This is a SHOCK! … said no one

We’re proudly filing this under the category of “We told you so.” ….

Stripe workers who relocate get $20,000 bonus and a pay cut
– Bloomberg, 9/15/20

“Stripe Inc. plans to make a one-time payment of $20,000 to employees who opt to move out of San Francisco, New York or Seattle, but also cut their base salary by as much as 10% …”

“… companies … have expanded opportunities for employees to work remotely while also signaling … pay cuts if workers move to less-expensive cities.”

“VMware Inc. … Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc. and ServiceNow Inc. have all considered similar measures.”

Of course, we could just as easily file this under “Duh.”

After all, when companies discovered they could move jobs to China and Mexico to save money and increase profits, they did.

Modern tech empowers remote working.

And while many info workers might not be keen on moving overseas … moving to low cost, low tax, good quality of life states is not just palatable … it’s appealing.

The COVID-19 lock-downs have forced businesses into improving their remote workforce management … opening everyone up to a win-win move.

Companies LOWER their labor expenses, while employees improve their NET lifestyle in more affordable markets.

Also obviously, this has implications for the demand for real estate … housing, office, retail … in both the markets losing and those gaining people and their paychecks.

This is just one of many trends the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated, though likely still in its infancy … and worth watching.

That’s why we created the COVID-19 Crisis Investing video series … and why we’re getting regular updates from our Boots-on-the-Ground correspondents.

Shift is happening … and faster than usual.

Investing in this environment is like driving a car … the faster you go, the farther up the road you need to look so you have time to react well.

Here’s another noteworthy article with insights which are a little more challenging to decipher, but worth the effort …

The Death of the 60/40 Portfolio
– Yahoo Finance, 9/6/20

“That’s stock talk. It doesn’t apply to me. I’m a real estate investor!”

Really?

Well, before you click away to check the latest mortgage rates or political pandering, consider …

While 60/40 refers to a typical Wall Street portfolio allocation model for a mix of stocks and bonds.

The reason it’s been a staple … and the reason it’s changing … is highly relevant to real estate investors.

“The biggest takeaway is that Woodard’s team is more confident than ever that … interest rates … will likely … move considerably higher … arguing that investors should start to move away from bonds in their current allocations.”

The “Woodard” they’re referring to is Jared Woodard, Head of the Research Investment Committee for Bank of America Research.

So he’s well-qualified to have an opinion worth contemplating.

But it’s not just rising interest rates that are interesting to real estate investors …

(though that’s a compelling reason to secure as much low-cost long-term debt as you can while you can)

… but his recommendation to “move away from bonds” is important.

So in another “surprise said no one” moment, are reports the two biggest U.S. bondholders in the world (China and Japan) have already started “moving away”.

That’s because when rates rise, bond values fall.

And like any bubble … when bondholders head for the exits en masse, it sets off a very disrupting chain of events in the macro-strata of the financial system.

Of course, as you might suspect … it all rolls downhill onto the often unsuspecting denizens of Main Street.

The reason it’s SO extreme is because of the way bonds are used in the financial system.

In real estate terms, they’re used like properties with equity. The owners borrow against them to raise more cash to lever into more “assets”.

Except these loans against bonds come with margin provisions … which means if the value of the bond falls, you’re either forced to sell at a loss or borrow more.

The point is when balance sheets at every tier of the financial system are stuffed with leveraged bonds …

… a collapse of bond prices is a BIG problem for everyone … including real estate investors. Remember 2008.

(Yes, we know we’ve covered this before. But although the asteroid is moving slowly towards Earth, it still seems important to talk about it and prepare.)

Of course, in 2008 bonds collapsed because of a higher than expected default rate in sub-prime loans.

Yes, it’s true, that was then and this is now. But with an economy still largely locked-down, headlines like this should surprise … no one …

Lower-Credit Homeowners Weigh Heavily on U.S. Mortgage Market
– Bloomberg, 9/15/20

But whether it’s sub-prime borrowers defaulting, large foreign holders dumping, interest rates rising, or leveraged bond-loans going bad …

It doesn’t matter WHY bond values fall … if they do, it’s a threat to the financial system.

The fix, of course, is lots of dollar printing by the Fed, which (as we’ve been saying and saying and saying) puts a lot of pressure on the dollar …

Dethroned Dollar Is Making Waves Across Markets, in Five Charts
– Bloomberg, 9/15/20

Of course, as this article points out, there are different tactics for investors to mitigate risk and capture opportunity …

“Savvas Savouri at Toscafund Asset Management recommends switching out of conventional Treasuries and into inflation-protected securities.”

“’The simple reality is that the only feasible way to get the U.S. to the preferred inflation target is through a dollar devaluation,’”

The article also mentions gold as an alternative tool for the job …

“The dollar’s decline has also helped thrust gold onto center stage … some investors are betting that [gold] bullion will prove a better haven than Treasuries as inflation bites …”

So while there’s a fair amount of consensus about the challenges … there are variations on how to best address it.

And in yet another “surprise … said no one ever” moment …

… real estate is completely missing from mainstream financial media’s discussion of potential solutions.

That’s like heading out to a job site and leaving your best power tools at the workshop. Then again, if you don’t know how to use them, what good are they?

Of course, any talk about the what, why, and how of real estate investing is completely omitted because (in our not-so-humble opinion) mainstream financial media exists to protect and promote Wall Street.

That’s probably why YOU are here. It’s certainly why we are.

The GOOD NEWS is, whether you’re investing in your own account or organizing syndications with private investors …

… there’s a LOT of opportunity RIGHT NOW to use the right real estate as the foundation of a resilient real asset portfolio.

