5/6/12: Catching the Wave – Where Tropical Profits are a Breeze

One of the secrets to making a lot of money is to catch a profitable wave.  Sounds interesting, but how does it work?

Well, a financial wave happens when a variety of forces converge to move people or their money in a particular direction. That movement can have a substantial impact on any given asset class or geographic region – and the effect can be much more pronounced when the asset class or region is very limited in size.   That’s why we’ve been intrigued over the years by the tiny country of Belize.

In this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show, we’re on location at a beautiful beachfront resort in Ambergris Caye, Belize.  Yes, it’s a rough life on the road as radio talk show hosts, but someone has to do it.

Sipping coconut juice behind the microphones while the tropical breezes blow:

• Your light and breezy host, Robert Helms
• Your coconut co-host, Russell Gray
• Special guest, top producing international real estate broker, John Turley

As part of the preparation for our upcoming field trips to Belize, we headed to San Pedro Town in Ambergris Caye, Belize.  Yes, it’s THAT San Pedro – the one Madonna sings about in La Isla Bonita.

When you’re here, you understand why Madonna fell in love with San Pedro…and why we stopped here during our recent Summit at Sea™, then came back just a few weeks later for this trip, and are now going back for Memorial Day, again in June and staying into July.  Yeah, it’s an addiction.

But for John Turley, formerly from the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado, his visit turned into a 7 year (and counting) transplantation.  And in those 7 years, big John has become the #1 real estate agent in the entire country of Belize and the #2 international property (non-US) agent in the RE/MAX system.  In case you didn’t know it, RE/MAX is the #1 (as in top selling) real estate brokerage in the world.  So John Turley is not just #1 in his cubicle.  He’s #1 for the #1 company in the world.  Hey, nothing but the best for our listeners.

So NOW you can see that we have a LOT to talk about.  Like, why did John decide to leave his life in the USA, uproot his family and start all over again in some dinky third world country? Hint: it’s beautiful, peaceful, friendly and insanely profitable.  But listen in and let John tell you himself.

What’s important to note is that John is just like MILLIONS of other people in the US, Canada and around the world who are looking for a change.  And as that wave of people continues to discover enchanting Belize, many are grabbing homes and filling hotels.  Hmmmm….does that sound like real estate investment opportunity?

John explains how tourism is UP over the several years.  What?!?  We thought there was a global recession and everyone was hunkered down waiting for the storm to clear.

Some are.  But it seems that others have decided that financial and political storms bring big waves, so it might be fun (and profitable) to go ride one (figuratively speaking, of course).

John reports that the interests of the people who come through his office have changed significantly in the last several years.  It used to be that people came to Belize because it’s beautiful, quiet, affordable and friendly.  After all, Belize is the ONLY English speaking country in Latin America, and it’s government and currency are stable.  Did we mention that it’s breathtakingly beautiful?

But today, according to John, MANY people are coming into his office because they are concerned about the direction of the United States.  Now, you may or may not be concerned, but apparently lots of folks are.  So much so, they come to Belize not to vacation, but to establish a second home that could be easily converted into a primary residence.  Kind of a Plan B (like Belize).

There are lots of other interesting tidbits in this interview, and your job (should you choose to accept it) is to listen as Big John Turley shares his perspectives on what’s driving this very popular real estate market – and how you can catch the wave of interest that is building about Belize.

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4/8/12: Choosing the Right Market – An Engineer’s Perspective

Is there a scientific way to approach market selection?  Something the average real estate investor can do – or at least understand?

To find out we went deep into the heart of Silicon Valley where we rustled up a left-brained engineer turned real estate investor.

In the laboratory for this electric episode  of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show:

• Your right-brained host, Robert Helms
• Your hair-brained co-host, Russell Gray
• Special guest, our mad scientist of market methodology, Tom Wilson

What you do when you’re an “A” student with a 30 year career as an engineer and corporate manager, and you take a critical look at your financial future and see a nuclear meltdown?

For Tom Wilson, he called upon his engineering background and managerial experience to design a better outcome.

