This document promotes investing in real estate through private loans and tax liens to earn consistent passive income. It offers a free guide on trust deed investing and directs the reader to a website for more information on safely earning double digit returns through these investment vehicles. The document emphasizes consistency, security, and high returns through real estate lending.
4. Each franchise office is independently owned and operated.
Our franchisees have purchased over 50,000 houses since 1996.
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5. 07 Publisher’s note
08 Insurance myths
11 Meet Tim Herriage
13 It’s a seller’s market
14 What are tax liens?
16 Photo tips for investors
18 Mike’s mobile home parks
19 Tips for snail mail success
20 Sound advice on leverage
22 A&E’s Flipping Boston
24 Notes with Scott Carson
25 Tips on rental management
27 Questioning convention
31 Profile of Equity Trust
35 Insights by Tony Martinez
36 Sensei’s entrepreneurial life
40 The 401(K) sinking hole
42 Coast to Coast REIA
44 A secure investment?
46 Nick Vertucci always wins
48 Market selection advice
50 Q&A with IPX/AZ
52 The power of direction
54 Benefits for investors
56 Find your partners
contents Here’s The KeyTo Your Real Estate Insurance Needs ...
“ ”
The Right Coverage At The Right Time
For a Coverage Proposal, Visit or Call:
www.nreinsurance.com
888-741-8454
• Occupied, vacant, and renovation properties can be
included on the same schedule
• Seamless monthly billing and reporting
• Realistic insurance-to-value parameters
• Theft coverage available on vacant locations
• Coverages underwritten by AM Best “A” or better
rated insurers, such as Lloyd’s of London, Scottsdale,
Allianz/Fireman’s Fund
• Insure multiple owner/controlling entities under
one inventory schedule
• Basic or Special form coverage options
• Premises liability of $1 million per occurrence
• Liability coverage only is available
• Available in all 50 states
• Insure properties held in IRAs, Trusts, LLCs,
Corporations, etc.
• Embedded program(s) available for property managers,
private lenders, and turnkey operators
• Coverage available for non-US citizens
IRCA-LA Changed It’s Name!
We are the ONLY Westside Club in Los
Angeles offering FREE ADMISSION
Meetings are on the First Tuesday of Every Month
LEARN MORE AT:
www.prosperitythroughrealestate.com
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 5 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
6. “I changed one thing one time
and left the ‘rat race’ forever.
I can show you how I did it,
Matt Theriault
Real Estate Investor
Founder of EpicProAcademy.com and CashflowSavvy.com
Host of the Epic Real Estate Investing Podcast on iTunes
7. Why I click, not
drive, for dollars
sellers. Personally, I think the public
Multiple Listing Service is the most
under utilized and under valued inves-
tor tool that exists today… and it’s
free! Most investors simply don’t use
or don’t even know how to gain access
to their local MLS. Think of the MLS
as our industry’s library of knowledge
that holds valuable treasures, much
like the real thing. (Our own public
libraries are also greatly under uti-
lized… coincidence?) The MLS in Los
Angeles, www.themls.com, not only
provides guests with a listing of cur-
rent properties, but it also has access to
what is pending, on backup, and what
just sold. It’s an invaluable resource!
Some investors mistakenly think that
by Linda Pliagas, publisher, investor, agent
Continued on pg. 62
O
ver the years, I have purchased
and sold many properties around
the country, from single family
homes to multifamily complexes, the loca-
tion and type of property may vary, but
one thing that they all have in common is
that they were found on the MLS (Mul-
tiple Listing Service).
Most investors are taken aback when I
tell them that I find my deals on the MLS.
What about writing yellow
letters? Don’t you use bandit
signs or do any cold calls? My
reply is always: “Who has time
for that?!”
Why should I spend money and pre-
cious time on techniques like that when
all I have to do is a quick MLS search
to see today’s hot pickings. Driving for
dollars? Have you seen the price of gas
lately? No thanks, I’d rather comfortably
kick back at home and click for my deals.
Do you think distressed properties
and motivated sellers do not exist on the
MLS? Wrong! I found my three recent
rehab deals on the MLS. That’s three
single-family properties in distress with
nearly $100,000 in equity in each one.
I’ve also found my properties out of
state on the MLS boards of their respec-
tive cities. I’ve purchased rentals in
five states, all found on the MLS
at no cost to me. The MLS has
all sorts of distressed deals:
REOs, short sales, pro-
bates, trustee sales,
corporate-owned
properties, as
well as motivated
linda’snote
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 7 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
8. Realty411Guide.com PAGE 8 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
DEBUNKEDby Stephanie B. Mojica
P
eople tend to focus more on
making fast cash with real estate
investments and as a result often
do not properly insure their assets.
Beginning investors are especially
prone to treating insurance as an op-
tion rather than an essential part of
their business plan, says Tim Norris,
President of the National Real Estate
Insurance Group (NREIG), which is
headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.
“Most of us consider insurance as a
‘purchasing endeavor.’ That is, we either
buy it, or it is sold to us. Therein, in
my opinion, is the foundational fault
of the process. The misconception is still
prevalent…insurance is mysterious, dif-
ficult to understand, and, at best we hope
we can trust the person that is selling it to
us,” Norris says.
Norris, who is also a board member of
the non-profit National Real Estate Inves-
tors Association, has garnered plenty of re-
spect for his authorship of the PowerPoint
presentation “13 Myths for the Real Estate
Investor.” To create the document, Norris
utilized more than 20 years of experience
working closely with real estate investors
to properly insure their assets. Even if
people do not ultimately purchase a policy
through his company, Norris hopes his
advice will still help them protect their
investments.
Norris’ 13 myths are as follows:
1. Insurance is exclusive of estate, tax,
and financial planning.
2. Being named as an “additional
insured” on the existing homeowner
policy will sufficiently protect my inter-
ests in a subject-to and/or lease-option
deal…
3. Buying a property in your personal
name and using your homeowner’s
policy liability is fine…
4. The “personal” dwelling fire policy
is sufficient to cover my non-owner oc-
cupied rental…
5. I have a personal umbrella policy
(PUL), so I don’t need “commercial
insurance”…
13 Insurance Myths for RE Investors
Continued on pg. 55
ImagebybyDjtaylor
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 8 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
9. www.WeCloseNotes.com
TURN TOXIC LOANS TO REAL PROFITS
Four Day Workshops
Orlando, Chicago, San Diego
Get the Home Study Course and Class
NoteBuyingforDummiesWorkshopLearn HoW to:
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11. by Stephanie B. Mojica
R
eal estate entrepreneur Tim
Herriage has become so
well-versed in the ins and
outs of the business that he
can buy a house from an owner just
as easily as he can buy milk from a
grocery store.
Herriage, a native of the Dallas-Fort
Worth metroplex, spent the first five
years of his professional career as
an intelligence analyst in the United
States Marine Corps.
In 2001, he decided to return to his
Texas roots and become a real estate
investor. Herriage has purchased more
than 1,000 single-family houses in
Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San
Antonio and is involved in numerous
aspects of the real estate investment
field.
In 2011, Herriage founded the REI
Expo. The 2012 expo, held in the
Dallas-Fort Worth area, offered at-
tendees the chance to learn from Texas
experts in 66 classes over a two-day
period. Herriage requires speakers at
REI Expo to offer good content and
not turn their talks into those more
characteristic of a “pitch fest.”
“People attend events like this
because they want to learn how to get
into that industry or get better at what
they do,” Herriage said.
“The last thing they want to do is sit
through a weekend of sales pitches.”
“Flip This House” A&E star David
Montelongo was just one of the speakers
at the 2012 REI Expo. When asked about
his impressions of the expo Montelongo
said, “This group was more on the experi-
enced side. They had good flow, com-
munication
and energy.
I did some
good busi-
ness and
will be
back.”
Model
My Home President Jana Uselton spoke
on staging homes to attract buyers. She
and her team wrote up thousands of dol-
lars in orders at the expo itself and said
many more investors committed to work
with her.
“We didn’t have to do any selling. Once
they saw the hard numbers of the results
sellers are getting by staging homes it be-
came a no-brainer for them,” Uselton said.
“Out of all the seminars, trade shows and
expos we have attended, sponsored or
exhibited, this was the absolute best event
we have ever done.”
At press time, the date for the 2013 REI
Expo in Chicago was imminent. Herriage
hopes to duplicate the educational value
at not only the 2013 event, but also future
REI conferences.
Herriage, often lauded as one of the
most successful investors and wholesal-
ers in the real estate market, is president
of Herriage Homes as well as a National
Development Agent for HomeVestors.
HomeVestors, also known as “We
Buy Ugly Houses,” has purchased more
than 50,000 American houses since the
company’s birth in 1989. Herriage, who
is married and has two sons, regularly
gives public talks about his experience
as a successful real estate entrepreneur
who also has a happy family life.
“I enjoy meeting new people and trav-
eling,” Herriage said. “I got my quick
start in this business by meeting people
who were willing to help me, and I try to
do the same.”
Whether Herriage is speaking to a
roomful of people or an individual, he
hopes the one message they take away
from their time together is that Herriage
has a mission to tell only the truth.
“I love buying houses, but hate the
Dallas Wholesaler
& Industry Leader
Tim Herriage
From local wholesaling to cross country travels for
HomeVestors and the REI Expo, this former Marine
represents a few, a proud select group of investors.
Continued on pg. 30
“I got my quick start in this business by
meeting people that were willing to help
me, and I try to do the same.”
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 11 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
12. Your Default Property Acquisition Specialist
Visit PIP-West this July at the REI Expo in Chicago or in California this October.
Please call PIP-West for more information: 877-335-2529
3Exclusive Savings when you register with
PIP-West
3More than 25 classes included with your
attendance
3Engage with multiple resources/leaders in
the real estate investment network, who are
there to teach you how to succeed!
