them down
  2. Make an offer on a property; just throw one out to get rolling, even if you lowball something from the MLS or a FSBO down the street
  3. Register for The Ultimate Investor’s Tour of great rental homes at BlackBeltInvestors.com
  4. Register on our waiting list for hot rental property deals at RemoteRehabs.com. We presell all of our properties.
  5. Call our office and set up a free strategy session

 

Sensei Gilliland

Founder of Black Belt Investors; Sensei Gilliland has been featured on the cover of Real Estate Wealth Magazine, hosts ‘The West’s Top Ranked Real Estate Investors’ Club’ – 12 ROUNDS, and has engineered several highly popular trademarked real estate investment systems. Sensei is the go-to source for serious investors and entrepreneurs seeking extremely effective, no holds barred training, investment properties and funding. Claim your copy of his powerful Cash and Wealth Report here.

 

A New Era Of Zero Interest Rates?

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By Fuquan Bilal

We could soon be in a new era of zero interest rates. What will it mean for investors, the markets and you?

Could We Have Negative Interest Rates?

The president has been pushing for lower interest rates. We could even potentially see zero rates and even negative interest rates. The fed already recently cut key rates, and more reductions could come in 2020. This may sound crazy at first, but it has been done around the globe at various times and has worked.

While everyone enjoyed pointing fingers at different parties in the wake of 2008, one of the biggest factors that actually caused the crash was rising interest rates. If they get it right this time, lowering rates could help the economy remain afloat and avoid falling into the abyss again.

The Impact

The most widespread outcome of this is it costing people to have money in the bank. It probably already does when you add up all the fees and charges. Yet, when banks start charging every interest for having money on deposit, there is going to be a massive need to find somewhere else to park money and invest it. Real estate is of course a nice solid alternative. Cutting out the banks as the middleman and directly investing in mortgage notes and funds can also be a smart way to turn those losses into net gains.

Negative interest rates also mean it will cost banks and lenders to make loans. The negative interest is applied to paying down your outstanding balance each month. There are other ways lenders can make up for this money, but clearly they will be pickier about who they loan to.

Perhaps most significantly for investors, a new period of mortgage originations with near zero or negative rates means soaring appeal and demand for older higher rate notes, including nonperforming and re-perfoming loan notes. 8% and even 4% notes will become far more valuable.

Those who acquire those assets early stand to win big as this unfolds.

Investment Opportunities

Find out more about investing in secured debt and real estate, go to NNG Capital Fund

 

Fuquan Bilal

Fuquan Bilal founded NNG in 2012 with the principal mission of capitalizing on the growing supply of mortgage notes in the interbank marketplace. Mr .Bilal utilizes his 17 years of residential and commercial real estate success to identify real estate opportunities and capitalize on them. To date, he has successfully managed three private mortgage note funds that primarily invest in singlefamily performing and non­performing mortgage notes. His financial acumen and proprietary set of investment criteria enable him to purchase underperforming real estate assets at a deep discount of face and market values, thereby increasing the value of the assets. This, coupled with his ability to maximize the use of leverage, enables him to build strong, secured portfolios with solid passive income flows.

BRAG!…Be Rich And Generous with HUD Homes

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By Larry Goins

BRAG is all about investing in real estate to Be Rich And Generous! In his new book author and BRAG radio show host Larry Goins breaks down how you do that by buying HUD homes at 50% discounts.

He has shared the stage with experts including; Suze Orman, Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki, and Tony Robbins. In the forward that New York Times bestselling author Michael Gerber wrote for Larry Goins’ book he likened his entrepreneurial genius to that of Michael Dell, Ray Kroc, and Bill Gates. Now, following the great success of ‘Getting Started in Real Estate Day Trading’ Larry has launched a new book – ‘HUD Homes Half Off’. Keep reading and we’ll tell you how Realty411 readers can get their hands on a FREE copy.

Who is Larry?

Larry Goins in a visionary, educator, and an active real estate investor. He has been in the industry for over 30 years. He has hands on experience on the frontlines of just about every facet of real estate; from commercial properties, to development, financing, and residential investment.

More importantly, Larry’s organization is one of the few which isn’t afraid to lead by its values, and to put principles and people before profits. The firm is active in giving, volunteering, launching new nonprofits, and empowering a new generation of social entrepreneurs. If this resonates with you, then you won’t want to miss the weekly BRAG radio show on WBT or iHeart Radio where you’ll hear more about using real estate to become rich and generous.

