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Realty411 / reWealth magazine is published quarterly from Santa Barbara County, Calif. © Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly pro-hibited. The opinions expressed by writers/columnists are not endorsed by the publishers. IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: Publishers and advertising staff are not responsible for per-forming due diligence on the opportunities offered by magazine advertisers and/or spon-sors. Before investing in real estate seek the advisement of a trusted financial adviser, at-torney or tax consultant. Real estate investing can be risky and may result in loss of capital.

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07 Publisher’s note08 Insurance myths11 Meet Tim Herriage13 It’s a seller’s market14 What are tax liens? 16 Photo tips for investors18 Invest in mobile home parks19 Snail mail success20 Sound advice on leverage22 Flipping Boston on A&E24 Notes with Scott Carson25 Tips on rental management27 Questioning convention with Marco Santarelli31 Profile of Equity Trust35 Tony Martinez and notes36 Sensei’s entrepreneurial life40 The 401(K) sinking hole42 Coast to Coast REIA44 A secure investment?46 Nick Vertucci always wins48 Market selection advice50 Q&A with IPX/AZ52 The power of direction54 Benefits for investors56 Find your partners

contents Here’s The Key To Your Real Estate Insurance Needs . . .

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Why I click, not drive, for dollars

“I changed one thing one timeand left the ‘rat race’ forever.I can show you how I did it,

Matt TheriaultReal Estate Investor

Founder of EpicProAcademy.com and CashflowSavvy.comHost of the Epic Real Estate Investing Podcast on iTunes

Why I click, not drive, for dollars

sellers. Personally, I think the public Multiple Listing Service is the most under utilized and under valued inves-tor tool that exists today… and it’s free! Most investors simply don’t use or don’t even know how to gain access to their local MLS. Think of the MLS as the industry’s library of knowledge that holds valuable treasures, much like the real thing. (Our own public libraries are also greatly under uti-lized… coincidence?) The MLS in Los Angeles, www.themls.com, not only provides guests with a listing of cur-rent properties, but it also has access to what is pending, on backup, and what just sold. It’s an invaluable resource! Some investors mistakenly think that

by Linda Pliagas, publisher, investor, agent

Continued on pg. 62

Over the years, I have purchased and sold many properties around the country, from single family

homes to multifamily complexes, the loca-tion and type of property may vary, but one thing that they all have in common is that they were found on the MLS (Mul-tiple Listing Service).

Most investors are taken aback when I tell them that I find my deals on the MLS. What about writing yellow letters? Don’t you use bandit signs or do any cold calls? My reply is always: “Who has time for that?!”

Why should I spend money and pre-cious time on techniques like that when all I have to do is a quick MLS search to see today’s hot pickings. Driving for dollars? Have you seen the price of gas

lately? No thanks, I’d rather comfortably kick back at home and click for my deals.

Do you think distressed properties and motivated sellers do not exist on the MLS? Wrong! I found my three recent rehab deals on the MLS. That’s three single-family properties in distress with nearly $100,000 in equity in each one.

I’ve also found my properties out of state on the MLS boards of their respec-

tive cities. I’ve purchased rentals in five states, all found on the MLS

at no cost to me. The MLS has all sorts of distressed deals:

REOs, short sales, pro-bates, trustee sales,

corporate-owned properties, as well as motivated

linda’s note

“I changed one thing one timeand left the ‘rat race’ forever.I can show you how I did it,

Matt TheriaultReal Estate Investor

Founder of EpicProAcademy.com and CashflowSavvy.comHost of the Epic Real Estate Investing Podcast on iTunes



DEBUNKEDby Stephanie B. Mojica

People tend to focus more on making fast cash with real estate investments and as a result often

do not properly insure their assets.Beginning investors are especially

prone to treating insurance as an option rather than an essential part of their business plan, says Tim Norris, owner and operator of the National Real Estate Insurance Group headquartered in Kan-sas City, Missouri.

“Most of us consider insurance as a ‘purchasing endeavor.’ That is, we either buy it, or it is sold to us. Therein, in my opinion, is the foundational fault

of the process. The misconception is still prevalent…insurance is mysterious, dif-ficult to understand, and, at best we hope we can trust the person that is selling it to us,” Norris says.

Norris, also a board member of the Cincinnati, Ohio chapter of the non-profit National Real Estate Investors Associa-tion, has garnered plenty of respect for his authorship of the PowerPoint presentation “13 Myths for the Real Estate Investor.” To create the document, Norris utilized more than 20 years of experience working closely with real estate investors to prop-erly insure their assets. Even if people do not ultimately purchase a policy through his company, Norris hopes his advice will

still help them protect their investments.Norris’ 13 myths are as follows:1. Insurance is exclusive of estate, tax, and financial planning.2. Being named as an “additional insured” on the existing homeowner policy will sufficiently protect my inter-ests in a subject-to and/or lease-option deal…3. Buying a property in your personal name and using your homeowner’s policy liability is fine…4. The “personal” dwelling fire policy is sufficient to cover my non-owner oc-cupied rental…5. I have a personal umbrella policy (PUL), so I don’t need “commercial insurance”…

13 Insurance Myths for RE Investors

Continued on pg. 55

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by Stephanie B. Mojica

Real estate entrepreneur Tim Herriage has become so well-versed in the ins and outs of the business that he

can buy a house from an owner just as easily as he can buy milk from a grocery store.

Herriage, a native of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, spent the first five years of his professional career as an intelligence analyst in the United States Marine Corps.

In 2001, he decided to return to his Texas roots and become a real estate investor. Herriage has purchased more than 1,000 single-family houses in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio and is involved in numerous aspects of the real estate investment field.

Herriage founded the REI Expo in 2011. The 2012 expo, held in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, offered at-tendees the chance to learn from Texas experts in 66 classes over a two-day period. Herriage requires speakers at REI Expo to offer good content and not turn their talks into those more characteristic of a “pitch fest.”