Now we talk a lot about how a market “feels”, and going with your gut, and using the Force to guide you in your investing.  But guys like Tom just sit there with their arms crossed over their lab coat and slide-rule waiting for the formula.  In Tom’s case, he actually did a thorough analysis and designed a formula to real estate fortune.

But did it work?

Well, Tom’s no Donald Trump or even a Ken McElroy, but in the 10 years since he walked away from the corporate life of Silicon Valley, Tom’s done multi-millions of dollars in deals and has managed to accumulate 230 rental units.  Not too shabby for a propeller head.

So we sit Tom down and interrogate, er…interview him.  How did he do it?  What did he learn along the way?  Will he loan us some money?

Tom introduces us to the concept of a “sensitivity analysis” (and you thought engineers were all cold, clinical and calculating).  So we reach for our Kleenex and are all set to get in touch with our inner investor. Then Tom explains what a “sensitivity analysis” is and it isn’t what we think.

We find out that there are a number of factors (“variables”) which all affect outcomes in any experiment. In this case, we’re talking the financial performance and risk of real estate investing.

Now some of those factors are more important than others.   Some are WAY more important.  And wouldn’t you just like to know exactly what those super important factors are?  Of course you would.  But you’ll have to listen to Tom, because we wouldn’t do the topic justice – and goodness knows, you deserve justice.

But enough about Tom’s engineering background.  You’ll learn all about that when you listen to the episode.  And when you order his free report (details at the end of the episode), which is replete with charts and graphs, you’ll really get into the deepest recesses of his analytical mind.  Ooh Ahh.

For now, let’s talk about Tom’s managerial experience.  After all, to build a portfolio this big, you need to have a team.   This is where Tom’s success as a high tech manager kicks in.

He tells us about the character qualities he values most in himself and what he looks for in others.  He says he makes it a point to surround himself with people smarter than himself.  So both of those people work with him now.   He shares some valuable tidbits of managerial wisdom and a dose of real world reality.  Let’s face it.  If people are involved, there’s going to be some brain damage.

Tom says he believes having patience and tenacity are essential to success.  It reminds us of a concept from Midas Touch by Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump: FOCUS – Follow One Course Until Successful.  We agree.  For guys like Tom, he’s smart enough to plan his work and work his plan.  Other guys (like us) are just too dumb to quit.

One thing’s for sure:  it’s very cool being radio talk show hosts because we get to hang out with lots of people smarter than us…like Tom Wilson.  And it’s our privilege to go find these big brains and bring the interviews back to you.  You’ll enjoy this one!

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2/26/12: Fast, Flexible Financing – The Power of Private Lending

When banks are broken, buyers (and sellers!) are frustrated.  But tight lending requirements open the door for private lenders, who can be more flexible about the people and properties they’ll lend to.

In this scintillating episode of The Real Estate Guys™ Radio Show, we visit with two real world real estate veterans who are putting private lenders together with out-of-the box borrowers in a market with the cash flows to support it.

• Your powerful yet flexible host, Robert Helms
• Your somewhat private co-host, Russell Gray
• Special guests, all the way from Memphis Tennessee, Alex Craig and Jeremy Veldman

We’re always excited when we get to talk with guys (and gals) who are doing creative things in the market.  So when we met Alex Craig in his office in Memphis, we not only invited him to be a part of our market field trip, we asked him to come on the show and share some of the details about how he’s getting deals done in using private money.

What we discovered is that in markets like Memphis, where the prices are low, the rents are relatively high and the cash flows are strong, there’s a lot of interest from people all over the world in acquiring rental properties.  Makes sense to us!

What we also learned is that those very strong cash flows attract private investors who are interested in high yields with the headaches of being a landlord.

So how does THAT work?

Alex and Jeremy explain that even though interest rates are low for qualified borrowers, the key word is “qualified”.  And in today’s super tight lending environment, there are fewer and fewer borrowers who fit in the box.  The folks could be otherwise well-qualified foreigners who simply lack a credit history in the U.S., or have too many conventional loans (“Fannie / Freddie’s out”), but want to keep shopping.