More Than 400 Satisfied Clients and Growing
In Chicago & Los Angeles
CONTACT US, OR VISIT US ONLINE FOR ALL THE DETAILS
• An Educational Opportunity for seasoned and new
investors
• No sales, no pitch, no hype - One of the best Educational
and Networking events of the year
• Unique opportunity to meet our clients and learn from
their ongoing experiences
• Learn to invest tax free with your self-directed IRA and
with the most trusted and respected Tax Lien/Deed
Agents around
• Clients/Current Investors will have an opportunity for one-
on-one meetings with our staff to get “account check-ups”
877-335-2529 | PIPWest.com877-335-2529 | PIPWest.com
13. by Kathy Fettke
F
rom 2007 to 2012,
the United States
experienced one of the
greatest housing reces-
sions in history. Prices
dropped over 50% in many areas,
building came to a near complete
stop, and foreclosures made daily
headline news.
There was a glut of available
homes to buy, but few people had
the guts to pick them up at rock
bottom prices. It was a perfect buyer’s market.
The irony is, most people are afraid to buy in a buyer’s mar-
ket, even though it’s the BEST time to buy! You can name your
price, negotiate terms, and pick out the best value for bargain
prices. But it takes contrarian thinking, and requires a sophisti-
cated understanding of market cycles.
Market cycles can change on a
dime. Here we are in the second
quarter of 2013, and today’s
news is all about the terrible
LACK of housing inventory,
multiple offers over asking price,
and people waiting in lines when
a property is released to the
public. We are back in a seller’s
market.
A seller’s market is good for
sellers because there’s a lot of
buyers competing for limited
inventory. High demand and low supply allows the seller to ne-
gotiate, so prices tend to go up. We are seeing price increases
as much as 1-3% per month in markets like Sacramento and
Phoenix. What is happening? Where did all those foreclosures
and short sales go?
From Buyer’s to Seller’s MarketFrom Buyer’s to Seller’s Market
marketupdate
Continued on pg. 61
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 13 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
14. C
harles Sells doesn't like talking
about acquiring real estate for
"pennies on the dollar," because it
sounds too much like a carnival-
barker, late-night-TV, shady-char-
acter pitch.
But Sells, Director of
Acquisitions for Plati-
num Investment Prop-
erties West, often finds
himself in the position of
offering clients just that
-- although he'd prefer a
more sober accounting of
things.
"We try to take all the
hype out of the water,"
said Sells. "We offer
a conservative, high-
yield opportunity that is
backed by government
regulations."
It's an opportunity
that just happens to give clients the
chance to, well, you know. Sells and
partner Don Fullman have carved out
a respectable corner of this niche mar-
ket, and help investors navigate the
seemingly endless rolls of red tape
Charles Sells
that surround property taxes -- and
what happens when property owners
don't pay them. In their effort, they've
discovered a surprisingly safe invest-
ment within a shaky market: acquiring
tax liens and, often, deeds.
Here's how it works, focusing on
Sells' favorite markets at the moment,
Illinois and Georgia: in both states, the
process begins when at a tax lien auc-
tion.
"In Illinois, what we buy is a tax lien
to the property," said Sells. "In 2013, we
would be buying 2012 delinquent taxes."
Illinois has a redemption period, two
and a half years, during which the prop-
erty owner can "redeem" their tax lien
by paying off the
back taxes plus in-
terest; the bid rate
starts at 18%, and it
can be bid down to
as low as zero. But,
according to Sells,
whatever your bid
rate is, in Illinois it
doubles every six
months.
"So if you bought
it at 15%, you're ac-
tually gaining a net
annualized return on
a paid-off certificate
of 30%," said Sells.
After the redemption period ends, if the
lien is not paid off, the holder of the lien
-- you, the investor -- can initiate foreclo-
sure on the property.
That process can take as much as a
Taking the
“The reason we continue
to have our success is
because our clients
are successful.”
Hype
outof
TaxLienSales
C
harles Sells doesn't like
talking about acquiring
real estate for "pennies
on the dollar," because it
sounds too much like a
carnival-barker, late-
night-TV, shady-character
pitch.
But Sells, director of
acquisitions for Platinum
Investment Properties
West, often finds him-
self in the position of
offering clients just that
— although he'd prefer a
more sober accounting of
things.
"We try to take all the hype out of the
water," said Sells. "We offer a conserva-
tive, high-yield opportunity that is backed
by government regulations."
Sells and partner Don Fullman have
carved out a respectable corner of this
niche market, and they help investors
navigate the seemingly endless rolls of red
tape that surround property taxes — and
what happens when property owners don't
pay them. In their effort, they've discov-
ered a surprisingly safe investment within
a shaky market: acquiring tax liens and,
often, deeds.
Here's how it works, focusing on Sells'
favorite markets at the moment, Illinois
and Georgia: in both states, the process
begins when at a tax lien auction.
"In Illinois, what we buy is a tax lien
to the property," said Sells. "In 2013, we
would be buying 2012 delinquent taxes."
Illinois has a redemption period,
two and a half years, during which the
property owner can "redeem" their tax
lien by paying off the
back taxes plus inter-
est; the bid rate starts at
18%, and it can be bid
down to as low as zero.
But, according to Sells,
whatever your bid rate
is, in Illinois it doubles
every six months.
"So if you bought it
at 15%, you're actually
gaining a net annualized
return on a paid-off certificate of 30%,"
said Sells. After the redemption period
ends, if the lien is not paid off, the holder
of the lien — you, the investor — can
initiate foreclosure on the property.
That process can take as much as a year,
according to Sells, and of course there are
C
harles Sells doesn't like talking
about acquiring real estate for
"pennies on the dollar," because it
sounds too much like a carnival-
barker, late-night-TV, shady-char-
acter pitch.
But Sells, Director of
Acquisitions for Plati-
num Investment Prop-
erties West, often finds
himself in the position of
offering clients just that
-- although he'd prefer a
more sober accounting of
things.
"We try to take all the
hype out of the water,"
said Sells. "We offer
a conservative, high-
yield opportunity that is
backed by government
regulations."
It's an opportunity
that just happens to give clients the
chance to, well, you know. Sells and
partner Don Fullman have carved out
a respectable corner of this niche mar-
ket, and help investors navigate the
seemingly endless rolls of red tape
Charles Sells
that surround property taxes -- and
what happens when property owners
don't pay them. In their effort, they've
discovered a surprisingly safe invest-
ment within a shaky market: acquiring
tax liens and, often, deeds.
Here's how it works, focusing on
Sells' favorite markets at the moment,
Illinois and Georgia: in both states, the
process begins when at a tax lien auc-
tion.
"In Illinois, what we buy is a tax lien
to the property," said Sells. "In 2013, we
would be buying 2012 delinquent taxes."
Illinois has a redemption period, two
and a half years, during which the prop-
erty owner can "redeem" their tax lien
by paying off the
back taxes plus in-
terest; the bid rate
starts at 18%, and it
can be bid down to
as low as zero. But,
according to Sells,
whatever your bid
rate is, in Illinois it
doubles every six
months.
"So if you bought
it at 15%, you're ac-
tually gaining a net
annualized return on
a paid-off certificate
of 30%," said Sells.
After the redemption period ends, if the
lien is not paid off, the holder of the lien
-- you, the investor -- can initiate foreclo-
sure on the property.
That process can take as much as a
Taking the
“The reason we continue
to have our success is
because our clients
are successful.”
Hype
outof
TaxLienSales
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 14 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
by Robb Magley
15. going to be attorney and court fees, plus
any additional back taxes will need to
be paid — but at the end of the process,
you've acquired clean, clear, quiet title to
that property.
"Now, the way Georgia works, it's
what we call a premium bid state, where
the penalty is set at 20%," said Sells. "So
say we go to a tax sale in Georgia, and
say there's a lien being offered for sale
for $5,000. We could spend as much as
$50,000 on that tax lien, and the underly-
ing property could be worth as much as
$200,000. The homeowner then has to pay
us back 20% on top of the $50,000."
That pencils out to a $10,000 penalty on
top of their $5,000 tax bill that they have
to come up with.
"The net payback to our investor would
be $60,000 on the redemption," said Sells.
"So you're getting a high return, either on
the redemption of the lien
itself, or in acquiring title
to the property."
Holding the tax lien
is an enviable position;
you're in line even before
the mortgage company;
in fact, according to Sells,
more often than not his
clients find themselves
being redeemed by
the banks themselves,
because taxes are escrowed as part of
most mortgages. When owners fall behind
on the mortgage, the taxes might not get
covered.
"The banks have to redeem us out just
like the homeowner would," said Sells.
"We have rights to foreclose on the mort-
gage companies just as we do the home-
owner; it's a pretty safe spot to be in."
Clearly it's a strategy Platinum Invest-
ment Properties West has seen suc-
cess with; according to Sells, despite
a lot of talk of declining inventories
of delinquent properties, they're
busier than ever.
"Our company has doubled in
size every year for the last six
years," said Sells. "This year we
performed higher than we ever
have in past years. There's still
plenty of inventory out there for
us, because I think there's a lot
that still hasn't come to market
yet. There are more investment
opportunities than there is cash
to put into them."
Sells said his clients are look-
ing for longer-term investments
with high yields -- he estimates
40% of their investors are self-
directed IRA clients — and they know that
these are not particularly liquid invest-
ments to get into.
"Now, with an agent like us, do we have
more opportunity to make it liquid than
someone who just shows up and buys
these tax liens?" asked Sells. "Sure, of
course. But we still push on all our clients
that this is a long-term hold; you'll get
redemption checks
immediately upon
investment, but don't
expect that you're go-
ing to flip all this stuff
out in a year's time
and do it again."
Sells admits it's a
challenging market,
and that there's a lot
of road between the
initial investment
and the return. "And there certainly was a
learning curve when I got started in '96,"
he laughed. "But I think we're the best in
the business that offers this type of oppor-
tunity now. And the reason we continue to
have our success is because our clients are
successful."