The GREAT news is that even though things are moving faster than normal …

… there’s still time to build your knowledge and relationships and to organize your life and portfolio to get in on the action.

The asteroid hasn’t struck yet … and while it may not … better to be prepared and not have a crisis than to have a crisis catch you unaware and unprepared.

We’re working hard to step-up the volume of ideas, resources, people and opportunities we share with you right now … because we think the times demand it.

There’s a “new normal” on the horizon …

… and while real estate is real, essential and a time-tested vehicle for wealth building and preservation …

… there are new rules and strategies emerging … because market conditions are dramatically shifting.

So be SURE to subscribe to our re-launched YouTube channel, follow us on Facebook, and of course, subscribe to the podcast.

When you support ALL our distribution outlets with your listens, views, likes, shares, comments, questions, and reviews …

… you make it easier for us to attract the guests and resources necessary to produce more and better content for you.

We appreciate you … and look forward to thriving through this crisis with you.

Until next time … good investing!

Not the time for hiding in the basement …

Lockdowns, restrictions, eviction moratoriums, civil unrest, election hysteria. Fun times.

It’s enough to make a real estate investor order one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer … assuming you could find an open bar.

But before you reach for the Valium and TV remote, remember …

“Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary storm. No matter how raging the billows are today, remind yourself: This too shall pass!”
– T. D. Jakes

Sitting out troubling times is a permanent decision … because today’s opportunities are only here today. When you miss one, it’s gone.

And when today’s troubles are setups for tomorrow’s sunshine, standing pat can mean being out of position later.

We’re not saying to play in the rain without a raincoat. You need to be smart in all situations. And yes, there are times when a strategic retreat is wise.

But we see some folks just disengaging. That’s usually a mistake.

Even though we’re in harrowing times, there are reasons for real asset investors to be optimistic about the future … even on a rocky road to riches.

Surely you didn’t think it would be EASY?

So while there are a thousand hot headlines we could dissect in the middle of this pandemic / election cycle / potential system meltdown …

… better to stay anchored on timeless principles which are useful for navigating all the noise.

Because … as they say … stuff’s about to get REAL. And that’s going to be good for those aware and prepared.

For decades … through wars, recessions, currency resets, assassinations, impeachments, civil unrest, political scandals, disputed election results …

(Yes, ALL those scary things … and more … have happened before)

… professional investors reposition their portfolios … often shifting from offense to defense. But always staying PROACTIVE.

And though many of those professional investors are playing on Wall Street … the principles apply to Main Street investing as well.

So let’s look at some Wall Street defensive strategies and translate them into Main Street lessons for real estate investors.

Ride the Equity Wave … Carefully

In times of enormous currency creation (monetary stimulus) and government spending (fiscal stimulus), it’s hard to sit on the sideline. That’s a lot of fuel.

Come Merry Men, let’s ride this stock rocket to the moon!

Sure, things could crash. But they could boom big until they crash.

Just remember they can also do both at the same time … and what it means when it happens (not good).

But except for the very rarest of circumstances, pros don’t ever get out of the market completely. It’s about allocation … not abdication.

S0 while aggressive investors chase unicorns and sexy stories … defensive players often shift to “Consumer Staples”.

In other words, they seek shelter in things which are essential at all times.

Translating to real estate, we think markets and properties in the residential, distribution, agricultural, healthcare, and energy niches are “staples”.

No matter what’s happening in the world, or what currency it’s happening in, these properties are likely to remain valuable and productive.

Of course, they might be a little boring. But in tumultuous times, boring is beautiful.

But … even modest returns can be goosed through the careful use of long-term, low-interest rate debt. And today’s market has some of the lowest rates ever.

Even if your portfolio is already stuffed with its unfair share of residential properties and dripping with equity …

… you can use cash-out refinances to lock in low-rates and reposition equity into other niches where financing is less available.

Load Up on Cheap Debt

It’s no secret corporate CFO’s have been borrowing like crazy and buying up their own stock … even while sitting on piles of cash.

Pros like to borrow cheap and long and load up on quality assets they understand …

… and to have “dry powder” ready when other quality assets are shaken out of weak hands.

A word to the wise … be very wary of borrowing short and lending or investing long. Only banks backed by the FDIC and Fed can play that game “safely”.

Increase Liquidity

Extra cash isn’t simply dollars in the bank … and it’s not just for bargain shopping when markets get temporarily ugly.

Liquidity is a VERY important buffer when unexpected things disrupt all your well-laid plans. Murphy is alive and well.

Liquidity is like oxygen. You can last a while without profit … and even without revenue …

… but when you’re out of cash (or assets quickly convertible to cash), you’re in serious danger. It’s like drowning.

And remember: Credit lines don’t count because they can be shut off without warning … usually when you need them the most.

However, precious metals are an alternative store of liquidity … and allow you to pivot into ANY currency easily … which comes in handy when currencies crash.

Prioritize Principal Preservation

Warren Buffett’s #1 rule for investing is “Don’t lose money”. His rule #2 is “Always remember rule #1”.

But losing comes in different flavors. And sometimes a flight to safety is really a leap from the frying pan into the fire.

This is where we see REAL opportunity for real estate investors …

The basic defensive play for paper investors when they get spooked is to jump into U.S. bonds and dollars. BUT …

U.S. bonds and dollars are no longer the reliable havens of safety they once were … as evidenced by the popularity of gold and silver.

We’ve covered this in detail many times … but because it’s arguably the most important underlying financial story right now and so few in the real estate world are talking about it, we’ll touch on it again briefly.

When interest rates RISE, bond values fall.

Of course, when rates are at rock bottom (like they are), there’s a big danger rates might rise.