“People attend events like this because they want to learn how to get into that industry or get better at what they do,” Herriage said.

“The last thing they want to do is sit through a weekend of sales pitches.”

“Flip This House” A&E star David Montelongo was just one of the speakers at the 2012 REI Expo. When asked about his impressions of the expo Montelongo said, “This group was more on the experi-enced side. They had good flow, com-munication and energy. I did some good busi-ness and will be back.”

Model My Home President Jana Uselton spoke on staging homes to attract buyers. She and her team wrote up thousands of dol-lars in orders at the expo itself and said many more investors committed to work with her.

“We didn’t have to do any selling. Once they saw the hard numbers of the results sellers are getting by staging homes it be-came a no-brainer for them,” Uselton said. “Out of all the seminars, trade shows and expos we have attended, sponsored or exhibited, this was the absolute best event we have ever done.”

At press time, the date for the 2013 REI Expo in Chicago was imminent. Herriage hopes to duplicate the educational value at not only the 2013 event, but also future

REI conferences.Herriage, often lauded as one of the

most successful investors and wholesal-ers in the real estate market, is president of Herriage Homes as well as a National Development Agent for HomeVestors. HomeVestors, also known as “We Buy Ugly Houses,” has purchased more

than 50,000 American houses since the company’s birth in 1989. Herriage, who is married and has two sons, regularly gives public talks about his experience as a successful real estate entrepreneur who also has a happy family life.

“I enjoy meeting new people and trav-eling,” Herriage said. “I got my quick start in this business by meeting people who were willing to help me, and I try to do the same.”

Whether Herriage is speaking to a roomful of people or an individual, he hopes the one message they take away from their time together is that Herriage has a mission to tell only the truth.

“I love buying houses, but hate the

Dallas Wholesaler& Industry Leader

Tim Herriage

From local wholesaling to cross country travels for HomeVestors and the REI Expo, this former Marine represents a few, a proud select group of investors.

Continued on pg. 30

“I got my quick start in this business by meeting people that were willing to help me, and I try to do the same.”


Your Default Property Acquisition Specialist

Visit PIP-West this July at the REI Expo in Chicago or in California this October.Please call PIP-West for more information: 877-335-2529

3 Exclusive Savings when you register with PIP-West

3 More than 25 classes included with your attendance

3 Engage with multiple resources/leaders in the real estate investment network, who are there to teach you how to succeed!

More Than 400 Satisfied Clients and Growing

In Chicago & Los Angeles

CONTACT US, OR VISIT US ONLINE FOR ALL THE DETAILS

• An Educational Opportunity for seasoned and new investors

• No sales, no pitch, no hype - One of the best Educational and Networking events of the year

• Unique opportunity to meet our clients and learn from their ongoing experiences

• Learn to invest tax free with your self-directed IRA and with the most trusted and respected Tax Lien/Deed Agents around

• Clients/Current Investors will have an opportunity for one-on-one meetings with our staff to get “account check-ups”

877-335-2529 | PIPWest.com

by Kathy Fettke

From 2007 - 2012, the United States expe-rienced one of the greatest housing reces-sions in history. Prices

dropped over 50% in many areas, building came to a near complete stop, and foreclosures made daily headline news.

There was a glut of available homes to buy, but few people had the guts to pick them up at rock bottom prices. It was a perfect buyer’s market.

The irony is, most people are afraid to buy in a buyer’s mar-ket, even though it’s the BEST time to buy! You can name your price, negotiate terms, and pick out the best value for bargain prices. But it takes contrarian thinking, and requires a sophisti-cated understanding of market cycles.

Market cycles can change on a dime. Here we are in the 2nd quarter of 2013, and today’s news is all about the terrible LACK of housing inventory, multiple offers over asking price, and people waiting in lines when a property is released to the public. We are back in a seller’s market.

A seller’s market is good for sellers because there’s a lot of buyers competing for limited

inventory. High demand and low supply allows the seller to ne-gotiate, so prices tend to go up. We are seeing price increases as much as 1-3% per month in markets like Sacramento and Phoenix. What is happening? Where did all those foreclosures and short sales go?

From Buyer’s to Seller’s Market

market update

Continued on pg. 61

Your Default Property Acquisition Specialist

Visit PIP-West this July at the REI Expo in Chicago or in California this October.Please call PIP-West for more information: 877-335-2529

3 Exclusive Savings when you register with PIP-West

3 More than 25 classes included with your attendance

3 Engage with multiple resources/leaders in the real estate investment network, who are there to teach you how to succeed!

More Than 400 Satisfied Clients and Growing

In Chicago & Los Angeles

CONTACT US, OR VISIT US ONLINE FOR ALL THE DETAILS

• An Educational Opportunity for seasoned and new investors

• No sales, no pitch, no hype - One of the best Educational and Networking events of the year

• Unique opportunity to meet our clients and learn from their ongoing experiences

• Learn to invest tax free with your self-directed IRA and with the most trusted and respected Tax Lien/Deed Agents around

• Clients/Current Investors will have an opportunity for one-on-one meetings with our staff to get “account check-ups”

877-335-2529 | PIPWest.com Realty411Guide.com PAGE 13 • 2013 reWEALTHmag.com

Charles Sells doesn't like talking about acquiring real estate for "pennies on the dollar," because it sounds too much like a carnival-barker, late-night-TV, shady-char-

acter pitch.But Sells, Director of

Acquisitions for Plati-num Investment Prop-erties West, often finds himself in the position of offering clients just that -- although he'd prefer a more sober accounting of things.

"We try to take all the hype out of the water," said Sells. "We offer a conservative, high-yield opportunity that is backed by government regulations."

It's an opportunity that just happens to give clients the chance to, well, you know. Sells and partner Don Fullman have carved out a respectable corner of this niche mar-ket, and help investors navigate the seemingly endless rolls of red tape

Charles Sells

Donald Fullman

that surround property taxes -- and what happens when property owners don't pay them. In their effort, they've discovered a surprisingly safe invest-ment within a shaky market: acquiring tax liens and, often, deeds.