Contact PIP-West at: 877-335-2529 or
visit online @ www.PIPWest.com
Donald Fullman
year, according to Sells, and of course
there are going to be attorney and court
fees, plus any additional back taxes will
need to be paid -- but at the end of the
process, you've acquired clean, clear,
quiet title to that property.
"Now, the way Georgia works, it's
what we call a premium bid state, where
the penalty is set at 20%," said Sells. "So
say we go to a tax sale in Georgia, and
say there's a lien being offered for sale
for $5,000. We could spend as much as
$50,000 on that tax lien, and the under-
lying property could be worth as much
as $200,000. The homeowner then has to
pay us back 20% on top of the $50,000."
That pencils out to a $10,000 penalty
on top of their $5,000 tax bill that they
have to come up with.
"The net payback to our investor
would be $60,000 on the redemption,"
said Sells. "So you're
getting a high return,
either on the redemp-
tion of the lien itself, or
in acquiring title to the
property."
Holding the tax lien
is an enviable posi-
tion; you're in line even
before the mortgage
company; in fact, ac-
cording to Sells, more
often than not his cli-
ents find themselves
being redeemed by the
banks themselves, be-
cause taxes are escrowed as part of most
mortgages. When owners fall behind on
the mortgage, the taxes might not get
covered.
"The banks have to redeem us out just
like the homeowner would," said Sells.
"We have rights to foreclose on the mort-
gage companies just as we do the home-
owner; it's a pretty safe spot to be in."
Clearly it's a strategy Platinum In-
vestment Properties West has
seen success with; according
to Sells, despite a lot of talk of
declining inventories of delin-
quent properties, they're busier
than ever.
"Our company has doubled
in size every year for the last
six years," said Sells. "This
year we performed higher
than we ever have in past
years. There's still plenty of
inventory out there for us,
because I think there's a
lot that still hasn't come to
market yet. There are more
investment opportunities
than there is cash to put
into them."
Sells said his clients
are looking for longer-term
investments with high yields -- he esti-
mates 40% of their investors are self-di-
rected IRA clients -- and they know that
these are not particularly liquid invest-
ments to get into.
"Now, with an agent like us, do we
have more opportunity to make it liquid
than someone who just shows up and
buys these tax liens?" asked Sells. "Sure,
of course. But we still push on all our
clients that this is a
long-term hold; you'll
get redemption checks
immediately upon in-
vestment, but don't ex-
pect that you're going
to flip all this stuff out
in a year's time and do
it again."
Sells admits it's a
challenging market,
and that there's a lot
of road between the
initial investment and
the return.
"Andtherecertainlywasalearningcurve
when I got started in '96," he laughed. "But
I think we're the best in the business that of-
fers this type of opportunity now. And the
reason we continue to have our success is
because our clients are successful."
For more information, visit Sells and
Platinum Investment Properties West on
the web at http://www.pipwest.com
“There are more investment
opportunities than there is
cash to put into them.”
Donald Fullman
year, according to Sells, and of course
there are going to be attorney and court
fees, plus any additional back taxes will
need to be paid -- but at the end of the
process, you've acquired clean, clear,
quiet title to that property.
"Now, the way Georgia works, it's
what we call a premium bid state, where
the penalty is set at 20%," said Sells. "So
say we go to a tax sale in Georgia, and
say there's a lien being offered for sale
for $5,000. We could spend as much as
$50,000 on that tax lien, and the under-
lying property could be worth as much
as $200,000. The homeowner then has to
pay us back 20% on top of the $50,000."
That pencils out to a $10,000 penalty
on top of their $5,000 tax bill that they
have to come up with.
"The net payback to our investor
would be $60,000 on the redemption,"
said Sells. "So you're
getting a high return,
either on the redemp-
tion of the lien itself, or
in acquiring title to the
property."
Holding the tax lien
is an enviable posi-
tion; you're in line even
before the mortgage
company; in fact, ac-
cording to Sells, more
often than not his cli-
ents find themselves
being redeemed by the
banks themselves, be-
cause taxes are escrowed as part of most
mortgages. When owners fall behind on
the mortgage, the taxes might not get
covered.
"The banks have to redeem us out just
like the homeowner would," said Sells.
"We have rights to foreclose on the mort-
gage companies just as we do the home-
owner; it's a pretty safe spot to be in."
Clearly it's a strategy Platinum In-
vestment Properties West has
seen success with; according
to Sells, despite a lot of talk of
declining inventories of delin-
quent properties, they're busier
than ever.
"Our company has doubled
in size every year for the last
six years," said Sells. "This
year we performed higher
than we ever have in past
years. There's still plenty of
inventory out there for us,
because I think there's a
lot that still hasn't come to
market yet. There are more
investment opportunities
than there is cash to put
into them."
Sells said his clients
are looking for longer-term
investments with high yields -- he esti-
mates 40% of their investors are self-di-
rected IRA clients -- and they know that
these are not particularly liquid invest-
ments to get into.
"Now, with an agent like us, do we
have more opportunity to make it liquid
than someone who just shows up and
buys these tax liens?" asked Sells. "Sure,
of course. But we still push on all our
clients that this is a
long-term hold; you'll
get redemption checks
immediately upon in-
vestment, but don't ex-
pect that you're going
to flip all this stuff out
in a year's time and do
it again."
Sells admits it's a
challenging market,
and that there's a lot
of road between the
initial investment and
the return.
"Andtherecertainlywasalearningcurve
when I got started in '96," he laughed. "But
I think we're the best in the business that of-
fers this type of opportunity now. And the
reason we continue to have our success is
because our clients are successful."
For more information, visit Sells and
Platinum Investment Properties West on
the web at http://www.pipwest.com
“There are more investment
opportunities than there is
cash to put into them.”
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 15 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
16. investortools
by Tom Wilson
I
never cease to be amazed at the poor quality of many
real estate photographs. Are you aware that the picture
for many properties for sale is literally taken from the
driver’s seat of a car!? For only an extra 30 min. of your
time, or $100 paid to a professional photographer, one of the
most expensive products you will ever market can go from an
“also available” to “schedule a showing today!” As a serious
amateur photographer for 50 years, I’ve learned a few things
that make a big difference. Let’s take a look at some common
mistakes that are made and how to easily rectify them.
Equipment
For starters I recommend a DSLR (digital single reflex cam-
era), such as an entry-level Canon Rebel ($300 used to $900
new). A point and shoot can take very fine every day shots,
but this is not an every day sale. A DSLR
allows for better lenses, filter attachments,
an external flash, and what you see is
what you get because you view the scene
through the same lens and filter that shoots
the picture. You can still set the camera
to a point and shoot automatic mood and
don’t have to know anything complicated.
A Wide Angle Zoom Lens. (can be pur-
chased with the camera or alone for about
$200). The lens should be at least 18mm
minimum (or 28mm equivalent to the old
35mm film cameras). Wider is even better
but 18mm is acceptable. It should zoom
to at least 50mm. Most starter DSLRs come with
this lens as the defacto standard, so they are readily
available.
Ninety five percent of point and shoots simply do
not have a sufficiently wide a lens to show all of a
room. Period. Wide angle is the only substitute for
when it is impossible or not practical to get farther
back. I am flabbergasted at the number of ad photos
that only show the toilet and a corner of the tub, or
the nice family room with fireplace but don’t let you see that
it is attached to the kitchen for a wonderful “Great Room.” A
wide angle lens solves this problem.
Polarizer ($20-$50 at any camera store; the cheap one is
just fine). A polarizing filter attaches to the front of the lens
and is used to cut glare and reflections. I rarely take a picture
that includes sky, water or through a window without a polar-
izer. The front element rotates until you see that the picture
has the least glare, and best contrast and saturation of color. It
works best when you are perpendicular to the angle of the sun or
rays. The improvement in the picture is dramatic.
External Flash ($50-$200). The built in flash is minimally
acceptable, however, an external flash (attaches to the metal piece
on top of the DSLR called a hot shoe) helps to fill in the shadows
at the side of the scene taken with a wide angle, can fill a deeper
great room with light more fully and evenly, and can be aimed up
so that you don’t get harsh reflections from the bathroom mirror
and other reflective surfaces.
Composition
Views. First of all, pretend you are the buyer. What would you
want to see in addition to the typical pictures? The neighbors’
homes, the street, the back yard, the local park, the development
entrance, etc? Then include them in your portfolio of pictures!
Consider framing some
shots with a tree or door-
way, use a step ladder for
an elevated view, shoot the
living room from the stairs,
and include artistic detail
features such as a nice car-
riage light, flowers, garden
arch, or fireplace.
No Dirty Laundry.
Put away or shoot around
the trash cans, close the
toilet seat, cut the grass,
request or pay the resident
to straighten up before you
arrive, angle your shot to
exclude the power pole, the
dead bush, etc.
Lighting. Time your exte-
rior pictures with the sun
and weather. Don’t shoot
an East facing home in the
afternoon; go in the morning on a nice day when the front view
is lit up. On the interior, go in the daytime, open the windows,
turn on all of the lights, use your external flash and angle it to get
more diffusion. You want the scene to look warm and lived in.
Staging. If the house is occupied get a stager to recommend
what to change and remove. If the house it empty, get it staged at
least with accessories if not furniture. As a minimum, take along
a bag of small accessories to stage the kitchen and baths just for
the shots. I stage almost all of my homes for owner occupant
Stamp Out Drive By Shootings!
The importance of having a skilled photographer on your team
Equipment List
DSLR $300-900
Wide Angle Zoom Lens $200
Polarizer $20-50
External Flash $50-200
Total Investment: ~$700-1,000
Amortized over 50 houses: $20/house
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 16 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
17. sales. Some agents tell me not to do it be-
cause most others in that market do not.
Perfect. I always want my product to look
and be better that my competition.
Using these techniques, you can take
better marketing pictures than your com-
petition that will make a big difference
in your advertising to entice a prospect
to take the next step. If you elect to farm
it out to a professional you now know
what to look for and what questions to
ask. May your next pictures look like you could sell a thousand
homes.
Tom Wilson is a thirty-seven year real estate veteran who has
executed over $100M and 1,800 units of real estate investments.