Today you’ll find Larry is perhaps best known as one of the biggest buyers of HUD homes in the Carolinas. Over the last three years his team has been active in at least 12 states, with students and apprentices flying in from as far away as Australia and Sweden.

‘Filthy Riches’

Goins coined the term “filthy riches” to apply to making great money from distressed properties In fact, he says his system can enable investors to make more money from dirt cheap homes than others make flipping higher end properties.

HUD homes are a big focus of this. Larry says “you can still make great money on HUD homes today,” and that “there are plenty of HUD homes for investors, at discounts.”

In his new book he shows how to make as many as 7 offers per minute, and reveals both the best time of day, and best days to make winning bids on HUD auctions. Yet, Larry says there are two things he doesn’t like in real estate; “renters and rehabs.” So how does he turn these deals into cash?

In an exclusive interview the author told Realty411 that there are options for both active and passive real estate investors. Those strategies may include ‘day trading’ real estate, acquiring notes, or private lending. You’ll want to check out more about this and the specific examples given at PrivateInvestorsOnly.com.

What’s Unique?

Larry was the first to admit “anyone can teach you how to invest in real estate, or to flip houses.” However, there are clearly some differences in this method and firm than others.

In his own words Goins describes where he sees the uniqueness as:

  1. Being approachable and accessible, always
  2. Doing what we teach
  3. A commitment to helping you achieve your definition of success

This company has an open invite to its offices near Charlotte, NC, which is certainly unique. Larry’s team is still investing daily and offers a variety of ways to participate in those deals. Though what is really cool is the attention to aiding investors in honing in on their why, and getting them setup to achieve it. For most investors the first why that comes to mind may be the money. Larry says it’s highly unlikely you’ll be laying on your death bed wishing you had done just one more flip. He says your only job security may be your ability to make money, but he is passionate about getting you on the fast track to get the money challenges out of the way, so then you can work on your passions and purpose. After all; what are you going to work on after you are at the level where you are making $10,000 a month or are wholesaling 10 deals a month. “What are you going to do with your blessings?” For some of his protégés it has been a mission to giveaway a million bibles, or to go build houses in Kenya.

 

Larry Goins certainly continues to be generous with his gifts. Some might prefer to keep these types of wealth building secrets to themselves. Not Larry. He publishes and broadcasts them. When it comes to his model for investing you’ll also find him investing in neighborhoods and offering seller financing in small town USA. Places where people have community values, where families are born and raised and want to raise their own families.

Get the Book

Whether you are looking for cash now, or cash flow for the long term you’ll enjoy checking out LarryGoins.com where you can grab a free copy of the book HUD Homes Half Off for yourself, or for someone you care about.

Incorporating in Nevada

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By Jay Butler

During the 18th century, corporations in America were formed by an act of congress for public projects and services, such as the building of damns or creation of manufacturing jobs.  Charters were revoked for the violation of law or upon the life of the project.

Originally owners and managers of corporations were held liable for the mismanagement of all company affairs and criminal acts. These corporations could not own stock in other companies, possess ownership of non-essential property, nor make political or charitable contributions to influence law-making decisions within the legislative branch of the United States government.

Large central banks didn’t care for this and pushed New Jersey representatives to pass legislation called the General Revision Act in 1896, which privatized corporate charters.  Delaware passed similar laws shortly thereafter and became known as the premiere state in which to incorporate in America for the next 101 years.

In 1997 Delaware began disclosing stock ownership information with the Internal Revenue Service and, combined with an 8.7% state corporate income tax rate, may no longer be the best choice for forming a private corporation.  However, Delaware has some of the best anti-takeover clauses in the United States and is a worthy consideration should you wish to take your company public.

Wyoming has risen through the ranks as a viable alternative state in which to incorporate.  Although they disclose available stock ownership to the IRS, Wyoming does not keep any records on file and therefore has no available information to disclose. It is a very clever strategy and certainly places the low cost of incorporating in Wyoming above most other every state in the union.

Nevada improved upon Delaware laws when forming their Nevada Revised Statutes in 1987 (later revised in 2001), wherein personal liability protection is determined by state statute and not by judicial determination on a “case-by-case” basis as in California courts.  In Nevada, individuals are not subject to the unpredictable rulings applied by any particular judge, rather one can count on stable outcomes based on foreknown Nevada state law.