Here's how it works, focusing on Sells' favorite markets at the moment, Illinois and Georgia: in both states, the process begins when at a tax lien auc-tion.

"In Illinois, what we buy is a tax lien to the property," said Sells. "In 2013, we would be buying 2012 delinquent taxes."

Illinois has a redemption period, two and a half years, during which the prop-erty owner can "redeem" their tax lien

by paying off the back taxes plus in-terest; the bid rate starts at 18%, and it can be bid down to as low as zero. But, according to Sells, whatever your bid rate is, in Illinois it doubles every six months.

"So if you bought it at 15%, you're ac-tually gaining a net annualized return on a paid-off certificate of 30%," said Sells.

After the redemption period ends, if the lien is not paid off, the holder of the lien -- you, the investor -- can initiate foreclo-sure on the property.

That process can take as much as a

Taking the year, according to Sells, and of course there are going to be attorney and court fees, plus any additional back taxes will need to be paid -- but at the end of the process, you've acquired clean, clear, quiet title to that property.

"Now, the way Georgia works, it's what we call a premium bid state, where the penalty is set at 20%," said Sells. "So say we go to a tax sale in Georgia, and say there's a lien being offered for sale for $5,000. We could spend as much as $50,000 on that tax lien, and the under-lying property could be worth as much as $200,000. The homeowner then has to pay us back 20% on top of the $50,000."

That pencils out to a $10,000 penalty on top of their $5,000 tax bill that they have to come up with.

"The net payback to our investor would be $60,000 on the redemption," said Sells. "So you're getting a high return, either on the redemp-tion of the lien itself, or in acquiring title to the property."

Holding the tax lien is an enviable posi-tion; you're in line even before the mortgage company; in fact, ac-cording to Sells, more often than not his cli-ents find themselves being redeemed by the banks themselves, be-cause taxes are escrowed as part of most mortgages. When owners fall behind on the mortgage, the taxes might not get covered.

"The banks have to redeem us out just like the homeowner would," said Sells. "We have rights to foreclose on the mort-gage companies just as we do the home-owner; it's a pretty safe spot to be in."

Clearly it's a strategy Platinum In-

vestment Properties West has seen success with; according to Sells, despite a lot of talk of declining inventories of delin-quent properties, they're busier than ever.

"Our company has doubled in size every year for the last six years," said Sells. "This year we performed higher than we ever have in past years. There's still plenty of inventory out there for us, because I think there's a lot that still hasn't come to market yet. There are more investment opportunities than there is cash to put into them."

Sells said his clients are looking for longer-term

investments with high yields -- he esti-mates 40% of their investors are self-di-rected IRA clients -- and they know that these are not particularly liquid invest-ments to get into.

"Now, with an agent like us, do we have more opportunity to make it liquid than someone who just shows up and buys these tax liens?" asked Sells. "Sure, of course. But we still push on all our

clients that this is a long-term hold; you'll get redemption checks immediately upon in-vestment, but don't ex-pect that you're going to flip all this stuff out in a year's time and do it again."

Sells admits it's a challenging market, and that there's a lot of road between the initial investment and the return.

"And there certainly was a learning curve when I got started in '96," he laughed. "But I think we're the best in the business that of-fers this type of opportunity now. And the reason we continue to have our success is because our clients are successful."

For more information, visit Sells and Platinum Investment Properties West on the web at http://www.pipwest.com

“There are more investment opportunities than there is

cash to put into them.”

“The reason we continue to have our success is because our clients

are successful.”

Hype out of

Tax Lien Sales

Charles Sells doesn't like talking about acquiring real estate for "pennies on the dollar," because it sounds too much like a

carnival-barker, late-night-TV, shady-character pitch.

But Sells, director of acquisitions for Platinum Investment Properties West, often finds him-self in the position of offering clients just that — although he'd prefer a more sober accounting of things.

"We try to take all the hype out of the water," said Sells. "We offer a conserva-tive, high-yield opportunity that is backed by government regulations."

Sells and partner Don Fullman have carved out a respectable corner of this niche market, and they help investors

navigate the seemingly endless rolls of red tape that surround property taxes -- and what happens when property owners don't pay them. In their effort, they've discov-ered a surprisingly safe investment within

a shaky market: acquiring tax liens and, often, deeds.

Here's how it works, focusing on Sells' favorite markets at the moment, Illinois and Georgia: in both states, the process begins when at a tax lien auction.

"In Illinois, what we buy is a tax lien

to the property," said Sells. "In 2013, we would be buying 2012 delinquent taxes."

Illinois has a redemption period, two and a half years, during which the property owner can "redeem" their tax

lien by paying off the back taxes plus inter-est; the bid rate starts at 18%, and it can be bid down to as low as zero. But, according to Sells, whatever your bid rate is, in Illinois it doubles every six months.

"So if you bought it at 15%, you're actually gaining a net annualized

return on a paid-off certificate of 30%," said Sells. After the redemption period ends, if the lien is not paid off, the holder of the lien -- you, the investor -- can initi-ate foreclosure on the property.

That process can take as much as a year, according to Sells, and of course there






Charles Sells

Donald Fullman




























are successful.”

Hype out of

Tax Lien Sales


are going to be attorney and court fees, plus any additional back taxes will need to be paid -- but at the end of the process, you've acquired clean, clear, quiet title to that property.

"Now, the way Georgia works, it's what we call a premium bid state, where the penalty is set at 20%," said Sells. "So say we go to a tax sale in Georgia, and say there's a lien being offered for sale for $5,000. We could spend as much as $50,000 on that tax lien, and the underly-ing property could be worth as much as $200,000. The homeowner then has to pay us back 20% on top of the $50,000."


"The net payback to our investor would be $60,000 on the redemption," said Sells. "So you're getting a high return, either on the redemption of the lien itself, or in acquiring title to the property."