After thirty years of managing some of the Silicon Valley’s
pioneering technology companies, Mr. Wilson put his business
and management experience toward full time investing. One of
his companies,
Wilson Invest-
ment Properties,
offers high-quality, high-cash flow, fully rehabbed, and leased
properties to other investors. Mr. Wilson is also a weekly host
of the Real Estate 360 Radio program on KDOW 1220 am
every Wednesday at 3 pm. Catch the podcasts on iTunes or on
his website, www.tomwilsonproperties.com
Some people believe Photoshop is
the solution to poor photography.
This notion was tested with the poor
exterior shot. However, it is impos-
sible to digitally reframe a poorly
composed photograph, and there is
no way to recapture the saturated
natural looking sky and lawn with-
out having used a polarized filter in
the first place. Conclusion: start with
a good photograph and use digital
tools for very minor touch ups only.
INTERIOR Poor
interior better
Exterior Poor Exterior better
INVESTWITHCONFIDENCEI M M E D I A T E C A S H F L O W
Discover the lowest-risk, highest-quality residential investment properties in the
country. Using sophisticated methodology, the best investment properties are
carefully selected by an experienced investor and rehabbed beautifully to secure the
best tenants. With competent property management, and instant cash flow, your
investment pays worry-free dividends from day one.
PROFILE OF YOUR FUTURE PORTFOLIO
• Highest Cash Flow
• Lowest Risk Properties & Cities
• Immediate Equity
• Quality Newer Brick Homes and Stable Neighborhoods
• Turnkey – Clear Title, Rehabbed, Leased, Managed
• Home Warranty
“Contact me for a
free cash flow analysis.”
Mention REI Voice Magazine and receive one-year of free
property management with your first purchase.
TOM WILSON, President
408-867-1867
TomKWilson@earthlink.net
TomWilsonProperties.com
Price: $110,000, fully renovated, built 2005
Currently Rented for $1,195
Typical Property
Price $139,000
Rent $1,395
Year Built 2001
Mention Realty411 or reWEALTH and receive 1 year
premium home warranty with your first purchase.
INVESTWITHCONFIDENCEI M M E D I A T E C A S H F L O W
Discover the lowest-risk, highest-quality residential investment properties in the
country. Using sophisticated methodology, the best investment properties are
carefully selected by an experienced investor and rehabbed beautifully to secure the
best tenants. With competent property management, and instant cash flow, your
investment pays worry-free dividends from day one.
PROFILE OF YOUR FUTURE PORTFOLIO
• Highest Cash Flow
• Lowest Risk Properties & Cities
• Immediate Equity
• Quality Newer Brick Homes and Stable Neighborhoods
• Turnkey – Clear Title, Rehabbed, Leased, Managed
• Home Warranty
“Contact me for a
free cash flow analysis.”
Mention REI Voice Magazine and receive one-year of free
property management with your first purchase.
TOM WILSON, President
408-867-1867
TomKWilson@earthlink.net
TomWilsonProperties.com
Price: $110,000, fully renovated, built 2005
Currently Rented for $1,195
18. Making$100KPerYear
with Mobile Home Communities
Many real estate investors I meet
tell me they have one goal — how
to make $100,000 per year in pas-
sive income. The $100K will pro-
vide them financial freedom, i.e.
the ability to do what they want
when they want. As I explain in
my new book “Unconventional
Wealth,” the lack of loyalty from
the vast majority of corporations
to their employees, especially
those over the age of 50, makes
it imperative that you start on a path to
financial freedom as soon as possible be-
cause you are going to be forced out on
your own sooner or later. I’ve owned and
explored numerous businesses through the
years and I strongly believe cash flow real
estate is the best path to achieving the goal
of $100K in passive income.
I have chosen the real estate niche of
investing in mobile home communities
(MHC’s) because the cash flow is so much
greater than other areas of real estate. As
I have discussed in previous articles, even
by Mike Conlon
in this low interest
rate environment that
has pushed cap rates
back down to historic
lows for many real
estate investments,
I have bought seven
distressed MHC’s
(1,000+ spaces) in the
last six months all at
10+ cap rates. I am
confident I will have
them at 15 - 20 caps within 18 months by
adding some homes to vacant sites and
increasing rents. I know of three primary
ways to get to $100K in annual income in-
vesting in mobile home parks:
1) If you have $750,000 to invest and don’t
want to do any work and take minimal risk,
you can get a 12-14% annual distribution
(plus a 3% to 5% additional annual return
through debt pay down and appreciation)
investing with a larger operator like my-
self who works with investors.
2) If you have $375,000 to invest and
have access to $700,000 — $1,000,000
in bank or seller financing, you can buy a
distressed 100-space park that is 50-65%
occupied, make the necessary repairs,
add 10-20 repo homes to fill empty sites,
raise rents to market levels, and manage
it yourself. Owning one 100-space park
and operating it yourself is all you need to
make $100k/year!
3) If you don’t have any funds yourself,
you can start on what I call the “3-Step
Plan.” Step One is to raise $100K from
people you know and buy a distressed
(50-65% occupancy) 25-space park for
$250,000 or less with 20% down and
seller financing. Try to get interest only
for the first 12 months. Use the remaining
funds after the down payment to spruce
up the park (mostly cosmetic repairs) and
... how do you evaluate the myriad opportunities
available to you and get to the top of the class?
... how do you evaluate the myriad opportunities
available to you and get to the top of the class?
Continued on pg. 36
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 18 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
19. S
avvy investors utilize
many creative ways in
their search for suit-
able properties. One of
our preferred methods
at Whiterock Capital
includes direct mail campaigns to
landlords who own single family units,
including condominiums and detached
single family homes.
The mail campaign includes a
personalized letter directed to the non-
occupant owners. Our strategy includes
simple letters stating our interest in
buying homes in the neighborhood for
cash. Sellers are often looking for a
quick close and fast cash, or they are
tired of being landlords, or they may
be moving into retirement out of state.
Our game plan includes sending letters
about every three or four months to
our target areas. Many potential sellers
become familiar with our letters and
save them for later reference.
For example, in a recent transaction,
the owner seeking an offer called us
from a recent letter. This owner
is now a potential seller, be-
ginning the acquisition
phase. Acquisition
includes a field re-
view of the property
and pulling comps,
including other
transactions we
have com-
pleted in
the area.
By
tracking our
sales and the
sales of others, we have a
realistic basis for estimat-
ing property values. Based
upon neighborhood values
Wealth
Real Estate
Vol. 2 • No. 1 • 2012
RICHARD EDROSOLAN
WhiteRock Capital, Inc.Discover why this veteran
California investor likes to
buy properties in Arizona
an offer is made to the seller, negotiations
completed to a mutually agreed to price.
A contract is executed placing the sale
in escrow and binding the seller to the
agreed to terms.
With the property under contract, the
next step is to market to our wholesale
and retail buyers’ list. Many of our cur-
rent investors have placed “orders” for a
particular type of property. Matching the
property to an investor’s need reduces
the time required to “flip” the property
out of inventory. Managing the property
is straight forward as the entire process
from identifying the property, through the
acquisition to a wholesale flip averages
thirty-three days. Many transactions are
completed in about fourteen to twenty-
one calendar days. Select properties are
chosen for rehab at the time of acquisi-
tion. A major rehab that includes a new
kitchen, updated bathrooms, paint inside
and out, tile floors and neighborhood
appropriate landscaping
typically takes less than
four weeks. Rehabbed
properties are priced
for a quick sale, usu-
ally 5% to 15% be-
low the value of other
homes in the area.
Exit strategies are
chosen at acquisition
based upon the property
value, to “fill” an order, or the
potential for a larger safe return.
In this case, a wholesale flip to
meet an investor’s order was
determined to be the best
course.
In order to provide our
investors solid returns
on their investment, a
high velocity of money
through each deal is re-
SnailMailSuccess
Letters Lure Motivated Sellers
quired. Based upon pipeline volume of
properties and an approximate 60 to 90
days per turn, the investor can expect
three to five turns per year on their capi-
tal. Right now, the markets most ripe
for this strategy are Phoenix, Las Vegas
and several California markets.
Because our strategy is so suc-
cessful we, unlike other wholesalers,
have more inventory than we, and our
network of investors, can handle. Also,
unlike most “wholesalers”, we are true
wholesalers who offer properties to our
investors at prices which are well below
retail, leaving some meat on the table
so that our investors take ownership
with some equity already in place. And
we’re doing this in rapidly appreciating
markets.
To reach Richard Edrosolan, CEO and
founder of Whiterock Capital, call:
805-766-1130 or email: richard@
whiterockrei.com
by Richard Endrosolan
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 19 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
20. “Smart real estate investors
are learning to use leverage
wisely and efficiently to put
more money in their pockets.”
Continued on pg. 58
R
eal estate investors are being bombarded with
advice today from every direction and it is
sometimes hard to find two pieces of advice that
are the same. There are so many options and so
many opportunities that becoming confused is
a common feeling among investors. Well get ready, because
here comes one more piece of advice that may run contrary
to what many are advising investors to do today. I happen to
have learned my lesson when it comes to leverage and I have a
special place for it in my portfolio. Smart real estate investors
are learning to use leverage wisely and efficiently to put more
money in their pockets.
Surprising Investors With Sound Advice
In the 4th Quarter of 2012, I made a presentation to a group
of investors in Northern California and I surprised many in
the room when I made a statement that I did not believe you
should buy real
estate and leverage
it for cash flow.
Given that I am
a partner in two
companies that
specialize in help-
ing investors find
properties that pro-
vide a positive cash
flow after lever-
age, this statement
caught much of the
audience by surprise. But I followed that sentence with a bit of
a clarification. I told the group that there are many ways inves-
tors can be fooled or even fool themselves today into thinking
that they are making a positive cash flow on their property. I
told the group that often, the biggest mistakes investors make,
is sacrificing long-term stability for short-term gains.