Nevada has developed a strong precedence for protecting the corporate veil, making it the most difficult to pierce of any state in the country. In fact, since 1987, only one Nevada “C” corporation has ever had its veil pierced. [Polaris Industries Corp v. Kaplan]. Under NRS 78.747 the protection and anonymity for officers, directors and stockholders in Nevada “C” corporations are unparalleled with any other state in the union as the nearly insurmountable burden of proof rests entirely on the Plaintiff to prove all three of the following NRS requirements to pierce the veil.

1.) The corporation must be influenced and governed by the person asserted to be the alter ego. When a corporation is not operating as a true legal entity and is being used by its shareholders as a “shell” to control private interests and assets or debts, the corporation is said to be the “alter ego” of its shareholders. A corporation may appear to be the alter ego of its shareholders when:

  • No directors are elected;
  • No corporate records are kept;
  • No records are maintained by the shareholders;
  • Personal funds or assets of shareholders are co-mingled with those of the company;

(e.g. no separate bank accounts).

If the shareholders have themselves disregarded the corporate form, the law will disregard the entity and shall not offer shareholders the protection normally granted to the corporation.

2.) There must be such unity of interest and ownership that one is inseparable from the other;

3.) The facts must be such that adherence to the corporate fiction of a separate entity would, under the circumstances, sanction fraud or promote injustice.

After the deplorable June 24th, 2010 Florida Supreme Court Ruling in Olmstead vs. FTC, Nevada amended their charging order protection under NRS 86.401 to specifically provide single-member limited liability companies the same exclusive remedy for a judgment creditor as with multi-member LLC’s.  And with legislation enacted on October 1st, 2011, Nevada went a step further under NRS 78.746 to become the only state in America extending such charging order protection to “C” Corporations.  Now Nevada “C” corporations are afforded the highest degree of protection from lawsuits filed by disgruntled creditors and zealous attorneys.

Tax, what tax?  The great state of Nevada has no gift tax, no sales tax, no luxury tax, no property tax, no franchise tax, no capital gains tax, no succession tax, no tax on corporate shares, no individual income tax and no corporate income tax for entities whose gross revenues do not reach or exceed $4 Million per annum.  Nevada entities are only subject to Federal income tax IF the respective entity has a profit upon reaching its fiscal year-end.

Nevada corporate stock holders and directors are not required to be U.S. citizens and meetings may be held by proxy anywhere in the world.  Nevada requires no minimum paid-up capital and there are minimal reporting and disclosure requirements.  Only the names and addresses of the corporate officers, directors and resident agents are on public record, but again Nevada recognizes privacy and permits the use of nominee officers and directors.

The primary business which may be exempt from paying the annual Nevada state business license fee under NRS 76.020 are government entities, non-for-profit organizations, motion picture studios, and limited types of insurance companies.

Choose a jurisdiction in which to incorporate wisely and always be sure to “Cover Your Assets”.  Please contact our offices today at https://www.assetprotectionservices.com/apsa/contact/contact-us.php to receive your free private consultation and for assistance with forming an entity in the state which best suites your needs.


Asset Protection Services of America

701 South Carson Street

Suite #200

Carson City, NV 89701-5239

Office

(775) 461-5255

Fax

(775) 461-1155

Mobile (239) 309-8214

Skype Jay_Butler

E-Mail [email protected]

Website www.AssetProtectionServices.com

 

The Castle Keep – Asset Protection Strategies

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By Garrett Sutton, Esq.

Throughout history, kings and nobles have sought to protect and defend their valuable real estate. Castles were once the preferred method of keeping marauders at bay. In today’s world, with lawyers and governments now leading the attacks, protection is no less important. In my latest book, Loopholes of Real Estate, we compare castle fortifications and asset protection, as they are quite similar in history and purpose.

But for today, without the expense and zoning issues of actually building a castle, what is the best way for you to hold real estate? There are several scenarios for real estate investors with varying asset protection options, so let’s look at a new client of mine who uses a few of the different options himself.

Sammy is an astute real estate investor. He had started out as a carpenter working for a company that both built homes and filled in their time with remodeling jobs. He soon realized that the clients who spent $10,000 with the company to remodel a property were turning around and making $50,000 when they later sold the property.

Sammy liked his job, but even more so, he liked to make money. So he started by buying a run-down property at a discount that he could fix in his spare time. While he experienced a few setbacks and some learning pains, when the remodeling and painting was completed, Sammy had a $20,000 profit after the sale.

That was enough to launch Sammy into his new career. Since then, Sammy has been buying distressed properties, fixing them up and selling them. In the last six years, Sammy has also been fixing up duplexes and 4 plexes and keeping them for his own portfolio. To further his real estate options Sammy has also started building spec houses for sale and profit.