For real estate investors, rising rates are an annoyance. But for bond investors, rising rates are a DISASTER.

Think of it like rising cap rates in a rent control area. The increased cap rate isn’t from growing rents. It’s from FALLING prices. You’re losing equity.

This is what happens to bond investors when rates rise. Any bonds held LOSE value. Rising rates don’t mean more income. They mean LOSS of principal.

Consider that U.S. bonds are denominated in U.S. dollars, so bondholders get paid back in dollars. This sounds good, but it can be a problem.

So keep your thinking cap on and don’t give up now …

To keep rates down, the Fed prints lots of dollars to buy bonds. This dilutes the value of the dollars, which bondholder get paid back …

(it’s called “inflation”)

… and the Fed just announced they plan to let inflation run hot … that is, to overshoot 2 percent CPI (don’t get us started …)

Here’s the point and why it matters to real estate investors …

Like real estate, there are buy-and-holders and flippers.

Flippers buy bonds hoping rates go DOWN (driving principal UP) so they can sell at a profit. They don’t want yield and they’re not in it for the long haul.

They’re flipping for capital gains.

Buy-and-hold investors ARE seeking yields … and finding the cupboard pretty bare …

So with bonds yielding less than inflation, bondholders are already losing on income … but in danger of losing worse if rates rise.

In today’s world, bonds are terrible for both producing income AND for preserving principal long term.

Gold is good for the latter but produces no income.

And yes, paper investors can seek yields in dividend paying stocks. But this exposes them to extreme price volatility (after all, it is the stock market).

The bigger issue is companies world-wide are cutting dividends … the most since the last crash … in an effort to preserve cash during the pandemic.

This creates a HUGE opportunity for real estate investors … and especially for syndicators of cash-flowing properties.

The yields on real estate are better than bonds. And if a tenant defaults, they can be replaced. If a bond issuer defaults, you lose. So real estate wins.

Plus, the underlying asset (the property) which generates the income is a physical, tangible asset … not some “going concern” which might stop going.

(There’s probably a reason China borrowed to the moon and built ghost cities … when the debt goes bad, the properties remain … and who’s foreclosing?)

Another plus … real estate not only benefits from inflation but is often the intentional target of it (to protect the banks who lent against it).

And PLUS PLUS … (IMPORTANT) … think about this …

… it’s MUCH easier for politicians and central bankers to feed money to Main Street so mortgages and rent can be paid … than to feed big corporations so dividends can be paid. Good optics vs BAD optics.

For those who prefer to own debt, mortgages are better than bonds.

Again, the debt is backed by the property. If the borrower fails, the lender gets the property AND its income.

As Main Street investors who’ve been blindly following Wall Street advice begin to understand all this, we think the smart ones will come home to real estate.

We could go on … and on … and on … but you get the idea.

Real estate investors need to smart, careful and creative right now … but there’s no reason to be hiding in the basement.

Real estate is a great shelter in a storm.

Six valuable lessons from Warren Buffett’s shocking move …

Mega-billionaire investor Warren Buffett made big news recently when he made a move into gold mining shares … while dumping big banks and Goldman Sachs.

This surprise move is notable for several reasons and there are important lessons and actionable insights for Main Street real estate investors.

While we could dive into how this move is being construed by some as a vote of no confidence in the U.S. dollar in favor of gold …

… we’ll focus today’s muse on 6 key lessons from watching Warren work.

 

Lesson #1: Always pay attention

It’s indisputable that Buffett is a brilliant big-time billionaire investor. So anything he says or does is worth dissecting.

Buffett is a voracious reader … and we’re pretty sure it’s not People Magazine or GQ.

He’s diligent to read to acquire information, knowledge, news, and views related to money, markets, economics and the politics affecting all of them.

No doubt he’s looking for clues to help see the financial future before it’s here. As every investor should be, he’s trying to get in front of a wave to wealth.

He knows just ONE great idea can be worth a FORTUNE … literally.

 

Lesson #2: Keep an open mind

One of Buffett’s more notable investment philosophies has been his criticism of gold. He’s on record saying he has zero interest in owning it.

But apparently, Buffett appreciates the obvious trend in gold … and presumably believes the drivers underneath gold’s rise are sustainable.

Of course, we think this is something EVERY investor should be watching … even if they never own a single ounce.

As we’ve discussed MANY times, gold’s pricing reveals a lot about the future of the dollars we all earn, save, borrow, invest and measure wealth by.

Of course, everyone wakes up to what’s “apparent” at different times.

Often, the farther your prejudices and paradigms are from current realities … the longer it takes to see change. We’re all guilty of it.

As we pointed out last year, fellow mega-billionaire and big-time real estate guy Sam Zell lost his gold virginity last year.

We have no idea if Buffett’s disdain for gold stopped him from seeing it sooner … or if Zell’s “real asset” mentality helped him see it sooner …

… but based on the price action since Zell got in, it seems Zell’s timing has been better.

In any case, it’s important to remember … the world sometimes changes in ways that require shifts in both paradigms and investment philosophy.

Dogmas are fine if you’re lonely and need companionship. But investing often requires a healthy dose of pragmatism.

Sometimes, as the world changes … so should you. At the very least, it’s wise to keep an open mind.

 

Lesson #3: Adapting to opportunity doesn’t mean abandoning your principles

Buffett is a patient, principled, disciplined investor.

He looks for undervalued, profit-producing, well-managed enterprises. He doesn’t speculate on price.

Like a smart real estate investor, Buffett focuses on cash flow … knowing cash flow creates real equity.

And he’s quite willing to sit out hot-money-induced rallies.

