Podcast: Ask The Guys – Markets, Growth, Condos and Credibility

How to Find Financial Freedom Through Real Estate Investing

Some people go from rags to riches … all by getting involved in real estate. 

That may not be the case for everyone, but real estate IS one of the most reliable vehicles for building lasting financial freedom. 

We’re talking with an investor whose story is a gripping tale of winning … losing … and making a comeback. See what lessons YOU can learn from his experience. 

In this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ show, hear from:

• Your free-wheeling host, Robert Helms
• His free-loving co-host, Russell Gray
• Investor and author of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Michael Blank

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Real estate’s many paths to financial freedom

We have so many listeners who are brand new to real estate. 

They’re trying to figure out if it really makes sense to build wealth with real estate. Is it really a vehicle for growth?

Real estate isn’t as simple as some other investments … but there are a lot of reasons to like real estate. It’s arguably the best financial vehicle on earth. 

At this particular time in the economic cycle, some people are a little nervous about real estate … but you don’t have to be. 

Walking into real estate is like walking into a big mall … there are so many different ways to approach it. 

Real estate is just a vehicle … and it’s a vehicle to produce a financial result in your life. 

When you figure that out, the first thing you need to do is develop yourself as an investor. 

Think about who you are, what you want, what you have to work within terms of experience, financial resources, relationships … all the elements that help build your personal investment philosophy. 

Then … you look at what the market is giving you to work with, and YOU work to put it all together. 

You’re going to have to fill in some gaps in your education … and maybe your credit score or your income. You’re also going to need to position yourself to understand markets and teams. 

The easiest way to do this is to surround yourself with other people who have been there, done that. 

There are so many ways to approach the problem of making money in real estate … and that’s what we are talking about today. 

Meet Michael Blank

One of the paradigms we have to break is this idea of scarcity versus abundance. So many people believe that there is only so much to go around. 

By sharing, we all open ourselves up to better deals and more education. It’s called an abundance mindset. 

In that spirit, our guest today is a fellow podcaster. He’s an author. He’s a teacher. He’s Michael Blank. 

Michael’s latest book is Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing. But the story of how he got into real estate … like every investor’s … is unique. 

Michael has a master’s degree in computer science. He started off programming and joined a software startup in the late 1990s.

When the software company went public, Michael found himself with some cash in the bank. But he learned quickly that it doesn’t matter what’s in your bank account … it’s about what passive income you have. 

“I quit my job and learned how to trade stocks and options, how to flip houses. My big idea was actually restaurants, and I got involved with a pizza franchise,” Michael says. 

That worked for Michael until the recession. 

“I lost my IPO, millions in the restaurant debacle. I almost lost my house. It was a low point for me, and I learned a lot during that time,” Michael says. 

Michael clawed his way out with real estate. 

Like so many people, Michael thought of real estate as single-family house investing. He started by flipping homes. 

But he didn’t have any money … so he learned how to raise money and syndicate. He started buying two houses a month and flipped three dozen houses in a few years. 

He ended up investing in an apartment building … and he learned a crucial real estate lesson. 

“While house flipping was profitable, it was a lot of work. I couldn’t just take time off if I wanted. Meanwhile, this apartment building was just sending me money in my mailbox,” Michael says. 

Today, Michael is one of the leading authorities on multifamily syndication. 

Don’t wait to get started

Multifamily is just one of the many real estate options at “the mall.” But it’s an awesome niche to play in. 

Deals might be a little scarcer … and cap rates might be a little compressed … but financial freedom means having other people get up every day and work hard and send a chunk of their money to you. 

That’s what apartments are great at. 

The biggest hold-ups to investors jumping into multifamily … money and experience. 

They think that the smart thing to do is landlord for 5 to 10 years in single-family and then take that experience and “graduate” to multifamily investing. 

“That plan is unnecessary,” Michael says. “The ability to raise money and be taken seriously by brokers and investors can be achieved in a very short period of time.” 

Michael teaches people how to do just that. 

You can learn all the details … how to read contracts and understand titles and escrow and market analysis … but you have to start with your mindset and your heart. 

If you believe that you CAN learn what you need to know to be successful … then you are already on your way. 

Learn more about how YOU can find financial freedom through real estate investing … and the different investment options available to you … by listening in to our full episode!