Sammy has assembled a good team of professionals. He has learned from his CPA and attorney that each of his three real estate activities – remodeling for quick sales, holding and keeping, and building homes for speculation, or spec home sales – require a different legal strategy and a different means of taking title. His strategy is as follows:

  1. Remodel for quick sales. This is the strategy Sammy had first started with and it continues to constitute a significant portion of his profits. Still, as more new investors are getting into “fixing and flipping,” the sale prices for distressed real estate are increasing. Sammy knows what his margins are and won’t bid on dilapidated yet overpriced properties as others have done. Nevertheless, there have been plenty of good fixer-uppers in his area to acquire.

Because Sammy has been flipping several properties a year, he is subject to ordinary income taxation. Since flipping properties is his business, it is how he earns his salary. This means he has to pay a 39.6% tax (the highest federal income tax rate) on all his flips instead of only a 20% capital gain tax rate for his long term holds (with a 3.8% Obamacare surtax on income above $250,000 for married couples). Sammy definitely needs a CPA on his team for all the new rules.

This brings us to the best way to take title for Sammy’s (and for your) flipping activities.

While in a large majority of cases, you will want to take title to your real estate in an LLC, for flipping you will consider using an LLC taxed as an S corporation. The reason for this, as with so many other things in life, has to do with taxes. Because flipping constitutes ordinary income, with the S corporation tax rules we can minimize payroll taxes (that darn 15.3% extra tax we’ll never get back as it falls into the dark hole of Social Security promises). Pay yourself a reasonable salary (and pay payroll taxes on that amount) and flow the rest through to you as a distribution (without payroll taxes). Be sure to work with your CPA on this to make sure you are taxed appropriately on your real estate endeavors.

  1. Hold and keep. As Sammy analyzes each new property, he always asks himself whether it was one to flip or keep.

While he knows how to accelerate the return on his money by quickly flipping properties, he also knows that his long-term retirement needs would be in part satisfied by rental real estate income. Typically, his ideal candidate is a duplex or 4-plex that needs some repair. In such cases he can buy below market and perform improvements over time at his convenience. When he doesn’t have a quick flip to work on, he keeps his crew busy on his hold and keep properties.

Sammy always holds his hold and keep properties in separate LLCs. He values the asset protection benefits of keeping his properties in separate entities, especially after suffering two lawsuits early in his career. The first lawsuit arose when he operated his construction business as a sole proprietor and held his first investment property, a duplex, in his individual name. A client had sued Sammy over some very careless work a subcontractor had performed. The plumber had gone out of business and left the state, leaving Sammy holding the bag. A judgment was rendered whereby Sammy’s sole proprietorship was held liable for the significant damages. Since the sole proprietorship offered no asset protection whatsoever, all of Sammy’s personal assets were fair game for collection. And because Sammy hadn’t used a protective entity to hold title to his duplex, the property was completely exposed to the claims of the judgment creditor.

As a result, Sammy lost all of his sole proprietorship assets, his trucks and equipment, as well as the duplex. All lost to satisfy the claims for damages he did not cause. It was a bitter experience Sammy vowed would never happen again.

Sammy immediately started operating his construction business for flipping properties through an LLC taxed as an S corporation. He began acquiring hold properties with a vengeance, putting them all into one LLC. Before long, he had three 4-plexes and one triplex in his one LLC.

Then the second lawsuit was filed.

A tenant had fallen at the triplex.  Sammy’s insurance company used a loophole to avoid paying the claim. As the chart below indicates, the tenant prevailed in a lawsuit brought against the LLC that owned the triplex.

The good news was that Sammy’s construction business and personal assets were not exposed to the claim. The bad news was that the judgment allowed the tenant to proceed against all of the assets in Sammy’s Real Estate LLC. Two of the 4-plexes were owned free and clear. The tenant’s attorney was able to easily attach the 4-plexes and sell them to satisfy the claim.

It was after this experience that Sammy came to appreciate that one did not want to own too many properties in one LLC or LP. By holding four properties in one LLC, a tenant with a claim involving one of the properties can reach the equity in all four properties.

Sammy decided that in the future, only one property would be held in each LLC. Putting too many properties in one LLC created an attractive target for the professional litigants of the world.

  1. Spec home sales. Whether building one home for speculative sale purposes or building a subdivision full of identical tract homes, Sammy knew that a unique protection strategy was needed when he started in spec home sales. This was because more and more lawyers across the country were bringing lawsuits alleging damage from mistakes during construction, known as construction defect litigation. Plaintiff’s lawyers were filing lawsuits on behalf of homeowners alleging monetary damages due to settling, cracks, improper construction practices, and the like. These suits were especially prevalent in California and Nevada, where a ten year statute of limitations allowed suits to be brought a decade after a house was built.