In other words, Buffett doesn’t chase the market. Nor does he jump on bandwagons simply because everyone else is.

Of course, this is precisely why his move into mining shares and away from banks is so encouraging to gold-bugs … and concerning to dollar hawks.

After all, if Buffett is getting into metals and out of dollars, then there must be solid fundamentals supporting the rally in gold … and the reciprocal fall of the greenback.

But it’s notable that Buffett didn’t buy gold itself. Rather, he bought shares in a well-established gold mining company.

By choosing a miner over the metal, Buffett is investing in a profit-producing enterprise … one he presumably considers undervalued but well-positioned for the market dynamics he anticipates.

So Buffett is adapting to market dynamics, but still running his game.

Smart. Principled. Disciplined.

 

Lesson #4: When Mega-Billionaires talk (and act), you should listen

Billionaires aren’t always right … and you may not agree with them. But they’re certainly qualified to have an opinion worth considering.

Warren Buffet, Sam Zell and Ray Dalio are three legendary mega-billionaire investors … and their words and actions are signaling SERIOUS concerns about the dollar.

Of course, our mere mega-millionaire friends like Peter Schiff and Robert Kiyosaki are singing out of the same songbook.

We’re not sure how many people screaming fire it will take to trigger a stampede to the exits … but the alarms are getting louder and more intense.

(Sniff, sniff …) Do you smell something burning???

 

Lesson #5: Better to be fashionably late, than completely miss the party

Buffett didn’t fail to make his move just because he’s a little late to the party.

While we certainly understand the concern and wisdom of thinking twice before jumping on a bandwagon at record price levels … mega-trends move slowly.

And once you see one … even if you’re late … it doesn’t matter what happened before. The past is cast.

What REALLY matters is whether whatever caused the move still exists and is likely to create more of the same going forward.

Even at record high dollar gold prices, Buffett apparently sees a solid, shiny future.

Of course, we’re not trying to persuade you to purchase precious metals. That’s your personal prerogative.

Our point here is that arguably the most famous and respected investor of our time is making moves that teach timeless principles that apply to investors of all types … including real estate.

And they also happen to affirm the significance of concerns about the intense pressure on the dollar …

… which of course, impacts everyone, including real estate investors.

 

Lesson #6: Assets which don’t produce income aren’t really investments

Lack of yield has been Warren Buffett’s core objection to gold.

So it’s not a surprise Buffett is choosing to invest in mining companies over buying the gold itself.

Robert Kiyosaki has been making the cash flow argument for decades.

Kiyosaki says the definition of an asset is something that puts cash in your pocket. In other words … a true asset is one that cash flows.

Notably, Kiyosaki also has been saying … and LONG before Ray Dalio recently did … that cash is trash.

Yet, unlike Buffet, Kiyosaki is a BIG proponent of holding gold. Not as an investment (no cash flow) … but as money (savings).

Clearly, Kiyosaki makes a distinction between currency (cash) and money (gold).

And no less than the legendary J.P. Morgan (the man the institution is named for) told Congress in sworn testimony …

“Money is gold and nothing else.”

(You can read it yourself on page 5 of this transcript)

So money, cash, and investments are THREE different things as far as Kiyosaki is concerned. Makes sense to us.

But back to Buffett …

We’re guessing Warren Buffett views gold as simply a widget people like to buy … like furniture or houses … without any expectation of income.

Buffett also owns an $800 million stake in Fruit of the Loom. We doubt he considers underwear an investment.

So just as real estate investors like Kiyosaki buy properties for cash flow, Buffett buys businesses that cash flow … BUT …

… to be bullish on a business, you must believe their product will have durable and growing demand … along with a sustainable competitive edge.

So while Buffett may not like gold as an investment, he apparently likes it as a product. And who can blame him? The demand is big and strong.

A growing number of people and institutions …including central banks … consider gold an alternative to currency and bonds as a liquid reserve.

That could be Lesson #7.

But whether YOU think gold has any role to play in your personal portfolio, Buffett’s surprising move contains a LOT of lessons and insights all investors can learn from.

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.

Bank of America just made the case for real estate …

In this week’s perusal of the news, this headline caught our attention …

Bank of America declares the “end of the 60/40” standard portfolio 
Market Watch 10/15/19

We know it SEEMS like a pretty benign article … irrelevant to real estate investors. But au contraire mon frère …

There’s actually quite a bit of useful intelligence packed into BofA’s thesis.

Here’s what they have to say …

“Investors have long been told that the ideal portfolio should carry 60% of its holdings in equities and 40% in bonds, a mix that provides greater exposure to historically superior stock returns, while also granting the diversification benefits and lower risk of fixed-income investments.”

This, as they say, is “conventional wisdom” for paper portfolio strategy. It’s basically a straddle between principal risk (stocks) and safety of principal with income (bonds).

Except in today’s topsy-turvy financial markets, BoA admits this no longer makes any sense …

“ ‘The relationship between asset classes has changed so much that many investors now buy equities not for future growth but for current income, and buy bonds to participate in price rallies,’ [says Bank of America] …”

Stocks for income and bonds for price speculation? That’s a substantial role-reversal.

Before we dive into the real estate ramifications, let’s dig a little deeper into the essence of their position …

It’s easy to understand the first part … an ideal portfolio hedges both inflation and deflation while positioning for equity growth, yield, and protection of principal.

Of course, real estate can do all that MUCH better than stocks and bonds. But we’ll come back to that in a moment.

The bigger revelation in this article is BoA’s admission that paper assets aren’t working properly right now.

This is something most Mom and Pop investors (and their financial advisors) aren’t fully aware of. If they were, this BoA research note wouldn’t be newsworthy. But it is and that’s telling in and of itself.