Holding the tax lien is an enviable position; you're in line even before the mortgage company; in fact, according to Sells, more often than not his clients find themselves being redeemed by the banks themselves, because taxes are escrowed as part of most mortgages. When owners fall behind on the mortgage, the taxes might not get covered.


Clearly it's a strategy Platinum Invest-ment Properties West has seen suc-cess with; according to Sells, despite a lot of talk of declining inventories of delinquent properties, they're busier than ever.


Sells said his clients are look-ing for longer-term investments with high yields -- he estimates 40% of their investors are self-

directed IRA clients -- and they know that these are not particularly liquid invest-ments to get into.

"Now, with an agent like us, do we have more opportunity to make it liquid than someone who just shows up and buys these tax liens?" asked Sells. "Sure, of course. But we still push on all our clients that this is a long-term hold; you'll get

redemption checks immediately upon investment, but don't expect that you're go-ing to flip all this stuff out in a year's time and do it again."

Sells admits it's a challenging market, and that there's a lot of road between the initial investment

and the return. "And there certainly was a learning curve when I got started in '96," he laughed. "But I think we're the best in the business that offers this type of oppor-tunity now. And the reason we continue to have our success is because our clients are successful."Contact PIP-West at: 877-335-2529 or visit online @ www.PIPWest.com






Charles Sells

Donald Fullman




























are successful.”

Hype out of

Tax Lien Sales C

harles Sells doesn't like talking about acquiring real estate for "pennies on the dollar," because it sounds too much like a carnival-barker, late-night-TV, shady-char-





Charles Sells

Donald Fullman




























are successful.”

Hype out of

Tax Lien Sales


inve

stor

tool

s

by Tom Wilson

I never cease to be amazed at the poor quality of many real estate photographs. Are you aware that the picture for many properties for sale is literally taken from the driver’s seat of a car!? For only an extra 30 min. of your

time, or $100 paid to a professional photographer, one of the most expensive products you will ever market can go from an “also available” to “schedule a showing today!” As a serious amateur photographer for 50 years, I’ve learned a few things that make a big difference. Let’s take a look at some common mistakes that are made and how to easily rectify them.

EquIpMENtFor starters I recommend a DSLR (digital single reflex cam-era), such as an entry-level Canon Rebel ($300 used to $900 new). A point and shoot can take very fine every day shots, but this is not an every day sale. A DSLR allows for better lenses, filter attachments, an external flash, and what you see is what you get because you view the scene through the same lens and filter that shoots the picture. You can still set the camera to a point and shoot automatic mood and don’t have to know anything complicated.

A Wide Angle Zoom Lens. (can be pur-chased with the camera or alone for about $200). The lens should be at least 18mm minimum (or 28mm equivalent to the old 35mm film cameras). Wider is even better but 18mm is acceptable. It should zoom to at least 50mm. Most starter DSLRs come with this lens as the defacto standard, so they are readily available.

Ninety five percent of point and shoots simply do not have a sufficiently wide a lens to show all of a room. Period. Wide angle is the only substitute for when it is impossible or not practical to get farther back. I am flabbergasted at the number of ad photos that only show the toilet and a corner of the tub, or the nice family room with fireplace but don’t let you see that it is attached to the kitchen for a wonderful “Great Room.” A wide angle lens solves this problem.

polarizer ($20-$50 at any camera store; the cheap one is just fine). A polarizing filter attaches to the front of the lens and is used to cut glare and reflections. I rarely take a picture that includes sky, water or through a window without a polar-izer. The front element rotates until you see that the picture has the least glare, and best contrast and saturation of color. It

works best when you are perpendicular to the angle of the sun or rays. The improvement in the picture is dramatic.

External Flash ($50-$200). The built in flash is minimally acceptable, however, an external flash (attaches to the metal piece on top of the DSLR called a hot shoe) helps to fill in the shadows at the side of the scene taken with a wide angle, can fill a deeper great room with light more fully and evenly, and can be aimed up so that you don’t get harsh reflections from the bathroom mirror and other reflective surfaces.

COMpOSItIONViews. First of all, pretend you are the buyer. What would you

want to see in addition to the typical pictures? The neighbors’ homes, the street, the back yard, the local park, the development entrance, etc? Then include them in your portfolio of pictures!

Consider framing some shots with a tree or door-way, use a step ladder for an elevated view, shoot the living room from the stairs, and include artistic detail features such as a nice car-riage light, flowers, garden arch, or fireplace.

No Dirty Laundry. Put away or shoot around the trash cans, close the toilet seat, cut the grass, request or pay the resident to straighten up before you arrive, angle your shot to exclude the power pole, the dead bush, etc.

Lighting. Time your exte-rior pictures with the sun and weather. Don’t shoot an East facing home in the

afternoon; go in the morning on a nice day when the front view is lit up. On the interior, go in the daytime, open the windows, turn on all of the lights, use your external flash and angle it to get more diffusion. You want the scene to look warm and lived in.

Staging. If the house is occupied get a stager to recommend what to change and remove. If the house it empty, get it staged at least with accessories if not furniture. As a minimum, take along a bag of small accessories to stage the kitchen and baths just for the shots. I stage almost all of my homes for owner occupant

Stamp Out Drive By Shootings!The importance of having a skilled photographer on your team

EquIpMENt LIStDSLR $300-900

Wide Angle Zoom Lens $200polarizer $20-50

External Flash $50-200total Investment: ~$700-1,000

Amortized over 50 houses: $20/house


sales. Some agents tell me not to do it be-cause most others in that market do not. Perfect. I always want my product to look and be better that my competition.

