Interview with a Distance Investor
By Bruce Kellogg
Introducing Bruce Dinger
Bruce Dinger is a long-time resident of Silicon Valley who earned an MBA degree in International Business from Regis University in 1997. Since then, he has spent 30 years as an investor, as well as an educator teaching those interested in becoming an investor. At the present time he has:
1) Completed over 200 real estate projects in the past 32 months all across the world.
2) Runs a hedge fund catering to ultra-wealthy clients.
3) Runs an educational practice that provides education related to investment financial literacy.
4) Serves as an angel investor and invests in technology-based start-up companies.
Here we will discuss his real estate investing at a distance.
Investing Philosophy
Bruce starts by explaining that in order to succeed in investing and, actually in life, it is necessary to “live in a world of abundance, not one of scarcity.” For everyone, including for himself, the best approach to self-optimization is to “invest in yourself.”
When it comes to real estate investing, Bruce is “ZIP code agnostic”. He invests based on potential cash flow wherever it is to be found. To him, “It’s a numbers game.” It’s also a long-term endeavor, “not a sprint, but a marathon.” He says,
“Anything can happen in a deal, so it’s important to buy right.” You “manage risk by buying right.”
Investing Practices
Bruce prospects for properties across the entire country with an in-house team and submissions by potential joint venture partners. His criteria includes: 1) liquid markets, 2) pre-foreclosures, 3) high-equity, absentee owners, and 4) quality school systems, among others. He maintains that he often does not see the properties he purchases. He will only go out to properties to help educate his children about the power of investing.
Much of the time, Bruce collaborates with brokers and agents. Here, he insists on working with the best. These he selects based on their sales production awards and the number of sales they have closed in the past 24 months. As with himself, his standards are high.
A key element in Bruce’s investing model is to partner in joint ventures to create “boots on the ground” in each area. Some of these partners have no experience in which case Bruce educates them. He has created documents for every step of the system they use, which he calls “McDonaldsalizing” his system!
Bruce usually funds the project, often with money he has raised. Many of his projects sell before he is even finished with them, a benefit from choosing liquid markets. He states that if you buy right, it makes it very difficult to lose money on a deal.
The “Elite Real Estate Investing System”
Besides creating joint ventures with partners, Bruce coaches real estate investing students. He hand-selects students based on their desire to learn the real estate investing business. Not everyone qualifies. He is looking for students that not only want to learn how to build a real estate practice, but students that he can eventually treat as peers and do joint ventures together.
More Than Just a Real Estate Investing Business
Bruce has a huge passion for investing in real estate. He says it is not his love for real estate itself, but for what real estate allows him to do, which is to spend time with his family and do the things he wants to do.
People often ask how to get into the business of real estate investing. Bruce says, “Easy. Have a passion for life. Be willing to do whatever it takes to get to where you want to go. And hire a Mentor that can get you there.”
Bruce is always looking for the right person to mentor in the game of REI. If you think you have what it takes, feel free to reach out to Bruce – [email protected].
BRUCE KELLOGG
Bruce Kellogg has been a Realtor® and investor for 40 years. He has transacted about 800 properties in 12 California counties. These include 1-4 units, 5+ apartments, offices, mixed-use buildings, land, lots, mobile homes, cabins, and churches.
He writes and edits copy for Realty411 and REI Wealth Monthly magazines.
Mr. Kellogg is a recipient of an Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, listed in Who’s Who in America – 2019.
Mr. Kellogg is available for consulting about syndication, “turnkey” investments, joint-ventures, and other property purchases nationally, and other consulting assignments. Reach him at [email protected], or (408) 489-0131.