Whatever the reason, there seems to be plenty of demand for unconventional loans.  And people are willing to pay a premium to get it when the cash flow is strong enough to support it  After all, some leverage is better than no leverage.

For the private lender, they get a much higher yield with a monthly payout.  And the loan is secured against an individual property with as much as 50% protective equity and strong cash flow.  Sounds like a win-win to us!

So we ask Alex and Jeremy to explain the whole process to us based on their real world experience.  We learn a lot and so will you!

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Discover Marvelous Memphis Tennessee with The Real Estate Guys!

The Real Estate Guys™ are going to Memphis, Tennessee March 2nd thru 4th, 2012!!!

Ready to join us? Click here to download your registration form now.

Otherwise, read on and we’ll tell you all about it!

Setting the Tone – Our trips are EDUCATIONAL, so don’t worry about getting trapped in a room and getting hard closed to buy (we call this the “timeshare experience”).

Even though you’ll meet local market experts who’d love to do business with you, none of that happens on the trip. This is about exploring the market and meeting potential team members. If you like what you see, you can follow up afterwards. No pressure!

Trip Logistics

When you schedule your flight (please wait until we confirm your registration – sometimes we sell out), plan to arrive at the Memphis International Airport (MEM) on Friday in time to catch the airport shuttle to the hotel by 4:30 pm. Your registration includes your room, which will serve as home base for the weekend. We’ll tell you which hotel…and the secret handshake …after you’ve registered.

Friday night, you’ll meet your hosts (those handsome guys at the top of this page) and your fellow field trippers. We’ll have a market overview presentation (and a special guest speaker), then we’ll head out for dinner (included!). Then back to the hotel for some shuteye.

Saturday morning we’re up and at ‘em early. After a quick breakfast, we’re into the bus for a FULL day of touring the market. You’ll see a variety of neighborhoods and employment centers, and get an understanding for the overall health and vibrancy of the market.

You’ll meet a variety of experts on specific neighborhoods and property types. You’ll learn how to look for the telltale signs of opportunity (or danger!) at the neighborhood level. This is important because you don’t buy a market, you buy a neighborhood.

We emphasize single and multi-family residential because that’s what most people are interested in, but we’ll also see commercial and retail areas.

We keep the group small, so there’s ample time to ask questions and lots of interaction with the guest speakers, tour guides and your fellow field trippers. We cap the day off with a fun dinner and some tasty libations. Then back to the hotel for a nap.

Sunday morning is a lively interactive strategy session, some Q&A, and presentations from local experts.

By now, you’re brain is swollen with market knowledge, you heart is racing with excitement, and you’ve made a lot of new friends and strategic connections. You’ll get more done in one guided weekend than most people accomplish in multiple trips on their own!

So Why Memphis?

It’s no secret we date other markets. Each one has it’s own unique personality and attributes. And after the Great Recession (which we heard ended June 2009, but we must’ve missed the memo), it’s critically important to be careful and strategic when selecting markets. The volume, location and quality of the jobs in a local area is essential to long term rental property investing success.

To be safe, we like markets that have major job centers that are geographically linked to the area. That is, the primary employers can’t easily pack up and move to China, India or some other location where labor and land are less expensive.

Memphis has a great strategic location and infrastructure which makes it an ideal distribution hub. Maybe that’s why Fed Ex made it their HQ. And with low cost land, labor, no state tax, and close proximity to distribution, Memphis is attractive to U.S. manufacturers who want to stay in the U.S.

It’s also important to have the price-to-rent ratio be favorable to creating positive cash flow. This is important on so many levels, there isn’t time to describe it all! But you’re going to REALLY like the numbers in Memphis!

“Live where you want to live, but invest where the numbers make sense.” – Robert Helms

Also, Tennessee is one of only seven states with no state income tax. This is attractive to both businesses and retirees. If the U.S. economy continues to struggle, and as U.S. baby boomers try to retire on portfolios that have been wounded by the Great Recession, markets like Memphis have a very strong appeal – which you’ll understand when you see it with your own eyes.