Using these techniques, you can take better marketing pictures than your com-petition that will make a big difference in your advertising to entice a prospect to take the next step. If you elect to farm it out to a professional you now know what to look for and what questions to ask. May your next pictures look like you could sell a thousand homes.Tom Wilson is a thirty-seven year real estate veteran who has executed over $100M and 1,800 units of real estate investments. After thirty years of managing some of the Silicon Valley’s pioneering technology companies, Mr. Wilson put his business and management experience toward full time investing. One of

his companies, Wilson Invest-ment Properties, offers high-quality, high-cash flow, fully rehabbed, and leased properties to other investors. Mr. Wilson is also a weekly host of the Real Estate 360 Radio program on KDOW 1220 am every Wednesday at 3 pm. Catch the podcasts on iTunes or on his website, www.tomwilsonproperties.com

Some people believe Photoshop is the solution to poor photography. This notion was tested with the poor exterior shot. However, it is impos-sible to digitally reframe a poorly composed photograph, and there is no way to recapture the saturated natural looking sky and lawn with-out having used a polarized filter in the first place. Conclusion: start with a good photograph and use digital tools for very minor touch ups only.

INTERIOR POOR

INTERIOR bETTER

ExTERIOR POOR ExTERIOR bETTER

INVEST WITH CONFIDENCEI M M E D I A T E C A S H F L O W

Discover the lowest-risk, highest-quality residential investment properties in the country. Using sophisticated methodology, the best investment properties are

carefully selected by an experienced investor and rehabbed beautifully to secure the best tenants. With competent property management, and instant cash flow, your investment pays worry-free dividends from day one.

PROFILE OF YOUR FUTURE PORTFOLIO• Highest Cash Flow• Lowest Risk Properties & Cities• Immediate Equity• Quality Newer Brick Homes and Stable Neighborhoods• Turnkey – Clear Title, Rehabbed, Leased, Managed• Home Warranty

“Contact me for a free cash flow analysis.”

Mention REI Voice Magazine and receive one-year of freeproperty management with your first purchase.

TOM WILSON, [email protected] TomWilsonProperties.com

Price: $110,000, fully renovated, built 2005Currently Rented for $1,195

Typical PropertyPrice $139,000

Rent $1,395Year Built 2001

Mention Realty411 or reWEALTH and receive 1 year premium home warranty with your first purchase.

INVEST WITH CONFIDENCEI M M E D I A T E C A S H F L O W

Discover the lowest-risk, highest-quality residential investment properties in the country. Using sophisticated methodology, the best investment properties are

carefully selected by an experienced investor and rehabbed beautifully to secure the best tenants. With competent property management, and instant cash flow, your investment pays worry-free dividends from day one.

PROFILE OF YOUR FUTURE PORTFOLIO• Highest Cash Flow• Lowest Risk Properties & Cities• Immediate Equity• Quality Newer Brick Homes and Stable Neighborhoods• Turnkey – Clear Title, Rehabbed, Leased, Managed• Home Warranty

“Contact me for a free cash flow analysis.”

Mention REI Voice Magazine and receive one-year of freeproperty management with your first purchase.

TOM WILSON, [email protected] TomWilsonProperties.com

Price: $110,000, fully renovated, built 2005Currently Rented for $1,195

Making $100K Per Yearwith Mobile Home CommunitiesMany real estate investors I meet tell me they have one goal — how to make $100,000 per year in pas-sive income. The $100K will pro-vide them financial freedom, i.e. the ability to do what they want when they want. As I explain in my new book “Unconventional Wealth,” the lack of loyalty from the vast majority of corporations to their employees, especially those over the age of 50, makes it imperative that you start on a path to financial freedom as soon as possible be-cause you are going to be forced out on your own sooner or later. I’ve owned and explored numerous businesses through the years and I strongly believe cash flow real estate is the best path to achieving the goal of $100K in passive income.

I have chosen the real estate niche of investing in mobile home communities (MHC’s) because the cash flow is so much greater than other areas of real estate. As I have discussed in previous articles, even

by Mike Conlonin this low interest rate environment that has pushed cap rates back down to historic lows for many real estate investments, I have bought seven distressed MHC’s (1,000+ spaces) in the last six months all at 10+ cap rates. I am confident I will have

them at 15 - 20 caps within 18 months by adding some homes to vacant sites and increasing rents. I know of three primary ways to get to $100K in annual income in-vesting in mobile home parks:

1) If you have $750,000 to invest and don’t want to do any work and take minimal risk, you can get a 12-14% annual distribution (plus a 3% to 5% additional annual return through debt pay down and appreciation) investing with a larger operator like my-self who works with investors.

2) If you have $375,000 to invest and have access to $700,000 — $1,000,000 in bank or seller financing, you can buy a distressed 100-space park that is 50-65% occupied, make the necessary repairs, add 10-20 repo homes to fill empty sites, raise rents to market levels, and manage it yourself. Owning one 100-space park and operating it yourself is all you need to make $100k/year!

3) If you don’t have any funds yourself, you can start on what I call the “3-Step Plan.” Step One is to raise $100K from people you know and buy a distressed (50-65% occupancy) 25-space park for $250,000 or less with 20% down and seller financing. Try to get interest only for the first 12 months. Use the remaining funds after the down payment to spruce up the park (mostly cosmetic repairs) and

... how do you evaluate the myriad opportunities available to you and get to the top of the class?

Continued on pg. 36


Savvy investors utilize many creative ways in their search for suit-able properties. One of our preferred methods at White Rock Capital

includes direct mail campaigns to landlords who own single family units, including condominiums and detached single family homes.

The mail campaign includes a personalized letter directed to the non-occupant owners. Our strategy includes simple letters stating our interest in buying homes in the neighborhood for cash. Sellers are often looking for a quick close and fast cash, or they are tired of being landlords, or they may be moving into retirement out of state. Our game plan includes sending letters about every three or four months to our target areas. Many potential sellers become familiar with our letters and save them for later reference.

For example, in a recent transaction, the owner seeking an offer called us from a recent letter. This owner is now a potential seller, be-ginning the acquisition phase. Acquisition includes a field re-view of the property and pulling comps, including other transactions we have com-pleted in the area.

By tracking our sales and the sales of others, we have a realistic basis for estimat-ing property values. Based upon neighborhood values

WealthReal Estate

Vol. 2 • No. 1 • 2012

RICHARD EDROSOLAN WhiteRock Capital, Inc.