Here are the problems in a nutshell …

Bonds are producing next to no yield. They’re next to useless for the production of income, as any pension fund manager can tell you.

Bonds are in a bubble … significantly over-priced. That’s why bonds produce no income …

(A bond’s price is inverse to its yield, so low yield equals high price … and ridiculously low yield equals ridiculously high price.)

When any asset price exceeds fundamental valuation, there’s a possibility … in fact, a high probability … the bubble will deflate, and the price will fall.

This means as a vehicle for adding income and preservation of capital to a balanced portfolio, bonds are failing on both counts.

Bonds have now devolved into nothing more than gambling chips for speculators in the Wall Street casinos …

… and tools for economic intervention vis-à-vis interest rate manipulations by central banks.

In fact, it could be argued that central banks aren’t even focused on the economy. After all, why lower rates when the economy is “booming”?

More likely, the financial system is far more fragile than anyone cares to admit … and central banks are trying to prevent collapse.

Remember, bond values are inverse to yields. If rates rise, bond prices fall.

With TRILLIONS of dollars of bonds leveraged throughout the system, falling bond prices could trigger a chain reaction of margin calls.

Think 2008 on steroids.

Once you understand all this, the logical conclusion is …

“ ‘there are good reasons to reconsider the role of bonds in your portfolio,’ and to allocate a greater share toward equities.

Ya think?

By now you may be thinking, “So what? I’m a real estate investor. I don’t own bonds.”

Smart. But most real estate investors make liberal use of credit markets. When bonds implode, they often take credit markets with them.

Real estate is a lot more challenging when credit markets are broken. And it’s downright deadly if you’re not structured IN ADVANCE to weather frozen credit markets.

But why does BoA sound the alarm now? Because …

“ ‘…this is happening at a time when positioning in many fixed-income sectors is incredibly crowded, making bonds more vulnerable to sharp, sudden selloffs when active managers re-balance,’ ”

In other words, as portfolio managers wake up to the risks of bonds and scramble to get out before the crowd … they become the crowd … and WHAM, the bottom falls out.

The credit market collapse of 2008 converted us into avid bond market watchers. But there’s also some opportunity here.

The core message of the BofA research note is …

“ [BoA] advise[s] investors to add more exposure to equities, particularly stocks with high dividend yields in under-performing sectors … which can be bought at inexpensive valuations.”

To translate this into real estate investor …

Stocks or “equities” represent ownership in operating businesses.

In real estate, operating businesses are things like an apartment building, a self-storage complex, a mobile-home park … or on a small scale, a rental home.

“Dividend yields” are operating profits distributed to shareholders … just like real estate rental income distributions to property owners.

“Under-performing sectors” could be likened to regional real estate markets or product types and price points which aren’t over-bid.

Of course, BoA doesn’t speak real estate investor, so they’re talking paper assets.

But the economic conditions they see and the actions they recommend in response not only make sense, they make the case for real estate investing.

After all, real estate provides a hedge against inflation. Over time, as the currency loses value, real estate’s value denominated in currency tends to rise.

And FAR better than bonds, whose yield is fixed, rents also tend to rise over time in response to inflation.

Of course, if deflation occurs, the value of the income stream becomes more valuable. And as prices fall, tenants purchasing power increases.

And even if a property falls in value 40% and never comes back (unlikely) …

… if you only put 30% down and the tenants eventually retire the 70% loan, you’re still “up” … apart from the tax breaks and cash flow along the way.

Best of all, real estate investors can use lots of relatively inexpensive long-term debt without fear of a margin call.

Of course, mortgages are only available when credit markets are healthy, so now’s arguably a good time to stock up on cheap long term debt.

However, just because real estate is awesome, it doesn’t mean real estate is without risk. Pay close attention to cash flow.

Still, compared to nearly every other investment vehicle, real estate arguably offers a lot less risk and more resilience against a variety of economic changes.

And unlike stocks and bonds which are essentially commodities traded in global exchanges where it’s hard to find a “hidden deal” … real estate trades in extremely inefficient local markets.

And because every property, neighborhood and ownership is unique, it’s much easier to buy a property at an “inexpensive valuation”.

So whether you’re only investing in your own account, or profiting from sharing your expertise with other investors, it’s encouraging to realize …

… real estate is a powerful solution to the challenge of building a resilient portfolio in changing times.

Pension problems percolating …

In a complex financial eco-system, there are MANY components, dependencies, and inter-dependencies …

… any of which can be the catalyst for a seismic economic earthquake.

The flip side and basis of real estate’s stability is real estate’s relative lack of liquidity as compared to publicly traded securities.

After all, you can’t hit a buy or sell button and execute a real estate transaction in seconds like you can with stocks, bonds, currencies and options.

Real estate moves slowly.

That’s why real estate prices and rents don’t bounce around on a daily basis after a Presidential tweet, an executive faux pas, a jobs report, or even a Federal Reserve interest rate pronouncement.

It’s also why so many Mom and Pop investors come home to real estate when the Wall Street roller coaster ride becomes a little too nauseating.

But because most minor economic waves tend to break harmlessly against the breakwater of real estate’s stability…

… real estate investors can get bored of watching the horizon for the occasional financial tsunami.

And boredom’s not the only problem.

There’s also the issue of overwhelm. In today’s complex world, there’s not only a lot more to watch, there’s a lot more chatter.

While lots of information is generally good, some stories get lost in the noise. And entering an election year, there’s a LOT of noise out there.

But it’s a mistake to tune out and assume all is well. Or to put blind faith in the “smart” people whose hands are on the controls.

Sometimes, those in control are the very people creating and downplaying the problems.