More From The Real Estate Guys™…

• Sign up for The Real Estate Guys™ Free Newsletter
• Check out all the great free info in our Special Reports library.
• Don’t miss an episode of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show. Subscribe on iTunes or Android or YouTube!
• Stay connected with The Real Estate Guys™ on Facebook,  and our Feedback page.

The Real Estate Guys™ radio show and podcast provides real estate investing news, education, training, and resources to help real estate investors succeed.

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Podcast: How to Find Financial Freedom through Real Estate Investing

Robert Kiyosaki on Private Investing and the Three Kinds of Money

We’re sitting down at the Rich Dad radio studio with our long-time friend and the Rich Dad himself … Robert Kiyosaki!

As the world’s best-selling personal finance author … Robert is sharing his thoughts on the important differences between public and private investments. 

Robert calls these differences “the three kinds of money.” 

We’ll also revisit the enduring message of Robert’s record-setting book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” … and talk about the dangers and opportunities facing investors today. 

In this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ show, hear from:

• Your idea-rich host, Robert Helms
• His humor-rich co-host, Russell Gray
• “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” best-selling author, Robert Kiyosaki

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Public investment vs. private investment

This week we’re going to talk about the difference between public and private investments … and who better to share ideas than Robert Kiyosaki. 

Robert has been on our show more than any other guest … and for good reason! He is the best-selling personal finance author in the world. 

We’re at an interesting point in the real estate business … but also in the economy. 

One of the themes that we’ve been talking about is the idea of private versus public and investing your money in a place that you understand … and that you’re educated about. 

Robert says the first step to understanding public versus private is to understand the shadow banking system. 

“The shadow banking system is what brought down the subprime market. It wasn’t real estate that brought down the market,” Robert says. 

What the shadow banking system did was inject the veins of the world economy with the most toxic asset classes. Robert says that the way they get you is via public stock market. 

But the beauty of being a real estate guy, Robert says, is that you are actually an untraceable part of the shadow market … but you can also function as a private entity. 

“I realized that the reason I make so much more money is I’m private. I’m not in the stock market,” Robert says. 

If you buy a house and it’s a rental house, that’s not a public transaction … it’s a private transaction. 

With all the uncontrollable factors of the public sector … shenanigans, as Robert likes to say … becoming a private investor is a great option. But it’s not without risk, and it’s not without trouble. 

The pros of being public is that you can get in and out quickly. It’s easy to change your course. It’s not the same if you have bought an entire apartment complex. 

If you are going to be private … your number one priority is your financial education. 

Cash flow and education

The biggest place where people get stuck is that they don’t understand the fundamental premise of what wealth is. 

It’s cash flow. 

When you start betting on the asset price … whether it’s the price of the house or the price of the stock or with negative interest rates … you’re not investing for cash flow yield. 

Instead, you’re investing hoping that somebody will come along and pay more for that same bond than you paid for it. It’s all gambling … and they want you in their casinos. 

If you invest in things that are real and are producing fundamental profits … you have staying power. You have resilient wealth. 

Part of being a real estate investor is getting in touch with your inner investor. We call it a personal investment philosophy … figuring out what you want real estate to do for you. 

And then you get educated. 

You could look at the fact that real estate isn’t liquid as a negative … but it’s also a positive. 

Since the market moves slowly, you don’t have to jump on a deal this minute or it’s gone. 

Instead, you get educated. You study markets. You study properties. You study how the rent works … and then you can grow wealthy over time. It doesn’t have to be an overnight success. 

Three types of money

Robert says that he believes there are three types of money today. 

The first is God’s money … gold and silver. It will be here long after we are gone. 

Then, there’s government money … flat currency … fake money. The only reason fake money exists is for paying taxes. 

The third type of money is people’s money … things like Bitcoin and other cyber money. 

Keeping these three types of money in mind can help you develop your investment philosophy as you move forward. 

Robert often says that only lazy people invest their own money … which is why we are big fans of syndication. 

Syndication is a great way to get private. You can invest or create investments that aren’t public investments. 

Whatever you do … whatever your personal investment philosophy … get educated, get private, and get out and make some equity happen. 

Hear more from Robert Kyosaki by listening in to our full episode!

More From The Real Estate Guys™…

• Sign up for The Real Estate Guys™ Free Newsletter
• Check out all the great free info in our Special Reports library.
• Don’t miss an episode of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show. Subscribe on iTunes or Android or YouTube!
• Stay connected with The Real Estate Guys™ on Facebook,  and our Feedback page.