Discover why this veteran California investor likes to buy properties in Arizona

an offer is made to the seller, negotiations completed to a mutually agreed to price. A contract is executed placing the sale in escrow and binding the seller to the agreed to terms.

With the property under contract, the next step is to market to our wholesale and retail buyers’ list. Many of our cur-rent investors have placed “orders” for a particular type of property. Matching the property to an investor’s need reduces the time required to “flip” the property out of inventory. Managing the property is straight forward as the entire process from identifying the property, through the acquisition to a wholesale flip averages thirty-three days. Many transactions are completed in about fourteen to twenty-one calendar days. Select properties are chosen for rehab at the time of acquisi-tion. A major rehab that includes a new kitchen, updated bathrooms, paint inside and out, tile floors and neighborhood

appropriate landscaping typically takes less than

four weeks. Rehabbed properties are priced for a quick sale, usu-ally 5% to 15% be-low the value of other

homes in the area.Exit strategies are

chosen at acquisition based upon the property

value, to “fill” an order, or the potential for a larger safe return.

In this case, a wholesale flip to meet an investor’s order was

determined to be the best course.

In order to provide our investors solid returns on their investment, a high velocity of money through each deal is re-

Snail Mail SuccessLetters Lure Motivated Sellers

quired. Based upon pipeline volume of properties and an approximate 60 to 90 days per turn, the investor can expect three to five turns per year on their capi-tal. Right now, the markets most ripe for this strategy are Phoenix, Las Vegas and several California markets. Because our strategy is so suc-cessful we, unlike other wholesalers, have more inventory than we, and our network of investors, can handle. Also, unlike most “wholesalers”, we are true wholesalers who offer properties to our investors at prices which are well below retail, leaving some meat on the table so that our investors take ownership with some equity already in place. And we’re doing this in rapidly appreciating markets.

To reach Richard Edrosolan, CEO and founder of White Rock Capital, call: 805-766-1130 or email: [email protected]

by Richard Endrosolan


‘Smart real estate investors are learning to use leverage wisely and efficiently to put more money in their pockets.’

Continued on pg. 58

Real estate investors are being bombarded with advice today from every direction and it is sometimes hard to find two pieces of advice that are the same. There are so many options and so many opportunities that becoming confused is

a common feeling among investors. Well get ready, because here comes one more piece of advice that may run contrary to what many are advising investors to do today. I happen to have learned my lesson when it comes to leverage and I have a special place for it in my portfolio. Smart real estate investors are learning to use leverage wisely and efficiently to put more money in their pockets.

SuRpRISINg INVEStORS WIth SOuND ADVICEIn the 4th Quarter of 2012, I made a presentation to a group of investors in Northern California and I surprised many in the room when I made a statement that I did not believe you should buy real estate and leverage it for cash flow.

Given that I am a partner in two companies that specialize in help-ing investors find properties that pro-vide a positive cash flow after lever-age, this statement caught much of the audience by surprise. But I followed that sentence with a bit of a clarification. I told the group that there are many ways inves-tors can be fooled or even fool themselves today into thinking that they are making a positive cash flow on their property. I told the group that often, the biggest mistakes investors make, is sacrificing long-term stability for short-term gains.

thE BANk WINS EVERy tIMEWhen I purchased my first home, I was given one option by the three different finance companies I visited… a 30-year

Surprising Investors With Sound Adviceon Leverage

by Chris Clothier, co-ownerof MemphisInvest.com

mortgage. The 30-year mortgage has become the staple of real estate investing and even Warren Buffet’s recent statement about the 30-year mortgage shook the real estate world.

What many people fail to recall about Warren Buffet’s as-sessment of investing in real estate is that he used the phrase “…if he could…” which, is very different than stating “this is what I am doing.” This is worthy of an article all by itself as

different inves-tors and investment companies have taken his short interview and turned into the greatest marketing

piece they have ever had. His five minute interview has been used thousands of times already to convince investors that they need to mortgage to the hilt all because Warren Buffet mentioned it in his interview. But they all forget two impor-tant points. 1. he is one of the wealthiest men on the earth and can af-ford as much leverage as he is comfortable taking on.2. he never says that he is buying single-family homes. he


http://meminv.es/HTPOA http://meminv.es/HTPOA http://meminv.es/

http://meminv.es/HTPOA http://meminv.es/HTPOA http://meminv.es/


Dave Seymour and Peter Souhleris of the Boston area loved “flipping” commercial and residential properties long before they were offered the A&E television show “Flipping Boston,” which both entertains and educates audiences about the hard work and great financial rewards of real estate investing.

Seymour and Souhleris, owners of CityLight Homes in Peabody, Mass. in the North Shore area of Boston, have flipped houses and taught others how to flip properties for more than 18 years. Unlike some real estate entrepreneurs, the duo places a special focus on refurbishing the properties in which they choose to invest.

“From conventional real estate brokerage services through to our innovative, creative and effective out of the box home buying and selling solutions, we’re dedicated to one thing — making the sale,” Souhleris said.

In Souhleris’ and Seymour’s book “The Flipping Formula,” their innovative approach to monetizing residential and commercial properties is spelled out in terms even newcomers can grasp.

“Every day especially in Boston people drive by what could become tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in their pockets,” Seymour said.

Ignorance of the basics of selecting, purchasing, refurbishing, and reselling a home or quality commercial property is all too common among even otherwise well-educated people, the pair noted.

“One of the biggest myths is that you need money to make money in real estate,” Seymour said. “But you really

FLIPPING BOSTON

Continued on pg. 60

a chat with Dave & Peter from A&E’s TOP Show


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Scott Carson has a mes-sage for anyone

who’s on the fence about investing in bank notes: “If you’re not in notes, you’re going to wish you were 6 to 12 months from now.”