We could go on and on (can you tell?), but a website isn’t a substitute for a field trip.

So what are you waiting for? Click here now to download your registration form and we’ll continue the lesson in Memphis!

12/18/11: Regional Roundup – Taking The Pulse of the U.S. Real Estate Market

So many markets, so little time!

Let’s face it.  When you get the hots for real estate investing, there are lots of tempting opportunities out there!

But before you go out on a market field trip date or get hot and heavy with just one market, why not get a quick sampling of what’s out there?  And as great as the internet is, sometimes you just need the warmth of a real human voice.

So we decided to round up 8 different real estate practitioners from 8 different U.S. real estate markets for The Real Estate Guys™ version of market speed dating!

In the studio and calling in from around the country:

• Your ever debonair host of the show, Robert Helms
• The ever air- headed co-host, Russell Gray
• Our marvelous man in Memphis, Terry Kerr
• Our Miami market maven, Deborah Boza-Valledor
• Our amazing Atlanta affiliate, Bruce Carlisle
• A guy who really knows the way to San Jose, Jurgen Weller
• Our deal-making dude from Dallas, Jay Hartley
• Our money man from Minneapolis, Rob “Boom Boom” Bonahoom
• Our phabulous phriend in Phoenix, Timothy Theiss
• The Washington DC Wonder Woman, Beth “Bubbles” Clifford

Wow!  What a line up! Like Santa in his sled, we decided to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time.  So we hitched up our eight market reindeer and headed into the foggy air of market prognostication.

We ask each call in contributor to give us a quick update on their market from their unique perspective – and what does 2012 look like?

We quickly find out that each market is different.  And each person’s perspective is different too!  That’s the beautiful thing about real estate.  There’s a LOT of variety!

We have a lender, a couple of turnkey property providers, an executive from the largest local Realtor® association in the USA, the manager of a large residential brokerage in a very pricy area, a property manager, an investment property broker and a real estate developer.  Different people, property types and price points, market personalities and perspectives.  Fun!

Some of these markets were killed in the Great Recession.  Others barely felt it.  Some are SUPER expensive, but people are still paying CASH.  And one has lots of foreign buys stepping in and snapping up bargains.

Want to know which is which?  Well, you’ll just have to listen in!  But have a cup of coffee, because this is a fast paced show.  Enjoy!

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10/9/11: Market Spotlight – Exploring Atlanta, Georgia

One of the largest metros in the United States, Atlanta is strategically located in the southeast and serves as a major transportation and distribution hub. We like that because it means those jobs, and all the businesses (and those jobs) that rely on being near that infrastructure, are probably more likely to stay in the area.  In times like these, it’s really important to pick your markets carefully!  Maybe it’s just us, but we prefer the ones with jobs for our tenants.

To learn more about Atlanta, Georgia we invited two market experts to visit our illustrious studios.

Under the headphones and behind the microphones for this exhilarating episode of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show:

• Your peach of a host, Robert Helms
• Your peach fuzzed co-host, Russell Gray
• The Godfather of Real Estate, Bob Helms
• Atlanta residents and market experts, Ken Corsini and Bruce Carlisle

So we were hanging out at an airport (something we do often) and over-heard these two guys talking about great weather, low cost of living, strong population growth and solid rents.  Our ears perked up, and we invited them to be our guests on the show.

Not really.

Actually, we’ve been talking on the show about the importance of strategic market selection and some of the qualities we think are important in a real estate market – especially for long term buy and hold real estate investing.  The next thing you know,  Ken Corsini calls and asks, “Have you heard about the Atlanta real estate market?”

Well, of course we’ve heard of Atlanta.  But after about 10 minutes it was obvious we really didn’t know that much…but Ken did.

Now we get these calls all the time (don’t you wish you were us?  We know we do!), but before we invest valuable air time we decided to throw down (which is better than throwing up) a few hoops.  After all, we like to know who we’re putting on the radio.