The Bank Wins Every Time
When I purchased my first home, I was given one option by
the three different finance companies I visited… a 30-year
Surprising Investors
With Sound Advice
on Leverage
by Chris Clothier, co-owner
of MemphisInvest.com
mortgage. The 30-year mortgage has become the staple of
real estate investing and even Warren Buffet’s recent statement
about the 30-year mortgage shook the real estate world.
What many people fail to recall about Warren Buffet’s as-
sessment of investing in real estate is that he used the phrase
“…if he could…” which, is very different than stating “this is
what I am doing.” This is worthy of an article all by itself as
different
inves-
tors and
investment
companies
have taken
his short
interview
and turned
into the
greatest
marketing
piece they have ever had. His five minute interview has been
used thousands of times already to convince investors that
they need to mortgage to the hilt all because Warren Buffet
mentioned it in his interview. But they all forget two impor-
tant points.
1. He is one of the wealthiest men on the earth and can af-
ford as much leverage as he is comfortable taking on.
2. He never says that he is buying single-family homes.
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 20 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
22. by Stephanie B. Mojica
Dave Seymour and Peter
Souhleris of the Boston area
loved “flipping” commercial
and residential properties long
before they were offered the
A&E television show “Flipping
Boston,” which both entertains
and educates audiences about
the hard work and great
financial rewards of real estate
investing.
Seymour and Souhleris, owners of
CityLight Homes in Peabody, Mass.
in the North Shore area of Boston,
have flipped houses and taught others
how to flip properties for more than
18 years. Unlike some real estate
entrepreneurs, the duo places a special
focus on refurbishing the properties in which they
choose to invest.
“From conventional real estate brokerage services
through to our innovative, creative and effective out
of the box home buying and selling solutions, we’re
dedicated to one thing — making the sale,” Souhleris
said.
In Souhleris’ and Seymour’s book “The Flipping
Formula,” their innovative approach to monetizing
residential and commercial properties is spelled out in
terms even newcomers can grasp.
“Every day especially in Boston people drive by what
could become tens or even hundreds of thousands of
dollars in their pockets,” Seymour said.
Ignorance of the basics of selecting, purchasing,
refurbishing, and reselling a home or quality commercial
property is all too common among even otherwise well-
educated people, the pair noted.
FLIPPING BOSTON
Continued on pg. 62
achatwithDave&PeterfromA&E’sTOPShow
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 22 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
23. It’s about more than money.
The American Association of Private Lenders
is about the self-reliance and rugged
individualism that built America. Our purpose
is to advance the interests of the entire peer
to peer community. We lend our experience,
enterprise and energy to elevate the standards
of our industry and give you a voice in your
future. Build your future with us.
Join AAPL today.
Private Lending –
9 1 3 - 8 8 8 - 1 2 5 0 l A A P L o n l i n e . c o m
24. Realty411Guide.com PAGE 24 • 2011 reWEALTHmag.
com
S
cott Carson
has a mes-
sage for
anyone
who’s on the fence
about investing
in bank notes: “If
you’re not in notes,
you’re going to
wish you were 6
to 12 months from
now.”
Buying and sell-
ing those mortgag-
es, either indi-
vidually or in pools, is the bread and
butter of Carson’s Inverse Investments
— a company Carson founded in the
middle of the first round of post-boom
bank failures.
“When a lot of banks started going
under, I saw an opportunity there,”
said Carson. “I launched my own firm
six years ago, when the banks were
closing like crazy.”
The early days were a fever-pitched
“one-man show,” according to Carson,
calling 40-50 banks every day, search-
ing the nooks and crannies of the
mortgage industry for sub-performing
(or non-performing) loans the holders
would be willing to sell for less than
the market value of the property.
But it paid off; Inverse Investments
is one of the best-positioned boutique
firms in the secondary note market,
with a reputation and record that’s hard
to match.
“Those days helped us build up our
database from then going forward,”
said Carson. “We had success buying
one-offs and small pools, doing what
others were talking about doing but not
too many were actually doing at that
point. And over time, we
built a name for ourselves as
the people who were closing
deals.”
That reputation has grown
exponentially since Inverse
Investments first dipped its
toes in the water; Carson
and his team have garnered
mention in print giants like
Investors Business Daily and
the Wall Street Journal, and
Carson himself was asked
to speak at the National
Association of Realtors con-
ference in 2010. After that, things really
took off; Carson said it’s in no small part
because the entire business is predicated
on finding an upside in a down market —
one that’s appealing to every party
involved.
“The banks are look-
ing at their loans;”
said Carson. “That’s
where they make
their money. So
imagine they’ve
made a half-million-
dollar loan, and
the property’s only
worth $200,000
now. They’re on
the hook for that
$300,000.”
Obviously, the
banks have the option
to foreclose; but in markets like Florida,
New York, or New Jersey, where fore-
closure times are measured in years, not
months, many are realizing they’d rather
clear out their books and get a guaranteed
payout instead — even if it’s smaller.
“If they know they might not get paid
for years, they’re realizing they’d rather
take a fraction of what’s owed right now,
and get that, versus waiting for years
and then having to sell it as an REO as
well,” said Carson. “So they’d let this
property go for $100,000 to an investor.
That’s a phenomenal deal.”
So the bank wins, the investor gets a
great deal, and the mortgagee suddenly
has a note holder who can work more
creatively than any bank ever could.
“The investor can do either a loan modi-
fication,” said Carson, “or get a deed-
in-lieu from the homeowner and let the
homeowner walk.”
All this, Carson points out, potentially
without a deficiency judgment, bank-
ruptcy, foreclosure or even any late pay-
ments on the homeowner’s credit. It’s an
attractive solution to a lot of players.
“You have HUD and FHA announc-
ing they expect to sell more notes
over the next year than REOs
because there’s such a glut
of inventory,” said Car-
son. “And they’ve cre-
ated an investor match
program, because they
know investors have
much more oppor-
tunity for creative
solutions for bor-
rowers than they
can offer.”
Carson calls it
the “perfect storm”
for investors in the note
business. “The banks that were saying
‘no’ just a few years ago are now say-
ing ‘yes’ today,” said Carson. “I hear
it every day, ‘Can you give us a bid?’
or ‘Can you give us an idea what you
might buy this for?’ They’ve definitely
Continued on pg. 49
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 24 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
by Robb Magley
Hitting the High Notes
with Scott Carson
25. Take control of your properties
with these 10 tips written by
Matt Theriault. This veteran
California investor is an author
and host of the most popular
real estate investing podcast,
Epic Real Estate Investing, on
iTunes. He also shows people
how to invest in real estate at
EpicProAcademy.com, or his
team does it for them at:
CashflowSavvy.com.
1Seek multiple referrals from other successful real estate
investors. Success leaves clues, and a referral from
a trusted and prosperous source is more than a clue, it’s
evidence.
2Adopt the mindset of “Slow-To-Hire-Quick-To-Fire.”
Regardless of how many positive answers you get from
a property manager during the interview process,
sometimes the only way to find a good one is to give
them a trial run. If you notice a pattern of actions
that conflict with their promises during the inter-
view, cut ‘em loose. This is your livelihood, you
are not obligated to someone who doesn’t fit your
needs.
3Interview more than one. No matter how
much you like the first property manager
you meet, keep interviewing. Not only do
multiple interviews increase the likelihood of
finding a great property manager, you will learn
a ton about the projected performance of your
properties and the market.
4Test their customer service. Intentionally end
your interviews with a few unanswered questions.
Call back after hours and leave a message. Note how and
when your call is returned. When they (if they) return your
call, use the unanswered interview questions as a basis for
your conversation. Ideally, you want your call returned within
24 hours in a professional and courteous way. Placing a call
during business hours can also give you an indication of the
company’s professionalism and accessibility.
5Hire investors. This tip applies to your entire team as well
as your property manager. Although it’s is not essential
that your property manager be an investor, I have found the
communication and understanding of each other is MUCH
better when they are an investor too.
6Read the Management Agreement. It seems obvious
enough, but it is so important that I must make mention of
it. As you read the agreement, remember that EVERYTHING
is negotiable. Ask for more concessions than you need in
order to get what you really want. Having said that, do not
over-negotiate and remove the property manager’s ability to
support his business and earn a living. Resentment is the last
thing you want in this relationship.
7Drive by. Ask for a list of properties, as many as possible,
that the property manager currently manages. Unkempt
properties and loitering tell a lot about how much attention
their properties are receiving and what type of activities are
going on in the neighborhood. Dirt, debris, and rough char-
acters are red flags as they make finding quality tenants much
more difficult.
8Trust your gut. You know so much more than you think
you do. If something doesn’t feel right, investigate.
You’ll find that your hunches are not only correct most
of the time, but that they’re often rather conservative.
As lucrative as rental real estate can be, it has its dark
side as well. Frequently refer to tip #2.
9Be direct in your communication and docu-
ment everything. Set an example and maintain a
standard of clear and honest communication with
your property managers. Leave nothing open to
interpretation or debate.
10Divide up your portfolio. Once you’ve
acquired more than two or three proper-
ties in a specific region, and you intend to
continue purchasing there, it’s a good idea to
look for a second property manager for future
acquisitions. You want to eliminate any single
points of failure in your business, and by main-
taining a balance of your portfolio between at least two
property managers you help cover your assets. Also, keep
no secrets about working with a second or third property
manager. When your property managers are aware they have
competition, you will find that your expenses have a tendency
to drop and performance improves.
Watching investors place limitations on their investing due
to a few bad long-distance experiences saddens me because
it is unnecessary. So, from this point forward, know that the
secret to “cash flow” real estate investing is not shortening
the distance you live from your investments. The secret lies
in selecting great property management, and now you have
some “real world” tips to help you do it successfully.
management
10 Tips for Selecting
GREAT Property Managers
>> Straight From The School of Hard Knocks
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 25 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
27. A
nyone who’s ever even
considered investing in rental
properties knows one thing is
never guaranteed: having a paying ten-
ant. One real estate entrepreneur asked
himself, WHY?