The Real Estate Guys™ radio show and podcast provides real estate investing news, education, training, and resources to help real estate investors succeed.

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Lessons from a legendary billionaire real estate investor …

Even if you’re a die-hard cash flow investor … more intent on collecting properties than flipping them … it’s still important to pay attention to market cycles.

After all, though you might not plan to “sell high”, it’s sure nice to “buy low”.

Besides, “buy and hold” doesn’t mean you’re not harvesting equity when conditions are ripe … which is usually closer to a cycle top.

So, what is a “cycle”? Why do cycles happen? And what do they look like?

Maybe obviously, cycles are the ups and downs of prices or economic activity. And they always seem so obvious when charted after the fact.

Of course, cycles are hard to see when you’re buried in the weeds of the here and now. That’s why it’s smart to listen to seasoned investors.

Economic cycles … those sometimes severe and shocking ups and downs … happen for a complex variety of reasons … but are rooted in a fundamental pattern of action and over-reaction.

Think of it like a car fishtailing on an icy road …

It starts with a sudden acceleration or braking. Then a cascade of exaggerated actions and reactions take place … with lags in between … as both driver and vehicle strive to find an equilibrium and get back in sync.

Skilled and experienced drivers keep their emotions in check …

… calmly making proven moderate adjustments to quickly regain control and get the vehicle pointed safely in the right direction.

Of course, that’s just one car and one driver.

In a professional race, it’s a cohort of highly skilled drivers. In your daily commute, it’s a diverse collection of amateurs.

In financial markets, there’s an eclectic mob of professional investors, politicians, bankers, business executives, and upper-middle-class workers …

… all subject to greed, fear, and ego.

It’s amazing there aren’t bigger market wrecks more often.

The tell-tale sign of a cycle top is when everyone has piled in … and the prevailing belief is the good times will never end. But then they do.

Professionals recognize this and get out of the way and wait.

There’s an old investing adage attributed to some fellow named Rothschild …

“The time to buy is when there’s blood in the streets.”

Hmmm. Makes you wonder how much money you’d make if you could find a way to trigger such a bloodletting? But that’s a discussion for another day …

For mere mortals like us, it’s simply a matter of watching events unfold … and getting in position to move in when others are moving out.

Of course, you don’t want to “catch a falling knife” … another investing adage which refers to buying a failing investment.

So just because everyone’s selling doesn’t necessarily mean you should be buying. Sometimes there’s a reason an asset goes “no bid”.

Cheap doesn’t mean bargain. There’s no guarantee that something cheap won’t go to zero.

Of course, with tangible assets like real estate, the “zero” scenario is less likely.

Still … when leverage is involved, equity can most definitely go to zero … even if the property doesn’t.

How do you know the difference between an opportunity and a trap?

For clues, we watch smart, seasoned investors like Sam Zell. Fortunately, Sam’s come out of his shell, so he’s appearing more often in media to share his immense wisdom.

So, when we saw this headline pop up, we took time to listen to what mega-billionaire real estate investor Sam Zell has to say …

Sam Zell Says He’s Buying Distressed Oil Assets During the Slowdown
Bloomberg, 11/14/19

What’s nice is there’s a video and you can hear it straight from Sam himself.

Like most brilliant people, he says a lot in a few words. You can watch for yourself, but in short, Sam sees TEMPORARY distress in oil assets. And that’s a GOOD thing.

Now we’re not saying you should invest in oil, although there are some compelling reasons to consider it right now.

But oil is a sector where Sam Zell sees opportunity. However, the lessons are less about oil and more about how Sam recognizes and reacts to market conditions.

Here are some of our key takeaways from Sam Zell’s comments …

Look ahead and anticipate the next boom or bust … and react NOW, not after the fact. In other words, be proactive and get in front of opportunity as it develops.

Always pay attention to the supply and demand factor.

This is a common theme any time Sam Zell talks about how he evaluates opportunity. When supply and demand get out of sync, prices can rise or fall disproportionately. This “gap” creates attractive buying or selling opportunities.

Zell obviously doesn’t think demand for oil is going anywhere soon, even though there’s a temporary over-supply driving prices down.

It’s these “low” oil prices that are creating issues for oil producers … and creating opportunity for investors like Zell.

That’s because, as we’ve noted before, there’s a lot of debt in the oil sector which was put in place when prices were higher.

And just like a real estate investor levering up a property during peak rents … when rental rates fall, debt can go bad fast … creating an urgent demand for cash.