Each time Sammy builds a spec home he uses a new entity. Again, because of its asset protection benefits and efficient flow-through taxation of income, Sammy uses a separate LLC for each custom home he builds. In California, because of the extra state taxes on LLCs, he uses an LP with a corporate general partner as his developer entity.

The key to Sammy’s strategy is to keep each entity active after the house had been sold. This is to thwart the aggrieved homeowners and their lawyers who have ten years to bring a construction defect claim. Too many builders believe that by having tail insurance they can dissolve the construction entity. But insurance doesn’t cover every claim, and dissolving the entity leaves you personally responsible. By keeping the entity alive during the ten-year statute of limitations period, any claim would be brought against the LLC or LP, not personally against the owners.

But isn’t it expensive to keep an entity alive for ten years? What about all the filing fees and tax returns? As Sammy knows, it isn’t a burden if done the right way.

As far as tax returns are concerned, once each house is sold a final tax return for the entity is prepared. The LLC or LP stays alive but has no activity and thus does not have to file an ongoing return. In terms of annual filing fees, some states are more expensive than others. In California it is $800 per year per entity. Including a $125 annual resident agent fee, the ten-year cost per entity is $9,250.

But what if your California entity was originally formed in a low-cost state such as Wyoming? That is Sammy’s money-saving strategy. The developer entity is formed in Wyoming and qualified to do business in California. Qualifying in California is required since the house is being constructed in California. But once the house is sold, the entity no longer conducts any California business. It is free to stop paying California fees and only has to pay the minimal Wyoming fees of $50 per year. Assuming the same $125 annual resident agent fee, the cost of maintaining a Wyoming entity for 10 years is only $1,750 versus $9,250 for California. By forming the entity in Wyoming, qualifying in California for only as long as necessary and then keeping the entity alive in Wyoming until the ten-year statute of limitations runs out, Sammy is able to affordably protect himself and his other assets.

Sammy’s three strategies for remodels, holdings, and spec home developments serve him well and he has prospered without any further devastating litigation. His modern day castle keep are properly formed and properly maintained LLCs and LPs.

For more information on this and other title matters, please read my book Loopholes of Real Estate or visit CorporateDirect.com

Links:

Loopholes of Real Estate: http://www.corporatedirect.com/loopholes-of-real-estate/

Corporate Direct:  http://www.corporatedirect.com/

 

Garrett Sutton

Garrett Sutton is an attorney, speaker and best selling author. As part of Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad’s Advisor group he has written six books which have been translated into 11 languages. Garrett focuses on corporate and asset protection law and speaks to audiences on the importance of asset protection. His advice is pertinent, timely and valuable.

Garrett received his Juris Doctor Law Degree in 1978 from Hastings College of the Law, the University of California’s law school in San Francisco. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1975. He is licensed to practice in Nevada and California.

 

Fire Your Real Estate Banker!

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By Mark Willis, CFPⓇ​
Lake Growth Financial Services

“A banker is a fellow who will lend you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain.” — Mark Twain

Ain’t that the truth? As we look ten years back on the Great Recession, we can see how much has changed, and how much more has stayed pretty much the same. Home values are up again to 2007 levels. Unemployment is down to pre-crisis levels. The stock market is hitting record highs as I write these words. And yet, not much has changed since 2008 or since Mr. Twain wrote those humorous words – bankers control the money supply, and just when you need the money most, they are there holding all the umbrellas.

I have no problem with bankers, personally. Some of my best friends are bankers!

In fact, as investors we’ve been taught to use “other people’s money” (also known as OPM) as leverage to help us gain traction in real estate or to get ahead in our business. Other solutions include getting a business line of credit to buy new equipment, or securing a mortgage on an investment property to renovate and flip a property. These are the standby solutions used by many Americans.

But ask yourself – who are the “other people” when OPM is your strategy for leverage? (Remember, leverage can work both ways – for ​and​against you!) And what do other people want so badly that they’re willing to part with their money and hand it to you? Were you just handed an umbrella on a sunny day?

When banks control the environment where your money lives, they win every time. When you control the financial environment in which your money lives, you win.