It’s a question Norada Real Estate
Investment’s Marco Santarelli loves to
ask, and it’s served him well.
“It’s the most important question for
so many things,” said Santarelli. “Why
is this property a good investment?
Why does this market have potential?”
Or, in this case, why not offer inves-
tors a rent guarantee? So he did.
“As far as I know, we’re the only
multi-market turnkey provider that
offers a rent guarantee on everything
we sell,” said Santarelli. “If a tenant
for whatever reason never moves in, or
for some reason has to move out, the
investor is covered.”
Santarelli said Norada has offered a
90-day rent guarantee for some time.
“We’ve never had to use it,” he laughs.
“But still, we said ‘How can you take a
good thing and make it better?’”
The answer came from additional
talks with insurance underwriters:
Norada Real Estate is rolling out a
jaw-dropping one-year rent guarantee
this year. Santarelli said he’s working
with the insurers market-by-market,
and currently about two-thirds of their
offerings are already under the new
one-year policy. “Hopefully we’ll be
offering one-year rent guarantees on
every property we sell by the middle
of the year,” he said. “No one else is
doing that.”
Continued on next page >
Questioning
Convention
{ Transforming the Way We Invest in Real Estate }
Santarelli has made something of a
name for himself questioning conventional
thinking in the real estate market. For ex-
ample, most agents tend to sell properties
within their local area, or focus on becom-
ing “experts” in a single market.
It’s yet another “here’s how things
usually work” scenario Santarelli asked
“why?” about. While Norada is based
in California, the company isn’t tied to
this region — quite the opposite, in fact.
Santarelli says he is “market agnostic” and
has always viewed real estate in terms of,
“live where you want, and invest where
it makes sense.” The result, he said, is an
agile and adaptive company.
“We’re not locked into a specific area,”
said Santarelli. “We don’t care which city
a property is in, as long as it makes sense
from an investment perspective.” Accord-
ing to Santarelli, companies that are fixed
to a specific market might have a lot of
product, but it’s all in one basket. “If that
market ever turns, there’s nothing they can
offer.”
Santarelli’s “high level” approach to
finding investment properties lets him
focus on the fundamentals, not the fads.
“I start with the metro area,” he said.
“I look at the local economy: unemploy-
ment, job growth, diversity of employ-
ment, population growth. Do we have
a lot of foreclosures? Are there a lot of
distressed properties? Is there a high level
of inventory? Are prices declining, level,
or increasing?”
If it looks like a city has growth and
jobs, and that the housing market is stabi-
lized or on the upswing, then before even
looking at a specific property, Santarelli
said you’ve minimized a lot of the invest-
ing risk.
“But I like to look at the forest, not just
the trees,” he added. “Something can look
like a buyer’s market, but it could be that
there are underlying problems. If people
don’t have jobs, the demand disappears; if
the demand disappears, prices come down,
and you have increased vacancies.”
Santarelli uses Detroit as an example of
scratching a “buyer’s market” to uncover
trouble.
“A lot of investors look at just the prop-
erty, they say ‘Wow, this is a great prop-
erty! It’s in good condition, it’s got great
cash flow.’And I’ll say, ‘Oh, by the way,
it’s in the middle of a war zone in Detroit.’
You have to consider the market, and the
neighborhood, not just the property.”
When it comes to properties, Norada
is quite specific in what they present to
investors: no commercial property, no
industrial, no apartment buildings or large
complexes. The only segment they offer is
1- to 4-unit residential rental property that
is genuinely “turnkey.” And they really
mean turnkey.
“Turnkey means, in its simplest form,
there’s nothing you need to do but close,”
said Santarellli. “You can just walk in
and start collecting a rent check the next
month.”
The properties Norada offers are all ei-
ther new construction or newly rehabbed;
they’re all leased, or are in the process of
being leased (in the case of a property in
the rehab process, where a tenant simply
hasn’t moved in yet). And, significantly,
they’re all cash flow positive. Santarelli
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 27 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
byRobbMagley
28. thinks most agents are missing the boat
when they don’t emphasize the impor-
tance of positive cash flow as being part
of qualifying a property as “turnkey.”
“We don’t want to touch a property
unless it produces a measurable rate of
return for the investor,” said Santarelli.
“We surveyed our investors, and over
52% of them placed cash flow as their
highest priority in what they’re looking
for in an investment property.”
In that same poll, according to San-
tarelli, appreciation ranked 5th down
the list. “Investors want to make sure
they’re buying a property that’s paying
for itself.”
It’s all part of what he calls the “why”
of Norada Real Estate: To make wealth
creation as easy as possible. The goal
was to create a place where investors
could shop, invest, and start collecting
cash flow, all under one roof — or, in
Norada’s case, practically at one website.
Bucking the trend of in-house private
data, Santarelli’s company makes its
powerful analytics tools available free
online, to anyone who’s interested.
The Norada website presents its prop-
erties by market — with exhaustive data
and detail about those markets. “We put
it all on the website so investors can do
much of their due diligence right there,”
said Santarelli. The website software
also does price forecasting based on a
number of economic models, updated
quarterly.
“Then, there’s a green button that
says ‘analyze’,” said Santarelli. “If you
click on that, it provides a very detailed,
customizable cash flow analyzer. It’s a
proprietary program I had developed just
for our website.”
Santarelli acknowledged that detailed
analysis can seem overly complex, and
investors’ eyes can glaze over when pre-
sented too much of it. His goal is present
it all in a simple way, so investors can
get the message of why a particular mar-
ket is a good one — and move on with
the decision process.
The exemplification of that is Santar-
elli’s proprietary “DealGrader” algorithm.
Every property on Norada’s website has
its own DealGrader score.
“It’s a score from 0 to 100, measuring
the investment quality of a real estate in-
vestment,” said Santarelli. “It’s a snapshot
of profitability and investment risk — the
higher the score, the better the investment
quality. It’s unique, it’s our algorithm, and
again, no one else has it. It’s just one more
tool in the bigger picture to help inves-
tors.”
Other tools Santarelli makes free and
available include weekly newsletters,
free membership to Norada’s Real Estate
Investment Group, and Norada’s Hous-
ing Market Forecast, recently updated for
2013. “That’s essentially an appreciation
forecast for the industry,” said Santarelli.
“It lays out the top 100 markets, with a
focus on the top 15.”
If that wasn’t enough, Norada offers
a free report called “Building Wealth in
Real Estate,” in it, he talks about a wealth
accumulation plan that focuses on real es-
tate, with enough of the basics to be useful
to a novice — and enough detail to appeal
to an advanced investor. “It’s actually a
system to accumulate property over time
T
he simple answer is that it is the most pow-
erful way to accumulate wealth, and more
people have become millionaires through real
estate than any other means. And despite the obvious
need to save for retirement, a recent Wall Street Jour-
nal article indicated that a startling 95% of Ameri-
cans will face financial difficulties by retirement! Of
course, you have several options for building wealth,
but most of these options pale in comparison to real
estate. Consider options like savings accounts, CDs,
bonds, and money market accounts. These are safe
options, but you certainly won’t reach a goal of building significant wealth through
these means.
For the most part, these options barely keep pace with inflation. Think about it:
How many millionaires do you know who became wealthy by investing in savings
accounts? The stock market can bring you some interesting returns, but it can also
lead to some big losses. You have very little control over the companies you invest
in, and there are no significant tax advantages to owning stock. In addition to the
wealth you’d create, you would also benefit from the growing annual cash flow
being produced by your income properties. The income earned can help supplement
your existing income, provide additional capital towards the purchase of additional
income property, and eventually give you the freedom to quit your job and retire
with passive income!
The book details a very simple plan that will create long-term wealth and cash
flow for you and your family. The plan is very scalable, which means you can do
more or less in order to achieve your wealth and income goals at your own pace.
Remember: “Don’t wait to invest in real estate, invest in real estate and wait.”
Pre-order “Building Wealth with Real Estate” today on Amazon.com. Download
the first chapter FREE at www.NoradaRealEstate.com
Why Build Wealth Through Real Estate?
Continued on pg. 30
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 28 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
—SPECIAL REPORT—
29. WWW.NORADAREALESTATE.COM
CALL US AT (800) 611-3060
Download a free copy of our
valuable 15-page special report,
“Building Wealth in Real Estate”
and receive a free membership to
our nationwide investor network!
FREE REPORT
Norada Real Estate Investments helps take the guesswork
out of real estate investing. By researching top real estate
growth markets and structuring complete turnkey real estate
investments, we help you succeed by minimizing risk and
maximizing profitability.
Successful Real Estate Investing Begins
with the Right Investment Property!
WEALTH CREATION MADE EASY
30. fluff some put behind it,” he said. “It is hard work, but it
pays off.”
Herriage and his team members can help a distressed
owner get out of virtually any housing situation. Herriage
Homes works with some of the most challenging cases
in the industry, including unwanted rentals, properties in
need of major repairs, quick sales, short sales, divorce
sales, pending foreclosures, and bankruptcy liquidations.
“It takes me about 15 to 20 minutes to walk through
your house and make you a cash offer,” Herriage said.
“My offer is on an as-is basis. This means you do not
have to make any repairs, or even clean out the house
in some cases. I call it, ‘Take what you want, and leave
what you don’t.’” In an average month, Herriage buys
five to seven houses. He wholesales more than half of
those properties, “flips” others, and retains some in a
rental portfolio. The dramatic spike in people using the
Internet for all types of matters has not changed Herri-
age’s basic process of buying, fixing, and selling houses.
“It is still a people business. The best way to make
money in this business is to be behind a steering wheel,”
he said.
“There are those that teach to sell product, and those
that teach to buy and sell more houses. I teach about real
world actionable information I obtain weekly by being
active in what I teach about. There are few that can claim
that.”