Cash is king in a crisis.

It seems obvious. But it’s hard to sit on “idle” cash when everything’s booming. Yet legendary investor Warren Buffet is sitting on over $120 billion cash right now. Maybe there’s a reason.

Real assets cash flow.

Zell mentions he doesn’t lend. He buys assets. And if you listen carefully, he talks about how cash strapped oil producers are selling cash flow. That’s what Zell appears to be buying.

There are probably many more lessons. Sam’s a fun guy to study. Unlike Buffet, Sam Zell is fundamentally a real estate guy.

And as we learned from Ken McElroy in the wake of the 2008 downturn, the energy sector … and oil in particular … is a huge and important driver of economic strength in several U.S. markets.

So for that reason alone, oil is a sector real estate investors should watch. Right now, oil is energy, and energy is fundamental to all economic activity.

Meanwhile, remember that in both up cycles and down cycles, there are ALWAYS opportunities in real estate.

That’s because every regional market, neighborhood, and individual property is unique … there’s often a lot of room to negotiate a profitable win-win …

…and there’s much a smart investor can do to proactively add value without needing to depend on unpredictable external factors.

We think it’s safe to say that demand for real estate, like oil, is probably not going away anytime soon … no matter what’s going on in politics or trade.

Just be careful to use financial structures you can live within both up and down cycles.

Podcast: Robert Kiyosaki on Private Investing and the 3 Kinds of Money

New Orleans Investment Conference – Money, Metals, and More!

We’re coming at you with interviews recorded live at the 2019 New Orleans Investment Conference!

We’re sitting down with a remarkable lineup of economic and investment experts … from precious metals to the Fed and beyond!

Listen in for valuable perspectives into the economy, the job market, interest rates … and more!

As always, we offer information … not advice. Always run your ideas by a qualified professional. We’re here to provide commentary, education, training, and resources to help investors like YOU find success. 

In this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ show, hear from:

• Your invested host, Robert Helms
• Money manager, Peter Schiff 
• Former Fed official, Danielle DiMartino-Booth
• Billionaire and CEO of Sprott US Holdings Inc., Rick Rule
• Renowned economist, Mark Skousen
• Gold expert, Brien Lundin

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What’s going on with gold

As much as we love real estate, we also keep our eyes on other economic metrics. 

For this episode, we’re in New Orleans at the 45th annual New Orleans Investment Conference … and we have a lot of great guests for you. 

We’re talking gold mining, the Fed, the economy … and more!

Russ was unable to make it to the event this year … but money manager Peter Schiff is filling in. 

“This conference started in the ’70s. Because of inflation, people started buying gold. The same thing is happening today, so this conference never goes out of style,” Peter says. 

At its root, this really is a gold conference. So, let’s start with gold. 

People don’t really appreciate the fact that gold has been going up. In the last two decades, gold has increased in value five times over. 

That’s a greater increase than the Dow or the S and P. 

Central banks are creating inflation and printing a lot of money. They are basically saying that they don’t want savers to have a positive return. They want you to lose money on your savings. 

So, what are you going to do? 

For many people, gold is the answer. They hold gold instead of placing money in a traditional savings environment. 

This conference is unique because we have gold buyers but also gold producers in the audience. 

“I think there’s an incredible investment opportunity in gold mining stocks, because this whole sector has been overlooked by Wall Street,” Peter says. 

When the price of gold catches up to where it should be, there’s going to be many mines that come into production and are much more profitable. 

But investing in gold in this way does come with risk. Peter recommends working with an expert who understands this specialized business to ensure you put money behind the right mining company. 

The merits of mining

Rick Rule is a billionaire CEO … but his expertise is in mining. 

Many people think of gold and silver and think of small coins … but there is a lot that happens before mined gold becomes that coin. 

You have to permit and finance the construction of a mine. You have to operate a mine and … when the gold is gone … you have to responsibly close the mine. 

“There’s a lot more losers than winners in this business,” Rick says. “Mineral exploration is really technology, so it’s a similar situation to high tech venture capital. Most ventures fail.”

The point, according to Rick, is don’t try to beat the market too much by taking many risks. 

Instead, participate in the market, and buy into the best companies to avoid making mistakes. 

Rick says that the best way to begin is by owning some physical gold. Then, invest in a company that has growing reserves and revenues rather than companies that are cannibalizing their existing asset base. 