34% of all American income goes to servicing debt. If time is money, as the old saying goes, that means a full one-third of the day is spent working as slaves to a bank! Think of how many folks you know who are in debt up to their eyeballs and working 60+ hours a week, or stressing over non-paying tenants, or feverishly rushing from property to property, hoping they can sell a property before the balloon payment comes due.

For many real estate investors, the road to becoming a wealthy landlord turned south toward the highway of serfdom, with their banker holding the upper hand.

Is there any other way? How can someone who has skill and passion for real estate or their business keep control and a sense of sanity amidst a world gone insane? Is there a way to break free of financial slavery to the banks?

Yes, it’s simple.

Fire your banker!

Where is it written that you have to service your debts and pay off a banker before you can enjoy the fruits of your investment? Who says you have to pay interest on your properties, effectively turning all your real estate assets into liabilities? Where did we get the idea that banks were the only ones who could provide the function of banking in our society?

You can be your own source of financing – you can rid your financial portfolio of your banker and provide the function of banking yourself.

How? The answer may shock you. I’m talking about a modernized form of dividend-paying whole life insurance. It works like a source of capital, a bank, to provide a guaranteed pool of money liquid and available for whatever you need. The funds you accumulate in your life insurance grow safely and predictably every year, guaranteed – no matter what’s happening in the stock market. You can use the equity in your policy like a line of credit to yourself – and you have complete control over how, when and if you pay your money back to your policy. You are in complete control of the entire process.

When most people see the words: whole life insurance, their mind turns off. Mine sure did! I was taught to avoid whole life insurance even in my earliest days as a financial planner. Since then, I’ve come to see how useful and valuable a ​properly structured, dividend-paying​whole life policy can be, when issued from a mutual life insurance company that offers non-direct recognition loans. This vehicle helps my clients overcome the inertia of opportunity cost, accumulate a powerful warchest of capital, and deploy liquid capital for their real estate ventures.

It matters where your money lives. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ I have investigated nearly every financial strategy available to investors. Well over 400+ products are available and tens of thousands of uses of those products have been hocked and sold to folks looking for that golden goose that will just help them sleep better at night. Financial pundits and Wall Street advisors will tell you that whole life insurance is the devil, and while I’m sure I’ll be ostracized by mainstream financial advisors for saying this, I think every person should at least KNOW that becoming your own source of financing through a properly structured whole life policy is an option worth investigating for yourself. Besides, if mainstream financial advice got us into the mess we are in, maybe it’s time for a new way of thinking!

We’ve had two major market crashes since the year 2000. Do you think another one will happen in your lifetime? Do you want your reaction to the next market crash to be the same as the last one? If you’d like to not only protect yourself from the next recession, but actually anticipate and take advantage of it, prepare for it now by doing what the banks do, not doing what they tell you to do. Banks purchase a huge amount of life insurance to run their businesses. Prepare by becoming the banker by using a form of capital that banks themselves take advantage of (Google “Bank Owned Life Insurance” to see what I mean).

Imagine we’re in the middle of another financial calamity. Everyone is seeing their 401(k) values drop and real estate prices are plummeting. Your friends are nervous about losing their jobs.

But instead of fear and instead of begging a banker to lend you his umbrella, you’ve established yourself as your own source of capital, using the cash value in your properly designed life insurance policy. You’re in control. When you see the real estate values crashing, instead of fear, you see opportunity. You borrow from your own policy’s cash, and within 3-5 days your policy’s cash value is direct deposited into your bank account and you’ve got cash at closing. No tax obligations, no government red tape. You are in control.

With this kind of leverage, the kind of leverage you own, you can borrow from your policy and still have it earning interest as if you did not take the loan. You read that right. That’s a rare feature often misunderstood and overlooked by most insurance agents. And when it’s properly implemented into a policy, you overcome the biggest hurdle in the financial universe – opportunity cost, and giving you uninterrupted compound growth – what has been referred to as the 8th Wonder of the World. You can pay your policy back on your own terms, when and if you choose. Do you think that will make you more or less competitive as an investor? Could this help you with more than just investing? How about buying the stuff of life – cars, medical expenses, paying off debt… which financial situation would it NOT make sense to be the banker?

The only thing better than being debt free is to be the banker. Then you’re the one lending the umbrellas!

There’s more to this than just picking up the phone to call your local insurance guy. Most insurance agents (and certainly most Wall Street brokers) have ​never​heard of this strategy, and you don’t want to put your money with an “I’ll just Google it” advisor. If you’d like to talk to someone who has been specially trained and authorized to specifically design a Bank on Yourself policy as described above, please contact us at ​[email protected]​or call us at 1-800-962-9141.