So we asked Ken to fly to Dallas and hang out with us at one of our recent field trips.  And he did!  This gave him a chance to hear all about Dallas (a market we like a lot) and let us know how Atlanta stacks up in comparison.  Not dismayed, he showed up in Dallas and took notes, asked intelligent questions and Ken began our education on the investment opportunities available in Atlanta real estate.

The short of it (we know, it’s already been long) is that we discovered Ken’s a really nice guy, he knows Atlanta very well, and he impressed us enough to invite him onto the show.

As a special bonus, Ken brought along his associate, Bruce Carlisle, who’s not only a lifelong resident of Atlanta and a raving fan, but he’s also a long time real estate practitioner that has been nice enough to write a special report on Atlanta (which is conveniently located in our Special Reports library and yours for the asking).

So without stealing too much thunder from the show, we found that Atlanta has a young, well-educated population,  great education and transportation infrastructure, and offers its residents and businesses a very friendly, low cost place to live and do business.  So far so good!

Toss in great weather, lots to do, and a strong and diverse economy – and it’s no wonder that Atlanta has enjoyed strong population growth over the last decade.  People like it!

Of course, once all the basics of a strong long term real estate market are in place, what we really want to know is whether the numbers make sense.  When Ken and Bruce started telling us about prices and rents, we got excited about getting to know this market better.  So sometime in the near future,we’ll be heading out for a pre-field trip scouting trip.  And if we like what we see,  The Real Estate Guys™ just might be organizing an Atlanta real estate field trip.

For now, to find out more about the Atlanta real estate market, listen in on the conversation and be sure to check out Bruce’s special report on Atlanta.  We learned a lot and we think you will too!

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9/25/11: Finding the Right Market with the Right Jobs

Tenants who actually have jobs are far more likely to pay rent than those who don’t…unless you’re renting to Section 8 or retirees.  So you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that the durability of your rental income will be closely linked to the durability of the local economy.

And while a lot of real estate”investors” have been focused on flipping distressed properties to foreigners and newbies, if you’re a long term buy and hold investor, then finding the right market with the right jobs is job one.  After all, if you get a “great deal” on a cheap property in an economically declining market, how bright is your investment’s future?

So how do you know if a local market is attractive (or repulsive!) to businesses and job growth?  To find out, we decided to visit with a guy whose full time job is to reach out to businesses and recruit them to move to his city and set up shop.

The voices on this scintillating session on The Real Estate Guys™ radio show:

• Your right on host, Robert Helms
• Your left over co-host, Russell Gray
• The Godfather of Real Estate, Bob Helms
• Special guest, the CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, John Moore

During a recent trip to Memphis (we were doing some advance work for our upcoming field trip), we had the opportunity to sit down with  two representatives from the Chamber of Commerce.  We learned so much, we thought you would like to hear about it.  So we invited them to call in to the show and tell us about what makes Memphis magic.  We must have made a good impression because they gave the job to their CEO!

Even if you aren’t interested in Memphis (cash flow can be SO boring), you can still learn a lot from this episode, which you can then apply to whatever markets you’re in to.  (If you have one you really like, use our Feedback page to tell us which one(s) and why.  Who knows?  Maybe The Real Estate Guys™ will do a field trip to your town?)

So what makes a market place attractive to businesses?  We know that a company will move to find a more favorable business climate, but what does that look really look like?  And is it really all up to the government, or is there more?

We find out that there are a variety of factors, some of which have to do with taxes and regulation, but many others that have to do with location and who the neighbors are.  Sometimes there are important synergies between businesses, so companies will set up shop simply to be near each other.  Mr. Moore gives us a couple of great examples.  Very interesting!

Of course, as real estate investors, we’re not just interested in jobs for the sake of jobs.  Though after the last few years, ANY job looks pretty good!

But real estate investors are looking for areas where there are the kind of jobs that our ideal tenants will need to be able to consistently pay rent.  Don’t you like the sound of those words? “Consistently pay rent”… like music to our ears!

So listen in to this episode and learn about some of the things you should be thinking about when scouting out your next long term real estate market!