The state of the Federal Reserve

Danielle DiMartino Booth is still “fed up” … she worked at the Fed and then wrote a book about how it is bad for America. 

Needless to say … she offers a unique perspective. 

“I was able to be there at the advent of taking interest rates to the zero bound, of venturing into this grand experiment of blowing up the Fed’s balance sheet,” Danielle says. 

All along the way, Danielle says, there were assurances that this move would be temporary and reduce the size of the balance sheet … but we now know it’s neither of those things. 

In addition to quantitative tightening, currency in circulation around the world has been going up, and that pulls an additional amount of reserves out of the financial system. 

Danielle says that foreign central banks had been parking a lot of money at the Fed, because they have negative interest rates at home … doubling the effect of pulling reserves out of the system. 

The treasury had depleted its checking account … so they had to rebuild the balance. Now we’re running trillion dollar deficits. 

And in a matter of weeks, the Fed has ramped up its own liquidity injection … something Danielle says we would have thought of as unheard of a year ago. 

So, it’s going to be interesting to watch how things play out. 

Diversification in a bull market

Mark Skousen is a renowned economist and the longest standing speaker at the New Orleans Investment Conference. 

Mark is always in touch with the market cycle … and he has some observations of the current economy. 

“This is the longest-running bull market in our history, and this is the most disrespected stock bull market in history,” Mark says. 

Mark also reminds us that diversification is key … and that different assets can perform very differently under the same economic conditions. 

“You have to take what the market gives you. So, you want to be positioned to see a turnaround coming, one way or another, and weather it,” Mark says. 

Protecting your money 

Brien Lundin knows gold … and this conference is his showcase for what resources like precious metals can do for a portfolio. 

“Right now, we are in a confirmed gold and silver bull market. Everything is pointing toward much higher prices,” Brien says. 

Big trends in the economy and geopolitics are pushing for much higher gold prices. Gold and silver are the primary ways that Brien feels people can protect themselves from monetary depreciation. 

“I would urge people to just learn about other investment classes. Ask the tough questions, and find the best way to protect your money,” Brien says. 

To hear more from our interviews at the New Orleans Investment Conference … listen in to our full episode!

More From The Real Estate Guys™…

• Sign up for The Real Estate Guys™ Free Newsletter
• Check out all the great free info in our Special Reports library.
• Don’t miss an episode of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show. Subscribe on iTunes or Android or YouTube!
• Stay connected with The Real Estate Guys™ on Facebook,  and our Feedback page.

The Real Estate Guys™ radio show and podcast provides real estate investing news, education, training, and resources to help real estate investors succeed.

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It might be time to start worrying …

The mother of all private equity firms just issued a warning …

Blackstone Group Warns of the Mother of All Bubbles
Investopedia via Yahoo Finance – 11/11/19

According to the article, Blackstone’s “… biggest concern is negative yields on sovereign debt worth $13 trillion …”.

Remember, the 2008 financial crisis was detonated in bond markets … and the bomb landed hard on Main Street real estate.

So yes, this is something Main Street real estate investors probably want to pay attention to.

In fact, the article says Blackstone “… sees a troubling parallel with the 2008 financial crisis …”

Keep in mind, Blackstone manages over $550 billion (with a B) … which includes over $150 billion of real estate equity in a portfolio of properties worth over $320 billion.

So Blackstone has both the means and the motivation to study these things intensely … and they think about real estate too.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they’re right. But they’re certainly qualified to have an opinion worthy of consideration. And right now, Blackstone is worried.

And they’re not alone …

More than half of the world’s richest investors see a big market drop in 2020, says UBS survey
CNBC – 11/12/19

“Fifty-five percent of more than 3,400 high net worth investors surveyed by UBS expect a significant drop in the markets at some point in 2020.

“… the super-rich have increased their cash holdings to 25% of their average assets ….”

Of course, they’re talking to paper asset investors, but the sentiment applies to the overall investment climate, which also affects real estate.

Also, by “super-rich”, they’re talking about investors with at least $1 million investable. So while that’s nothing to sneeze at, it’s also not the private jet club either.

So from behemoth Blackstone Group to main street millionaires, serious investors are worried right now.

Should YOU be worried too?

Probably. But it’s not what you think …

In fact, according to this article, Blackstone’s CEO Stephen Schwarzman believes worrying is fun …

“In his new memoir What it Takes, the private-equity titan advises readers that worrying ‘is playful, engaging work that requires you never switch it off.’