To learn more about Herriage Homes, call 972-755-1880
or visit www.timherriage.com
Dallas Wholesaler, Industry Leader, pg. 11
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that can be adopted by anybody,” said Santarellli, “and
tweaked whether you’re buying one property a year, two a
year, or one every two years. You can adjust the pace, but
if you stick to the plan you can create a lot of wealth and
cash flow.”
It talks about all the advantages of real estate investing
— appreciation, leverage, financing, tax advantages, and of
course the significance of inflation, which Santarelli thinks
few investors consider.
“A lot of people don’t think about inflation, and how
your monthly mortgage payment is fixed in current dol-
lars,” said Santarelli, “but with inflation you’re making
those payments with cheaper and cheaper dollars every
year.”
All of which paints Norada as a forward-thinking, agile
analytics-based real estate investment company, unbur-
dened by specific markets, that puts every free tool imagin-
able in the hands of its investors.
To learn more call 800-611-3060 or visit online at:
www.NoradaRealEstate.com
Questioning Convention, Marco Santarelli, pg. 28
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 30 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
31. Investor Education a Top
Priority for Equity Trust
Investor Education a Top
Priority for Equity Trust
Learn about the history of Equity Trust on the next page >>
Continued on pg. 59
by Stephanie B. Mojica
T
he executives of Equity Trust, a
self-directed IRA firm in Ohio,
truly believe in investor educa-
tion. For this reason they host a
conference every year to increase aware-
ness of basic investment fundamentals to
investors.
“Unfortunately, too many people these
days are investing without understand-
ing the basics,” said Jeff Desich, Chief
Executive Officer.
Desich and his staff members work
continuously to ensure that each cli-
ent understands not only his ultimate
investment goals, but in which real estate
properties he has invested. Desich holds
multiple licenses with the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
and is a registered financial principal. When
not working closely with clients or giving
workshops across the country about the
flexibility and profit potential of self-direct-
ed IRAs, Desich is a guest professor at Ohio
State University’s prestigious Max Fisher
College of Business.
“Assisting clients in achieving their
financial goals is the greatest value we
provide,” Desich said.
Equity Trust is one of the leading firms
in the rapidly growing self-directed IRA
market. Despite the economic downturn that
began in 2008, IRAs around the world are
worth about $5.7 trillion. Equity Trust is the
custodian of about $12 billion of retirement
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 31 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
Jeff Desich, CEO of Equity Trust
photo by David Gaylor
32. Richard Desich
Sr. starts Mid-
Ohio Securities
on January 1,
1974
The IRS approves
Mid-Ohio Securities
as a non-bank, passive
custodian for IRA’s
A Drug Mart
store in Ohio
becomes the
company’s first
non-traditional
asset held
within an IRA
The company’s
services expand to
include all 50 states
Equity Trust
Company is
founded
Mid-Ohio Securities
moves its self-
directed accounts
to Equity Trust
Company
Rapidly growing Equity
Trust moves into its new
16,000 square-foot facility
in Blyria, Ohio
New Equity Trust
website created,
www.trustetc.com,
receives 1 million
unique visitors
Equity Trust holds
40,000 active
accounts
Inaugural Equity
University Networking
Conference brings
hundreds of self-
directed investors to
Orlando, Florida for
proven self-directed
investment strategies,
education and
networking
Equity Trust
hits the 20,000
account
milestone
1970s
1980s
2000s1990s
EQUITY
TrUsT
Company founder Richard Desich realized early in his career
that investing in real estate and other alternative investments
in an IrA could be a valuable retirement savings tool. In 1974
he began Mid-Ohio securities (which later transferred its self-
directed IRA accounts to Equity Trust) and the company's first
real estate investment in an IrA took place in 1984.
33. Equity Trust Company
hits $3 billion in assets
under administration
Company acquires
Texas-based Sterling
Trust, bringing Equity
Trust’s client to 115,000
Jeff Desich is
named CEO of
Equity Trust
Company
Equity Trust
Company’s
client base
tops 130,000
Equity Trust
Company opens
Denver office and
launches Equity
Advisor Solutions
Company’s South Dakota
service and operations center
opens - Equity Trust Company
now operates from 5 facilities in
4 states
Industry first online client portal,
myEQUITY launches, giving clients access
to 24/7 networking and education
Equity Trust’s Facebook
fan base surpasses 5,000
Ira the bear becomes Equity Trust’s
official mascot, takes on the task of
travelling to spread the word about
self-directed IRA’s
Equity Trust debuts a new look and
enhanced services
2010s
Almost 40 years later, the company and demand for self-direct-
ed IrAs continue to grow. Equity Trust is the nation's leading
provider of self-directed IrAs and 401(k)s with over 130,000
clients in all 50 states and $12 Billion of retirement fund assets
under custody.
Company website,
www.TrustETC.com
educates and informs 2
million unique visitors
Equity Trust
Company hits
the milestone
of $12 billion
in assets under
administration
34. “When you buy within a system, you benefit
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35. TheStateoftheNoteMarketTheStateoftheNoteMarket
Why is now the time to
invest in bank notes?
F
or Asset Ventures’ Tony
Martinez, the answer is
as clear as writing on a
wall. Martinez entered
the bank note business through
his earlier experiences buying
and selling real estate — in par-
ticular, short sales.
“I negotiated more than 300
short sales through the real estate
side,” said Martinez, “and I was
looking for a better way.”
And for the past several years,
that “better way” has been in-
vesting in notes. A mortgage note is a lien against a property,
created where someone has borrowed money against it.
“It’s basically an IOU, which states the terms by which the
borrower has to pay back the lender,” said Martinez. “What
we do is buy institutional notes that were created by a bank
or mortgage company.”
notes
The real opportunity began in 2007, according to
Martinez, when the market shifted and suddenly those
notes were nearly worthless to banks; the unpaid balance
stayed in place, but when the loans stopped performing,
the banks were in a bind.
“Millions of dollars’ worth of notes were no longer
of any value to the banks,” said Martinez. “Remember,
they used the value of those notes in order to borrow
money to lend and make their money, and now they had
nowhere to go with all this collateral.”
Imagine you’re a bank, said Martinez, and you have
1,000 notes, and every one is performing. “You’re sitting
in a pretty good position,” he said. “If one goes bad, it’s
not really a big deal, you’ll just sell it off, or foreclose,
or whatever options are available. You might spend the
time and work out something really attractive for the
borrower, because you’ve got all those other notes working
for you.”
But in a major financial crisis, it’s another matter. “When
there’s a huge hit, and all of a sudden you’ve got 50% of your
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Mentor to the note industry
Continued on pg. 36
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 35 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
by Robb Magley
36. inventory becoming worthless, and you’ve got to figure out a
way to create some liquidity,” said Martinez. “So you’ll start
selling off your bad paper at fire sale prices.”
The need for that liquidity is fundamental, according to
Martinez. “If I’m a big bank, the government requires me to
freeze some of my good liquid assets to protect my bad debt,”
he said. “That limits my lending power on the other side.”
That’s because a bank is allowed to loan as much as ten
times its liquid assets; for every $100,000 in liquid assets, it
can loan $1 million.
“Now, if I have a loan of $100,000 that’s not performing, I
have to freeze the equivalent of $1 million in lending,” said
Martinez. “That really affects my business in a negative way.”
Now, he added, imagine if the bank can sell a non-perform-
ing loan that’s worth — on paper — $100,000 to someone for
$20,000.
“Suddenly I have $20,000 in liquid assets, and I can loan
$200,000,” he said. “There’s a huge benefit to them to do this;
the benefit to us is we can buy these notes for pennies on the
dollar.”
Several other factors have come into play that make this a
good time to get into notes, said Martinez. Right now, he said,
most of the notes that are available for investment are ones that
were taken on originally by larger banks — and their time is
running out in at least two ways.
“Those big banks have until the end of this year to relin-
quish as much of the bad debt as they can, and still receive up
to an 80% reimbursement for their loss,” said Martinez. “So
that’s a huge motivating factor for the banks to get these off
their books.”
Also, after the TARP money runs out at the end of this year,
the government is putting increasingly complicated lending
regulations in place for the following year. “So the banks want
to put themselves in as much of a liquid position as possible
right now, to continue to be able to borrow from the govern-
ment at a very low rate while there aren’t as many regulatory
restrictions,” said Martinez.
Finally, banks are simply tired of the resources they expend
keeping up with non-performing notes.
“The maintenance of a bad note costs them so much more
than that of a good performing note, probably 10-15 times
more,” said Martinez. “They really don’t want to deal with
them. You have to think at their scale; while we’re looking at
10 or 100 of these, they’re dealing with thousands. It makes
more sense to sell it off.” Martinez said the note market is
probably going to remain strong for several years, particularly
due to the volume of inventory.
“There’s hundreds of thousands of delinquent notes,” said
Martinez. “It’s going to be impossible to move them overnight.
We’re probably looking at a year or two’s worth of inventory
lagging behind, even if the market changes dramatically.”
And, he said, no one he talks to thinks that’s less than 3-5
years away.
For more information or to receive a free informational DVD
on the note market, visit: www.assetventuresllc.com
bring in 7-8 older repo homes to in-
crease occupancy and sell them on
a lease-to-own program. Then raise
the lot rents by $10-$25/month (de-
pending on the market).
After 18 months when you have
increased the annual lot rent in-
come by $30,000, sell the park for
$450,000, which would be a 10 cap
for a new buyer (don’t be greedy on
the sale — leave a nice return for
the buyer). After paying the seller
back and your investors a nice profit
and returning their principal, you
should have at least $125,000 in
your pocket.
Step Two of the plan is to get the original investors to
reinvest their $100K along with your $125K and buy a
distressed 50-space park. Use the exact same formula as
Step One for the 18-month period. You should end of with
$250K in your pocket after that sale.
Step Three is to buy your 100-space park as notated in #2
above. This business is not rocket science. Anyone can do
it. A quick example: A guy I bought a
park from in Raleigh, NC at the end of
2009 had owned the park since 1979. He
never went to college. He raised his fam-
ily in the park and the cash flow allowed
him to send three kids to college. After
I purchased it, he netted out $3 million!