Remember, it was then Fed chair Ben Bernanke who assured the world in 2007 that the sub-prime crisis was contained and didn’t pose a threat to the economy.

We all know how that ended.

Current Fed Chair Jerome Powell recently assured the world that the U.S. economic expansion is sustainable.

Perhaps.

But there’s a long list of alarm bells going off … in bond markets, in oil, in trade, the dollar, geo-politics, and the resumption of easy money (just don’t call it QE).

Okay. Take a breath. Yes, Halloween is coming up, but we’re not trying to scare you … much.

It’s unwise to unplug a blaring smoke alarm because it’s interrupting your sleep.

If you’re trapped in the wrong slow-moving real estate and you wake up late to a developing problem …

… you may not be able to rearrange your portfolio fast enough to avoid losses and capture opportunities.

Remember … a bend in the road isn’t the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn … and problems and opportunities exist concurrently in any transition.

Events are often only as good or bad as your personal awareness and preparation make them.

So back to our threat assessment …

You’re going to be hearing more about problems with pensions.

But before you check out because you think pensions don’t have anything to do with you … think again.

You may not have a pension. But lots of people do.

More importantly, pensions control a HUGE chunk of assets in the economy, including stocks, bonds, and real estate.

While there may be many reasons for any particular pension fund’s failure, there are a couple of undeniable macro-factors common to all …

… artificially low-interest rates and an aging population.

This one-two punch has many pension plans on the ropes.

Recently, General Electric (GE), an iconic company once revered for its great management, announced it’s freezing workers’ pensions.

GE is FAR from alone.

Both public and private pension programs, not to mention Social Security, have been on a slow motion collision course with insolvency for many years.

There are many potential ramifications for real estate investors. Some good. Some not so much.

Starting with the not so good …

Loss of purchasing power creates a ripple effect in any economy … affecting which states, cities, neighborhood, product types, and price points people can afford for housing.

Jobs and wages are important. But neither have a direct impact on retired people living on fixed income.

When costs tenants can’t control rise for essential items such as energy, healthcare, food … they’re forced to cut back on big things they can control, like rent.

Think about that when you jump on the senior housing bandwagon. Not all senior housing communities or investments are created equal.

Also, for investors with properties in retirement markets … even if YOUR tenants aren’t depending on pensions and social security directly …

… those retirement checks still provide the economic fuel for the local economy.

After all, your tenants might work at the restaurant, gas station, grocery store, dry-cleaner, auto shop, or landscaping service providing services to retirees.

When retirees cut back, it affects those tertiary businesses and their employees (your tenants). Pay attention to these dependencies.

Bigger picture, failing pension plans mean potential bailouts.

While the Federal government can (for now) still print unlimited amounts of dollars, local municipalities cannot.

So failing local government pensions create a huge temptation for local officials to increase property taxes and the costs of municipal services.

Landlords are easy targets for pandering politicians in cash-strapped towns.

And while you might not pay directly for all municipal services, it doesn’t matter. If the tenant’s costs go up, it puts downward pressure on their ability to pay you rent.

It’s a complex eco-system and we’re all inter-connected.

Bailouts also could mean big federal tax increases, or perhaps even worse … loss of faith in the dollar, rising interest rates (pressure on both you and the tenants), and a general decline in the economy, jobs, and wages.

Robert Kiyosaki tells us failing pensions are one of his biggest concerns right now.

There’s more to watch out for, but before you go into a full-fetal coma, let’s end on a high note …

The flip-side of any crisis is opportunity.

When asset prices collapse, those who are liquid, educated, well-connected, and emotionally prepared can acquire quality assets at bargain prices.

So note to self: Now is the time to get liquid, educated, well-connected, and emotionally prepared.

Sadly, many retirees will sell homes to raise cash, then enter the ranks of renters. So just like 2008, demand for rentals in the right areas could actually increase.

Therefore, it’s important to really understand your markets, their drivers and demographics, and to be mindful of the product types and price points favored by an increasingly large retirement population.

For example, multi-story homes can be less desirable to seniors. Warm weather is a plus … who wants to shovel snow in their 70s?

Great local medical services are also really important to seniors.

And if retirees have moved away from friends and family in search of affordability, great transportation infrastructure is another valuable market “amenity”.

And of course, areas with an overall lower tax burden help those fixed incomes stretch further.

It’s not rocket science, but you do have to think.

That’s why we attend conferences and listen to smart people talk about all these things from different perspectives.

It’s also why we host the Investor Summit at Sea™ each year, where we get together with big-picture thinkers together and street-level niche experts to find ways to think big but invest small and smart.

Whether you join us at these events or find your own tribe, we encourage you to take your nose off the grindstone a few times a year and confer with the smartest investors you can find.

Because even though you can’t possibly watch it all and see every threat or opportunity forming, your tribe can. And you can all learn faster together.

Until next time … good investing!

More From The Real Estate Guys™…

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Clues in the News — The Fed, the Repo Market, and Real Estate Investing

When you’re an investor … the state of the financial system is always on your mind. 

The Fed shocked the world when it pushed an emergency infusion of cash into a distressed financial system. 

In 2008 … it took $85 billion per month to stabilize the U.S. financial system. 

Today, the Fed is injecting $75 billion PER DAY. 

Does this mean our financial system is in trouble? 

We’re searching for Clues in the News about the Fed, the Repo Market, and what it could mean for investors like you. 

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

• Your stable host, Robert Helms
• His fabled co-host, Russell Gray 

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Staying Smart in a Changing Market

We look at a lot more than just real estate. That’s how we stay smart in an ever-changing market. 