This approach helped him to protect Blackstone Group investors from the worst of the subprime real estate crisis …”

There are some really GREAT lessons here …

Worrying is something to be embraced, not avoided.

Many people believe investing and wealth will create a worry-free life. Our experience and observation says this is completely untrue.

In fact, to adapt Ben Parker’s famous exhortation to his coming of age nephew Peter Parker in the first Tobey Maguire Spider-Man film …

“With great wealth, comes great responsibility.”

Worrying is the flip side of responsibility. They go hand and hand. If want wealth, you need to learn to live with worry.

Worrying isn’t about being negative or pessimistic.

In Jim Collins’s classic book, Good to Great, he says great businesses (investing is a business) always “confront the brutal facts”.

That’s because you can’t solve a problem you don’t see.

But missing problems isn’t merely a case of oversight or ignorance. Sometimes, it’s bias or denial.

In fact, one of the most dangerous things in investing is “normalcy bias”.

This is a mindset which prevents an investor from acknowledging an imminent or impending danger and taking evasive action.

Mega-billionaire real estate investor Sam Zell says one of his secrets to success is his ability to see the downside and still move forward.

Threats often aren’t singular or congruent … they’re discordant.

According to this article …

“CEO Steve Schwarzman of Blackstone searches for ‘discordant notes’, or trends in the economy and the markets that appear to be separate and isolated, but which can combine with devastating results.”

This is the very concept of complexity theory that Jim Rickards explains in his multi-book series from Currency Wars to Aftermath.

The point is that major wealth-threatening events seldom occur in isolation or without a trigger and chain reaction that is often not obvious.

It’s why we think it’s important to pay attention to people and events outside the real estate world.

The more you see the big picture and inter-connectedness of markets, geo-politics, and financial systems, the more likely you are to see a threat developing while there’s time to get in position to avoid loss or capture opportunity.

Cash is king in a crisis.

This might seem obvious, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. After all, cash isn’t king in Venezuela … because their cash is trash.

Americans don’t think of cash apart from the dollar. And their normalcy bias says they don’t need to.

It’s true the dollar is king of the currencies … for now.

Yet as we explained in our Future of Money and Wealth presentation, the dollar has been under attack for some time.

But even as high-net worth investors, the most notable of which is Warren Buffet, build up their cash holdings, it’s a good time to consider not just the why of cash … but the HOW.

The WHY of cash is probably obvious …

When asset bubbles deflate, it takes cash to go bargain hunting.

It’s no fun to be in a market full of quality assets at rock bottom prices … and have no purchasing power.

But the HOW of cash is a MUCH more important discussion … and too big for the tail end of this muse. Perhaps we’ll take it up in a future writing or radio show.

For now, here are something to consider when it comes to cash …

Cash is about liquidity. It’s having something readily available and universally accepted in exchange for any asset, product or service.

So, “cash” may or may not be your local currency.

Even it is, perhaps it’s wise to have a variety of currencies on hand … depending on where you are and where you’d like to buy bargain assets.

It should be obvious, but cash is not credit.

So, if you’re counting on your 800 FICO, your HELOC, and your American Express Black Card for liquidity, you might want to think again.

Broken credit markets are often the cause of a crisis, so you can’t count on credit when prices collapse. You need cash.

Counter-party risk is another important consideration. This is another risk most Americans seldom consider … but should.

That’s because one of the “fixes” to the financial system after 2008 is the bail-in provisions of the Dodd-Frank legislation.

“With a bank bail-in, the bank uses the money of its unsecured creditors, including depositors and bondholders, to restructure their capital so it can stay afloat.”
Investopedia – 6/25/19

Yikes. Most people with money in the bank don’t realize their deposits are unsecured loans to the bank … or that the bank could default on the deposit.

That’s why the recent repo market mini-crisis has so many alert observers concerned. Are banks low on cash?

As we’ve noted before, central banks are the ultimate insiders when it comes to cash … and they’ve been stocking up on gold.

Maybe it’s time to consider keeping some of YOUR liquidity in precious metals.

You can’t win on the sidelines.

Even though serious investors are increasing liquidity in case there’s a big sale, they aren’t hiding full-fetal in a bunker. They’re still invested.

This is where real estate is the superior opportunity.

It’s hard to find bargains in a hot market when your assets are commodities like stocks and bonds. Price discovery is too efficient.