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The Disappearing Middle

Recent reports from the U.S. Census Bureau declared that the U.S. middle class is getting squeezed.  Shocker.  Thank you, Captain Obvious. We were hoping the disappearing middle referred to our beer bellies, but no such luck.

Of course, our good friend Robert Kiyosaki has been saying for years that the rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer and the middle class will get squeezed.  So if you’ve been paying attention, the report from the Census Bureau isn’t a surprise.

The big question is:  what are you going to do about it?

If you’re in the middle class and you’re feeling the squeeze, it may be time to make the leap from employee to entrepreneur.  Yes, it’s hard work.  But so is being poor.  If you’re reading a blog like this, you’re probably already committed to being successful, so we won’t waste time preaching to the choir.

So let’s talk about what a disappearing U.S. middle class means to you as a real estate investor.

In the Clues in the News segments of our Mentoring Club meetings, one of the things we watch for is what “the big dogs” are doing when faced with market shifts. And it isn’t just real estate investors we watch.  It can be fund managers or corporations.  We can learn from anyone who’s watching the economy and managing cash, cash flow, debt and equity.

We saw an article in the Wall Street Journal, As Middle Class Shrinks, P&G Marketing Aims High and Low, that talked about how big corporations are shifting to an “hourglass” marketing strategy.  (When it comes to hourglasses and figures, we understand getting excited…but marketing?  We must be getting old.)

You can read the article yourself, but the point here is that big corporations are making major adjustments to their businesses to adapt to a disappearing U.S. middle class.  Similarly, is there anything a real estate investor should be doing to adjust to the new American reality?

Here are some things to consider:

People will move to where there are jobs.  Duh.  The million dollar question is where in America are their jobs?  If you’ve been watching the Presidential debates, you’ve been hearing about all the jobs in Texas.  Dumb luck or great leadership, it’s no surprise that more people and businesses are moving to Texas than moving out.

People and businesses will move to where it’s cheaper.  State income taxes take a big bite out of most budgets, so look for good investment areas in a no tax (there’s only seven) or low tax state.  Two of our favorites right now are Tennessee and Texas.  Businesses also look for low cost land, a big labor pool (population), and nearby educational institutions.

People will move down before they move away.  They have families and friends and don’t want to leave them.  As the affluent fall down the food chain,  prices will likely soften in the affluent areas, while demand will increase for lower priced properties near those affluent areas.  Watch what’s happening in whatever markets you’re investing in.  Talk to property managers, real estate agents, local resident (it’s amazing what you can learn in a coffee shop!) and the Chamber of Commerce.  Which sub-markets are people and businesses moving away from and to?  As in all investing, the trend is your friend.

Pick markets carefully with “geographically linked” economies.  That is, industries that must be located in the region and can’t be easily moved, if at all.  It’s also important that those industries be permanent (you don’t want to buy all the houses next to video cassette manufacturing plant).

Two great examples of permanent and geographically linked industries are commodities (like oil, gas, lumber, etc.) and distribution.  It might be easy to move a widget manufacturing plant to China or Mexico, but you can’t move mining or farming offshore.  Those jobs have to stay in the area – and those commodities are always in demand.

Similarly, moving boxes from point A to point B is a logistical operation.  Even if the U.S. is poor, there will still be 300+ million people who need food, clothes, household products, etc.  All that stuff might be made in China or Mexico, but it’s moving through the U.S., so those distribution jobs are linked to the real estate.  And it’s not just location, but huge and expensive infrastructure like airports, roads and railways.  Two cities that come to mind are Dallas and Memphis.

Now if the U.S. shakes off the doldrums and comes roaring back to economic life, any market that’s sound in a tough economy will only be more sound in a great economy.  Either way, you win.

 

 

 

 

 

Memphis on My Mind – October 14-16, 2011

The Real Estate Guys™ are leading an enthusiast group of real estate investors on market field trip – and YOU’RE INVITED!!!

Click here now to learn more about the trip.  We’d love to hang out with you in marvelous Memphis!!!