This week, we’re looking at what’s going on at the Federal Reserve … and we’re not just talking about the interest rate change. 

But let’s start there. 

The Fed came out and dropped interest rates by 25 basis points … which is one-quarter of one point. 

It’s important to note that the Fed doesn’t actually drop interest rates, because they don’t set interest rates. 

What they do is set a target and a range. 

They dropped the high end of the range down 25 basis points … and that manipulates the markets. 

The Fed also goes into markets and buys and sells bonds … again manipulating interest rates. 

So what is the effect of those actions on a real estate investor?

Sometimes it can be confusing … but it starts with understanding that yields … which are interest rates on bonds … are a function of supply and demand. 

When money floods into the bond market, it means that the interest rates come down. When money leaves the bond market, it means that interest rates go up. 

Many people think that if the Fed lowers the interest rates, mortgage rates are going to go down … BUT really the opposite is what would happen. 

Today, it’s different. 

The money that is moving around isn’t coming from the market. The Fed is putting more money into the system. 

That means investors are playing with new money that is in the system … and bonds go up and stocks go up. 

For the last decade, there has been a big infusion of money into bonds … so much so that it has driven interest rates yield down. 

There are $250 trillion of total bonds out there … $17 trillion of them are negative yields. 

It’s important to understand because, at the end of the day, a real estate investor is a user of debt. 

As investors, we have to pay attention to what the Fed is doing … and we should watch other investment categories like stocks and oil and gas and metals. 

All these things play together and play off of each other. 

The Repo Market

Now, something happened this week that hasn’t happened since 2008 … and it has got a lot of people nervous. 

The repo market dried up. People were going in to raise short-term cash … and there was no money. 

The repo market is like a pawn shop. It’s where Wall Street traders go to hawk a bond. It’s the same thing that house flippers do … but it happens in a day instead of over the course of several months. 

Remember that the bond that you hold is valuable because it has a rate of return. 

There’s a payment associated with it. It’s a poker chip in the Wall Street casino. 

Healthy markets require certain components. There has to be cash. There has to be assets. There have to be buyers. There have to be sellers … and there has to be trust. 

If any one of these components breaks down, then the system locks up until people fix whatever the problem is. 

On September 16, 2019, people showed up at the repo market … and there wasn’t enough. 

So, in order to get cash, they had to start bidding up or discounting what they were selling. 

Interest rates went all the way up to nearly 10 percent … and the Fed’s target is about 2 percent. 

So, the Fed had to step in. They pumped in $53 billion the first day. 

It wasn’t enough. The next day they had to put in another $75 billion. 

Still not enough. The third day, the Fed added in $75 billion more. 

That’s more than $200 billion in three days. And it STILL wasn’t enough. 

So, the Fed lowered the rates … and every single day of the following week they pumped another $75 billion into the market. 

The question for investors is … why did this happen?

Well, nobody knows. It’s a big mystery. 

Ultimately it all comes back to those key components … buyers, sellers, cash, assets, and trust. 

If there’s no cash, you can’t have buying and selling … and people don’t trust the marketplace enough to come in. 

What You Can Do To Prepare

Every listener out there that didn’t live through 2008 really needs to wake up and understand what can happen. 

For those of you that did live through 2008, this is probably like deja vu. 

But there are things you can … and probably should … do to be prepared just in case this is a real crash. 

It may not be. It may be just a little crash … but if you’re prepared, a crash is a great wealth-building opportunity. You can go into a marketplace and pick up bargains. 

The best thing you can do is get educated. Education is not just consuming knowledge and perspectives … it’s processing and thinking and conversing with experts. 

The second thing you can do is pay attention. We obsess about the news because there is so much you can learn from what is happening around you. 

From a practical portfolio management standpoint … right now you can lock in low rates for the long term. Take advantage of that. 

And you can take the combination of cheap interest rates and equity and pull some of that equity out and get liquid. 

Store that liquidity in something that allows you to pivot to other currencies. 

All of this is so you can be prudent as you look ahead into the unknown. 

Listen to the full episode to learn more about today’s Clues in the News!

More From The Real Estate Guys™…

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• 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!
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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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Tariffs, Taxes and Trade Wars – Insights for Real Estate Investors

There’s a lot of talk in the media about tariffs, taxes, and trade … what does all of that really mean for real estate investors?

As a real estate investor, you need to understand what is going on economically. What’s happening at an international level can trickle down to your local playing field.

To help you navigate the news, we brought in our good friend Peter Schiff. Peter is an author, stock broker, and financial commentator … and he has some strong ideas to share.

Learn to more successfully sail the economic sea and weather financial storms.

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

• Your financial seafaring host, Robert Helms
• His economically seasick co-host, Russell Gray
• Author, stock broker, and financial commentator, Peter Schiff

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Tariffs and the big picture

If you’re the type of investor who reads the headlines … and you should be … then you’ve probably seen lots of talk about tariffs, taxes, and trade.

But most investors don’t understand what these headlines mean for their money.

What’s the deal with these three big “Ts” … What are they? How do they work? And why do they impact your business?

As a real estate investor, you’ve got to understand the economic and financial sea that you swim in.

You need a basic understanding of all things economic.

Tariffs … in particular … are a great place to start.

Before 1913, the United States didn’t have an income tax. Instead, we funded our federal government through tariffs.

A tariff is a tax on people that want to sell in our markets … and today, President Trump is using tariffs as leverage in negotiations to level the international playing field.

You may agree or disagree with these politics … but whatever your personal opinions, you still need to know what such action really means for you.

Any kind of tax or tariff affects how much things cost in our economy … and it can also affect where jobs are created … which affects where people live.