But real estate is highly inefficient … and every property and sub-market is unique. So compared to paper assets, it’s a lot easier to find investable real estate deals … even at the tail end of a long boom.

Of course, if you’re loaded with equity, it’s probably a smart time to harvest some to build up cash reserves. Just stay VERY attentive to cash flow.

Podcast: New Orleans Investment Conference – Money, Metals and More!

Finding Great Properties in Growing Markets

Real estate investing can seem complicated … but it’s really very simple. 

Successful real estate investors buy great properties in growing markets. It IS simple. But it’s not always easy. 

We’re talking to a real estate investor with experience in evolution. He’ll share how he finds properties that make sense in markets that are poised for growth and resilience. 

And … he’ll give a few tips for how YOU can evolve as market conditions shift. 

In this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ show, hear from:

• Your resilient host, Robert Helms
• His shifting co-host, Russell Gray
• President and Co-Founder of Southern Impression Homes, Chris Funk

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Getting creative in a good market

It’s fun renting real estate … especially if you can make a return. 

We love real estate. We really do. But every market is not the same. It’s important that you pick your markets well … now more than ever. 

People who look at what’s happening in the economic world at the macro level look at real estate as an asset class … but it is so much more. 

Every market is different … every property is different … every property niche is different. And the ownership, motivation, and structure of each deal is different. 

Real estate deals are unique as a fingerprint … and there’s always going to be an opportunity. 

Today we are talking about a market that we have spent a lot of time in and that we know pretty well. But we haven’t talked about it in a while … Atlanta. 

The other thing we’re going to talk about today is buying new. 

It’s rare that a new property can give you the same financial performance as buying used for a variety of reasons … not the least of which is that to develop a property takes the money for the land AND money for materials and labor. 

But there are rare opportunities when you can find a brand new property that actually performs. 

We’ve currently got a real estate guy in the White House … and whether you like him or not, he knows that there is a lot of expense in development … and much of that is regulatory. 

Recently, he signed an Executive Order to reduce the cost of regulation in building … and the National Association of Home Builders loved it. 

That’s because the cost of building a single-family home for them is 25% regulation. Wow. 

So, with regulation taking less of a cut … there are some things happening. 

Why not buy new?

Our guest today is a creative entrepreneur who is building new builds in a couple of great markets. 

Chris Funk is the president and co-founder of Southern Impression Homes. We last met him in his office in Jacksonville, Florida, where he has an amazing property management team. 

In addition to many Florida markets, Chris and his team are making great inroads in a couple of new markets. 

“We are in Southwest Atlanta at the moment,” Chris says. “We’ve been there for six years, and our model has turned fully to build-to-rent.”

Chris and his team started looking at build costs from a brand-new construction standpoint. They found that if they were self-developing properties without a developer markup … they could still provide inventory at a discount. 

New construction has a lot of benefits … like decreased insurance costs and lower maintenance costs. 

For Chris, the answer quickly became clear. 

“You can have a house that was built in 1950, or you can get the same yield for a house that built in 2018 or 2019,” Chris says. 

A new build also offers a consistency of cash flow. 

“The sad thing for us is that after our investors close on a home and we put a tenant in, we don’t hear from them again. The check just comes every month,” Chris says. 

Many of the tenants stay for long periods of time because they are happy to be raising families in new construction. 

Another reason for low turnover is that Chris and his team can spec out the houses exactly how they want them. And they can buy great materials at a bulk price because of the volume. 

“We got the best price on granite, so everything has granite,” Chris says. 

Another great aspect of new builds is that if investors want to sell the home down the line, it already has the specs they need to sell competitively on the market. 

All about Atlanta

Chris and his team are operating in a lot of different markets … but there are lots of reasons to love Atlanta. 

“It’s a market that just can’t be ignored,” Chris says. 

Atlanta is the fourth-largest, fastest-growing market in the United States. Many Fortune 500 companies have bases there, and the population growth is tremendous. 

The market in Atlanta is also very consistent in its growth and rates. 

Currently, job growth is outpacing population … which means more people are coming to Atlanta. 

But the market isn’t a one-trick pony. There is a lot of diversity in the area. For instance … Atlanta just surpassed Hollywood in movie production dollars. 

Chris says that the rents are great in Atlanta. With population growth the way it is … people need more housing. 

And they might as well buy new. 

To learn more about Atlanta and Southern Impression Homes … listen in to our full episode!

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