I paved some of the roads, added some
cosmetic repairs, and brought in 15 older
repo homes to fill empty sites. I owned
the park for two years and was able to net
out $1 million in profit after I sold it in
December of 2011.
Mike Conlon is a President/Owner of
Affordable Communities Group, LLC,
(www.acgmhc.com), which invests
in distressed mobile home communi-
ties throughout the Southeast and the
Midwest. He is also President/Owner of Carolina Turnkey
Properties, LLC, which buys distressed single-family homes
in the Raleigh and Charlotte markets. He has been a full-
time real estate investor for the last 10 years. He is based
in Cary, NC. He is also an author, speaker, and educator on
real estate investing. His book, “Unconventional Wealth: The
New Main Street Millionaires,” was released in August 2012.
Mike Conlon can be reached at mike.conlon@acgmhc.com
The New Main
$treet Millionaires
M I K E C O N L O N
Mike has the unique ability to provide
Americans with a realistic, no B.S. view of the
financial world today – one that comes from
his years of street-wise investment success
in three different businesses – financial
planning, mid-sized apartment complexes,
and mobile home communities that have
made him a true Main $treet Millionaire.
He has bought, rehabbed, and sold over $50
million worth of commercial multi-family
(affordable apartment complexes and
mobile home parks) involving 15 projects
over the last ten years. He was a leader in
the financial planning business in the 1990’s
and early 2000’s as he grew a financial
planning broker-dealer from $1.2 million in
gross revenues to $40 million in six years and
then sold it to a large national insurance
company; he also managed over $100
million of client money in his own financial
planning practice before becoming
completely disillusioned with Wall Street
money machine. He is a 1990 graduate of
the University of Minnesota Law School.
Mike’s basic investing premise has brought
him success over the last decade and he
foresees even more opportunities over the
next 10 years. Unconventional Wealth gives
readers insight into the skillz they need to
become Main $treet Millionaires.
UNCONVENTIONAL WEALTH:
The New Main $treet Millionaires
In this book, Mike Conlon will show you an unconventional path
to prosperity in this very difficult economy by providing quality,
ethical, and affordable services to America’s largest and fastest
growing consumer group. In order to prosper on this path, you
don’t need a college degree, only the willingness to work hard
and learn.
UNCONVENTIONALWEALTH:MIKECONLON
TheNewMain
$treetMillionaires
Making $100,000 per year, pg. 18
The State of the Note Market, pg. 35
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 36 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
37. Why Should You Invest In A
Mobile Home Community?
Why Should You Invest In A
Mobile Home Community?
Log on to any websites
below to get more information
on investing in Mobile Home
Communities and to
score a free copy of
Mike’s new book:
Unconventional Wealth
Creating the New
Mainstreet Millionaires
Learn how I made over
$500,000 in profit in
two years by buying
one distressed
community
This advertisement is an offer for an educational product is in no way
an offer to solicit or sell any investment or security. All investments
contain risk, including potential loss of principal. Please consult your
financial advisors before making any financial decisions.
AFFORDABLE
COMMUNITIES
GROUP
3 The demand for affordable housing is
skyrocketing
3 Very little, if any, affordable housing has been
built in the U.S. since the mid-1990’s
3 Much higher cash flows than apartment com-
plexes as they are less maintenance intensive,
have much less resident turnover, and much
lower ongoing capital expenses
3 Higher barriers to entry as the costs to build
a new park are high and available land near
larger metro areas is scarce and expensive
3 Much easier to manage when the majority of
residents are just “leasing the dirt”
Why affordable communities group?
3 10+ years experience in buying, rehabbing and
selling over 3,000 units
3 Have completed 15 full cycle deals (buy, rehab,
sell) resulting in over $50 million proceeds
3 Experts in the property management business
as we self-manage all our properties - very
“hands-on”
3 Keep a tight geographic focus - diversified, but
not too spread out
3 We put our own capital into every deal
Mike Conlon, President/CEO
MIke Conlon, aka Main Street Millionaire, has the unique abil-
ity to provide a realistic, no b.s. view of the investment world
today as he is highly educated but also has 15 years+ of street-
wise investment success that has made him a multi-millionaire.
Mike tailors his business strategy around providing outstanding
customer service and quality, affordable products to the fastest
growing consumer segment in the U.S., to the working poor.
mainstreetmillionaire.com
affordablecommunitiesgroup.com
carolinaturnkeyproperties.com
38. Entrepreneurial Lifeby Stephanie Mojica
S
ensei Gilliland is a husband, father, real estate inves-
tor and entrepreneur. He has little time to spare. He
runs businesses that are automated to pump out large
sums of cash every day. Sensei is the founder and CEO
for Black Belt Investors, a real estate company that offers
investments, education and consulting. Sensei also owns a
chain of martial arts schools, a marketing company and an
real estate auction bid service focused in Phoenix, Arizona.
Multiple Streams of Income is the most preached about
rule for real estate investors, but with that systems must be
placed. How can we as investors automate our real estate
investing business or agency with
other endeavors that we may
have? Read on to find out...
Question: When you first started
your martial arts business, were
you expecting that it would be-
come a full-time business and a
growing company?
Answer: At first, I started it with the idea that it would be-
come an income stream, until I figured out what I wanted
to do as a career. During college I realized that I was mak-
ing just as much money working my part-time martial arts
business as the professors who worked full-time careers.
I received my associate’s degree and quickly exited college
so I could focus my attention on building my business.
Q: At what point did you venture into real estate?
A: I got started in the real estate because I was looking for
a business that would give me a passive income stream.
First my eyes were set on coin-op car washes. I understood
the car wash business model, but what I didn’t understand
was how to lease or buy land. Now, I had to learn the real
estate business. Here’s what I learned: He who controls the
real estate, controls the business. That was a big lesson for
me, so I quickly dove into the real estate investing world
as I wanted that control.
Q: Was there a particular real estate niche that attracted
you and why?
A: Yes, I was attracted to fixing and flipping houses be-
cause I wanted big paydays like I read in the books.
Q: At what point did you realize that your real estate busi-
ness was going to take off and decide to devote yourself to
building a second career?
A: That’s funny you ask... I knew this business was for me
right after I took my first real estate workshop. I had cre-
ated such a passion for flipping houses that failure was not
an option for me, especially after I had to break the news to
my bride that I just spent $30,000 on a package of real estate
seminars. You men reading this article know what I’m talking
about. After my first 5 years of flipping houses across the na-
tion and continuing my education, I added other cash generat-
ing real estate niches such as wholesaling, purchase options
and rentals. I had such a momentum that many people started
to inquire about my business and that is when I decided to
expand my business to consulting, education, private money
lending and asset management.
Q: I see that Black Belt Investors has many spokes to its
hub. Would you mind telling us which spoke is the most
dominate income stream and which spoke captures your
passion?
A: Oh that’s easy. Buying and selling real estate is my cash
machine, rentals is my wealth builder and my passion be-
longs to educating.
Q: You’ve boot strapped your business, and as I understand,
you run a lean and mean machine. What do you do your-
self, what does your staff do, and what do you outsource?
A: That’s a fully loaded question, but let me put it in simple
form. I personally like to focus on the creative side of busi-
ness. I enjoy to tweaking, testing and enhancing my products
and services to stay on the cutting edge. I also love to build
new businesses that compliments one of my other businesses.
I have a powerful staff that I can rely on that enjoys their
work. Some of my staff works in the office, some are out in
the field and many are set up to work through a virtual office.
They relieve me of many duties that would normally tie me
down just to maintain the business. I know that if I want to
HowtoControlYourtime&moneywithsensei’ssecretstoan
‘...my definition of wealth is having
income streams to control my time
without compromising my lifestyle.’
Realty411Guide.com PAGE 37 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com
39. grow, then I must be relieved of the work that a $10 an hour employee
can handle as ‘time is money’ and my time is much more valuable than
to do the tasks of a $10 an hour job. I will mention a few of the duties
that I outsource that most businesses can relate too, such as database
managers, internet marketing, social media managing, services and
product sales team and transactions coordinators.
Q: I know that you own multiple companies. How do you manage
and control these businesses?
A: I think it is very important to focus on your strengths and hire your
weakness. If you are going to own one or many businesses, then you
need to learn how to develop systems that can be operated by employ-
ees. Let’s take McDonalds for an example... here you have a fast food
chain that will pull in billions in revenue each and every year op-
erated by minimum wage workers. How can that be? It works
because of the powerful business branding and the systems
that are in place. By having great branding and systems, it
allows the owner to oversee the business and not be in the
business, which ultimately allows more time for the owner
to focus on business building.
Q: You’re a strong advocate of “personal branding.”
Could you define what that means to you?
A: I had no concept what branding meant until about
eight years ago. Branding to me is a name that stands
for something in prospects’ minds. Google stands for
“search”. Home Depot stands for “home improve-
ment”. Redbox stands for “video rentals”. Developing
a great brand and you will have what I call “positive
magnet marketing”. Prospects will be drawn to you
and your business. Don’t brand yourself properly and
you will have “negative magnet marketing”, which
means you will push your marketing to find prospects.
Q: How do you define entrepreneurship?
A: I define entrepreneurship as “the passionate pursuit of
opportunity.” Entrepreneurship is not for the weak. One
must work harder, faster and smarter than the competition.
Q: How do you define wealth?
A: The definition of wealth is very personal to each indi-
vidual, however, my definition of wealth is “having income
streams to control my time without compromising my life-
style.”
Q: What is next for Black Belt Investors?
A: I am continuing my work to grow the company and to take
advantage of the current market. I am excited to have a few irons
in the fire that will increase the value of the company and keep
me challenged. I am always working to build the brand, better our
service and products and enjoy myself along the journey.
Black Belt Investors is a real estate company that offers properties,
education and consulting. To learn more about Sensei and Black Belt
Investors or to sign up for his free newsletter, visit:
www.BlackBeltInvestors.com or call 951-280-1900
photo by Nathan York