Buying and sell-ing those mortgag-es, either indi-vidually or in pools, is the bread and butter of Carson’s Inverse Investments

— a company Carson founded in the middle of the first round of post-boom bank failures.

“When a lot of banks started going under, I saw an opportunity there,” said Carson. “I launched my own firm six years ago, when the banks were closing like crazy.”

The early days were a fever-pitched “one-man show,” according to Carson, calling 40-50 banks every day, search-ing the nooks and crannies of the mortgage industry for sub-performing (or non-performing) loans the holders would be willing to sell for less than the market value of the property.

But it paid off; Inverse Investments is one of the best-positioned boutique firms in the secondary note market, with a reputation and record that’s hard to match.

“Those days helped us build up our database from then going forward,” said Carson. “We had success buying one-offs and small pools, doing what others were talking about doing but not too many were actually doing at that

point. And over time, we built a name for ourselves as the people who were closing deals.”

That reputation has grown exponentially since Inverse Investments first dipped its toes in the water; Carson and his team have garnered mention in print giants like Investors Business Daily and the Wall Street Journal, and Carson himself was asked to speak at the National Association of Realtors con-

ference in 2010. After that, things really took off; Carson said it’s in no small part

because the entire business is predicated on finding an upside in a down market — one that’s appealing to every party involved.

“The banks are look-ing at their loans;” said Carson. “That’s where they make their money. So imagine they’ve made a half-million-dollar loan, and the property’s only worth $200,000 now. They’re on the hook for that $300,000.”

Obviously, the banks have the option to foreclose; but in markets like Florida, New York, or New Jersey, where fore-closure times are measured in years, not months, many are realizing they’d rather clear out their books and get a guaranteed payout instead — even if it’s smaller.

“If they know they might not get paid for years, they’re realizing they’d rather

take a fraction of what’s owed right now, and get that, versus waiting for years and then having to sell it as an REO as well,” said Carson. “So they’d let this property go for $100,000 to an investor. That’s a phenomenal deal.”

So the bank wins, the investor gets a great deal, and the mortgagee suddenly has a note holder who can work more creatively than any bank ever could. “The investor can do either a loan modi-fication,” said Carson, “or get a deed-in-lieu from the homeowner and let the homeowner walk.”

All this, Carson points out, potentially without a deficiency judgment, bank-ruptcy, foreclosure or even any late pay-

ments on the homeowner’s credit. It’s an attractive solution to a lot of players.

“You have HUD and FHA announc-ing they expect to sell more notes

over the next year than REOs because there’s such a glut

of inventory,” said Car-son. “And they’ve cre-ated an investor match program, because they

know investors have much more oppor-tunity for creative solutions for bor-rowers than they can offer.”

Carson calls it the “perfect storm”

for investors in the note business. “The banks that were saying ‘no’ just a few years ago are now say-ing ‘yes’ today,” said Carson. “I hear it every day, ‘Can you give us a bid?’ or ‘Can you give us an idea what you might buy this for?’ They’ve definitely

Continued on pg. 49


by Robb Magley

Hitting the High Noteswith Scott Carson

Take control of your properties with these 10 tips written by Matt Theriault. This veteran California investor is an author and host of the most popular real estate investing podcast, Epic Real Estate Investing, on iTunes. He also shows people how to invest in real estate at EpicProAcademy.com, or his team does it for them at:CashflowSavvy.com.

1Seek multiple referrals from other successful real estate investors. Success leaves clues, and a referral from

a trusted and prosperous source is more than a clue, it’s evidence.

2 Adopt the mindset of “Slow-To-Hire-Quick-To-Fire.” Regardless of how many positive answers you get from

a property manager during the interview process, sometimes the only way to find a good one is to give them a trial run. If you notice a pattern of actions that conflict with their promises during the inter-view, cut ‘em loose. This is your livelihood, you are not obligated to someone who doesn’t fit your needs.

3 Interview more than one. No matter how much you like the first property manager

you meet, keep interviewing. Not only do multiple interviews increase the likelihood of finding a great property manager, you will learn a ton about the projected performance of your properties and the market.

4 Test their customer service. Intentionally end your interviews with a few unanswered questions.

Call back after hours and leave a message. Note how and when your call is returned. When they (if they) return your call, use the unanswered interview questions as a basis for your conversation. Ideally, you want your call returned within 24 hours in a professional and courteous way. Placing a call during business hours can also give you an indication of the company’s professionalism and accessibility.

5 Hire investors. This tip applies to your entire team as well as your property manager. Although it’s is not essential

that your property manager be an investor, I have found the communication and understanding of each other is MUCH better when they are an investor too.

6 Read the Management Agreement. It seems obvious enough, but it is so important that I must make mention of

it. As you read the agreement, remember that EVERYTHING is negotiable. Ask for more concessions than you need in order to get what you really want. Having said that, do not over-negotiate and remove the property manager’s ability to support his business and earn a living. Resentment is the last thing you want in this relationship.

7 Drive by. Ask for a list of properties, as many as possible, that the property manager currently manages. Unkempt

properties and loitering tell a lot about how much attention their properties are receiving and what type of activities are going on in the neighborhood. Dirt, debris, and rough char-acters are red flags as they make finding quality tenants much more difficult.

8 Trust your gut. You know so much more than you think you do. If something doesn’t feel right, investigate. You’ll

find that your hunches are not only correct most of the time, but that they’re often rather conservative. As lucrative as rental real estate can be, it has its dark side as well. Frequently refer to tip #2.

9 Be direct in your communication and docu-ment everything. Set an example and maintain a

standard of clear and honest communication with your property managers. Leave nothing open to interpretation or debate.

10 Divide up your portfolio. Once you’ve acquired more than two or three proper-

ties in a specific region, and you intend to continue purchasing there, it’s a good idea to look for a second property manager for future

acquisitions. You want to eliminate any single points of failure in your business, and by maintain-

ing a balance of your portfolio between at least two property managers you help cover your assets. Also, keep no secrets about working with a second or third property manager. When your property managers are aware they have competition, you will find that your expenses have a tendency to drop and performance improves.