Cash Flow is King

If you’re a fan of the show, you know we’ve been spending a lot of time with Robert Kiyosaki.  One of Mr. K’s favorite words is CASH FLOW (is that one word or two???).

We like cash flow too because it’s where equity comes from.  Income properties are valued by the income they produce.  More income equals more value (equity).  So cash flow and equity investing are NOT mutually exclusive.

One thing you’ll like about Memphis is that properties there tend to CASH FLOW.  Perfect!

The Market Matters

Investing is about being on the right side of demographic and economic moves. When people and money move away, markets weaken.  When people and money move in, markets get stronger.

If you invest in something that others are moving away from (contrarian investing), you may get a deal or may get a dud.  It depends on why the moves are happening.  Do you know what’s happening in the markets you’re in?  Do you know how to tell?  One the biggest benefits of a field trip with The Real Estate Guys™ is we talk about how to read a market.  That’s a skill you can use in ANY market you visit.

On the trip, we’ll talk about what’s moving in Memphis and why.  Good quality of life, low cost of living, and no state income tax are just some of the attractions for both people and businesses.  We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Market Analysis – A Critical Skill for Real Estate Investors

Most people don’t pick markets strategically.  They find a “good deal” and buy it, then figure the market out later.

And many real estate “tours” are about selling properties, not learning the market.  When you explore a market with The Real Estate Guys™, we focus on explaining the market.  While you can learn  a lot about a market from a distance (thanks to Google!), there’s no substitute for actually being there.  And when you’re on one of our field trips, you have experienced guides and lots of other investors to learn from.  Plus, we ALWAYS have a good time. 

Join The Real Estate Guys™ in Memphis October 14-16th, 2011.  Click here for more info.

 

 

 

7/3/11: Apartment Investing Opportunities – Moving Up to the Big Deals

Moving up to the “big deals” is the goal of everyone who plays Robert Kiyosaki’s Cash Flow game, just like going from little green houses to big red hotels is the path to riches in Parker Brothers’ Monopoly.  The bigger the property, the more profit potential there is.

In the real world, the natural progression for real estate investors is to go from single family houses to apartment buildings.  But the real world also means real money, which can be scary in a tenuous economy.

So what’s happening in today’s apartment market and how do you make the transition to the big leagues?

To find out, The Real Estate Guys™ invited a long time investor, CPA and real estate broker to share his pearls of real world wisdom.

Behind the microphones, diving deep into the depths of real estate experience:

• Your host and daring pearl diver of diction, Robert Helms
• Co-host and peerless puller of precious pearls, Russell Gray
• The Godfather of Real Estate, Bob Helms
• Special guest, seasoned investor, CPA, CCIM real estate broker, and really smart dude, Steve Fithian

This episode has a few facets to interest you.

First, Steve has an interesting history as a conservative, corporate CPA turned swash buckling real estate investor, broker and entrepreneur.  Well, swash buckling compared to being a corporate CPA.  But he gave up the “security” of the corporate grind to get on the rocky road to real estate riches.  Along the way, he’s used his education and training to survive a couple of market downturns, so there’s some valuable lessons right there.

Also, Steve’s evolution from small property investor to big apartment investor has more important lessons – especially when making the transition in an uncertain market.  He has strong opinions about how to do it in a safe and sane way.

And of course, Steve’s insights as a commercial real estate broker and property manager in one of the best apartment markets in the nation adds a whole other valuable dimension to this broadcast.  Even more so because he isn’t native to his market.  He chose it strategically and has the unique perspective of looking at the market as both an insider and an outsider.   Steve took our mantra “Live where you want to live, but invest where the numbers make sense” to the next level: “Find our where the numbers make sense and move there.”!

We think it makes sense to listen to an educated, street smart, seasoned professional when it comes to understanding market cycles and the apartment investing opportunities in today’s market.  So tune in to the conversation and prepare to pull some precious pearls of wisdom of your own from this podcast!

The Real Estate Guys™ Radio Show and podcast provides real estate investing news, education, training and resources to helps real estate investors succeed.

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