By instituting tariffs, the federal government hopes to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the United States … potentially resurrecting manufacturing ghost towns.

Real estate investors need to look out at the horizon and see the bigger picture. You want to be riding the wave … not chasing the trend.

That’s why we asked our good friend Peter Schiff to share his knowledge and experience with us.

The US-China trade relationship

Peter says a great place to start increasing your understanding of the current economy is to look at the US relationship with China.

According to Peter, China does TWO big things for the US … they supply us with real goods, and they lend us money.

We get everything from China. It’s all manufactured products that make our lives better.

People go to Walmart and buy cheap stuff … and where is it coming from? China, of course.

China is also the biggest buyer of US bonds … which means they are our lender. They are lending us money that we would otherwise not have.

While the federal government talks about losing $500 billion a year to China, Peter thinks the US is still getting the better end of the deal.

China supplies us with real goods … and in exchange the US gives them a stack of paper that is arguably worth less every day that they hang on to it.

So, if the US places tariffs on China and enters a trade war, who is worse off in the end?

Peter says the Chinese will still have all their stuff … and we’ll just have a stack of paper.

The US government hopes that by instituting tariffs, companies will make their products in the US instead. Peter says that is easier said than done.

Pulling together the infrastructure, raw goods, and man power to manufacture these products in the US could take years … and it will cost businesses more money … not to mention a major shortage of goods in the meantime.

Peter explains that switching the US back over to a more manufacturing-based economy would require tremendous changes … and most likely result in a huge depression until the new economic flow was established.

“When we were a big manufacturer in the past, we had limited government, lower taxes, fewer regulations, a lot of savings, and a skilled workforce. We don’t have that stuff now,” Peter says.

Peter does mention that the US is probably going to have to make some of these changes eventually … but proposed tariffs and trade wars would accelerate the timeline in a painful way.

And the United States doesn’t realize how painful it will be.

If tariffs make it harder for the Chinese to sell stuff to America … they’ll sell it domestically instead.

As the Americans get poorer … the Chinese would be getting richer.

Right now, the Chinese labor, and we get the fruits. Suddenly, they would get both.

And what about our intellectual property?

“They’re going to keep ripping off our intellectual property because we can’t stop it, but now they’re not going to be giving us this big subsidy by loaning us money and supplying us with goods,” Peter says.

Preparing for a drop in the dollar with gold

Another notable headline today … the Chinese and Russian governments are buying gold and putting it away.

Peter says that the Chinese and Russian governments recognize that the dollar’s day as the reserve currency are numbered.

Nobody knows when the dollar’s time will be up … but if it loses its role as the primary reserve asset for central banks, what will take its place?

Right now, what gives a currency value are the foreign reserves … we’ve got this huge pile of US dollars that gives currency value.

Before central banks used other currencies as their reserves, everybody used gold. That’s what backed up your paper.

Originally, the transition from the gold standard to the dollar standard happened because the dollar was as good as gold.

US Federal Reserve notes were obligations of the Federal Reserve to pay. So, foreign central banks held Federal Reserve notes, which were redeemable on demand in gold.

Then, in 1971 the US said it would not give other countries gold for these reserves. The value of the dollar went down … and the value of gold went up.

All the central banks kept holding the dollar as a reserve even though it wasn’t backed by gold anymore.

Peter says that the US has borrowed so much money … and printed so much money … that it is heading for a currency crisis.

“In that environment, central banks are going to have to show that their currency is backed by something,” Peter says.

Some banks are buying more of other currencies … like the euro or the yen … but if people lose confidence in the dollar, the same could go for other currencies.

“I think that central banks are thinking they better have actual money in gold, because in the future, gold could be a much more important component of their reserves,” Peter says.

And if the price of gold continues to rise, the appreciation alone is going to increase the percentage of their reserves that are in gold.

Preparing yourself for the future

So what’s an investor to do?

Peter recommends getting out of US stocks in general … and bonds are way over-priced right now.

“If you’ve been fortunate enough to have invested in US stocks and seen a big gain, you need to cash in. Take that gain before the market takes it away from you,” Peter says.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t own stocks … Peter says it just means to think about moving out of dollar-dominated US stocks.

Consider taking a look at foreign stocks … emerging markets and developed markets are looking really good right now.

These stocks are international and derive their revenues outside of the US. If the dollar crashes … these stocks will rise in proportion to that decline.

Peter also believes that investors should have some sort of gold in their portfolio. It’s a good way to get diversified.

There’s no sure way to know what will happen in the future. We can only do our due diligence and make an educated guess.

Remember that not every strategy works for every investor. Find what works best for you. Always talk to an expert that understands your financial needs and situation.

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More From The Real Estate Guys™…

• Sign up for The Real Estate Guys™ Free Newsletter
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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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Is this the end of easy money …

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

The Future of Money and Wealth

The world economic order is under-going massive change right now.  We’re literally watching it unfold in the daily news.

Yet few investors really understand what’s happening and why … or what they can do to both grow and protect wealth during these historic times.

 

“Those who can’t remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” – George Santanya

 

In two power-packed days our all-star line-up of notable experts will explain …

 

• How the U.S. dollar is under attack and what it means to Main Street investors

• What are the best and worst investments based on what’s happening now … and where it’s headed

• How savvy investors are preparing to be on the right side of an historic wealth transfer most people don’t see coming

 

Remember, the flip side of crisis is opportunity.  But pretending everything is fine … and not being prepared in case it’s not … can be dangerous and expensive.

 

“Maintain unwavering faith you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties, and at the same time, have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.” – Jim Collins, Good to Great

 

Click here now to learn more about The Future of Money and Wealth >>

 

 

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