Watching investors place limitations on their investing due to a few bad long-distance experiences saddens me because it is unnecessary. So, from this point forward, know that the secret to “cash flow” real estate investing is not shortening the distance you live from your investments. The secret lies in selecting great property management, and now you have some “real world” tips to help you do it successfully.

managem

ent

10 Tips for Selecting GREAT Property Managers

>> Straight From The School of Hard Knocks


NORADAReal Estate Investments

Marco Santarelli, CEO of

Anyone who’s ever even considered investing in rental properties knows one thing is

never guaranteed: having a paying ten-ant. One real estate entrepreneur asked himself, WHY?

It’s a question Norada Real Estate Investment’s Marco Santarelli loves to ask, and it’s served him well.

“It’s the most important question for so many things,” said Santarelli. “Why is this property a good investment? Why does this market have potential?”

Or, in this case, why not offer inves-tors a rent guarantee? So he did.

“As far as I know, we’re the only multi-market turnkey provider that offers a rent guarantee on everything we sell,” said Santarelli. “If a tenant for whatever reason never moves in, or for some reason has to move out, the investor is covered.”

Santarelli said Norada has offered a 90-day rent guarantee for some time. “We’ve never had to use it,” he laughs. “But still, we said ‘How can you take a good thing and make it better?’”

The answer came from additional talks with insurance underwriters: Norada Real Estate is rolling out a jaw-dropping one-year rent guarantee this year. Santarelli said he’s working with the insurers market-by-market, and currently about two-thirds of their offerings are already under the new one-year policy. “Hopefully we’ll be offering one-year rent guarantees on every property we sell by the middle of the year,” he said. “No one else is doing that.”

Continued on next page >

QuEstIonIng Convention

{ Transforming the Way We Invest in Real Estate }

NORADAReal Estate Investments

Santarelli has made something of a name for himself questioning conventional thinking in the real estate market. For ex-ample, most agents tend to sell properties within their local area, or focus on becom-ing “experts” in a single market.

It’s yet another “here’s how things usually work” scenario Santarelli asked “why?” about. While Norada is based in California, the company isn’t tied to this region — quite the opposite, in fact. Santarelli says he is “market agnostic” and has always viewed real estate in terms of, “live where you want, and invest where it makes sense.” The result, he said, is an agile and adaptive company.

“We’re not locked into a specific area,” said Santarelli. “We don’t care which city a property is in, as long as it makes sense from an investment perspective.” Accord-ing to Santarelli, companies that are fixed to a specific market might have a lot of product, but it’s all in one basket. “If that market ever turns, there’s nothing they can offer.”

Santarelli’s “high level” approach to finding investment properties lets him focus on the fundamentals, not the fads.

“I start with the metro area,” he said. “I look at the local economy: unemploy-ment, job growth, diversity of employ-ment, population growth. Do we have a lot of foreclosures? Are there a lot of distressed properties? Is there a high level of inventory? Are prices declining, level, or increasing?”

If it looks like a city has growth and jobs, and that the housing market is stabi-lized or on the upswing, then before even looking at a specific property, Santarelli

said you’ve minimized a lot of the invest-ing risk.

“But I like to look at the forest, not just the trees,” he added. “Something can look like a buyer’s market, but it could be that there are underlying problems. If people don’t have jobs, the demand disappears; if the demand disappears, prices come down, and you have increased vacancies.”

Santarelli uses Detroit as an example of scratching a “buyer’s market” to uncover trouble.

“A lot of investors look at just the prop-erty, they say ‘Wow, this is a great prop-erty! It’s in good condition, it’s got great cash flow.’ And I’ll say, ‘Oh, by the way, it’s in the middle of a war zone in Detroit.’ You have to consider the market, and the neighborhood, not just the property.”

When it comes to properties, Norada is quite specific in what they present to investors: no commercial property, no industrial, no apartment buildings or large complexes. The only segment they offer is 1- to 4-unit residential rental property that is genuinely “turnkey.” And they really mean turnkey.

“Turnkey means, in its simplest form, there’s nothing you need to do but close,” said Santarellli. “You can just walk in and start collecting a rent check the next month.”

The properties Norada offers are all ei-ther new construction or newly rehabbed; they’re all leased, or are in the process of being leased (in the case of a property in the rehab process, where a tenant simply hasn’t moved in yet). And, significantly, they’re all cash flow positive. Santarelli


by Robb Magley

thinks most agents are missing the boat when they don’t emphasize the impor-tance of positive cash flow as being part of qualifying a property as “turnkey.”

“We don’t want to touch a property unless it produces a measurable rate of return for the investor,” said Santarelli. “We surveyed our investors, and over 52% of them placed cash flow as their highest priority in what they’re looking for in an investment property.”

In that same poll, according to San-tarelli, appreciation ranked 5th down the list. “Investors want to make sure they’re buying a property that’s paying for itself.”

It’s all part of what he calls the “why” of Norada Real Estate: To make wealth creation as easy as possible. The goal was to create a place where investors could shop, invest, and start collecting cash flow, all under one roof — or, in Norada’s case, practically at one website. Bucking the trend of in-house private data, Santarelli’s company makes its powerful analytics tools available free online, to anyone who’s interested.

The Norada website presents its prop-erties by market — with exhaustive data and detail about those markets. “We put it all on the website so investors can do much of their due diligence right there,” said Santarelli. The website software also does price forecasting based on a number of economic models, updated quarterly.

“Then, there’s a green button that says ‘analyze’,” said Santarelli. “If you click on that, it provides a very detailed, customizable cash flow analyzer. It’s a proprietary program I had developed just for our website.”

Santarelli acknowledged that detailed analysis can seem overly complex, and investors’ eyes can glaze over when pre-sented too much of it. His goal is present it all in a simple way, so investors can get the message of why a particular mar-ket is a good one — and move on with

the decision process.The exemplification of that is Santar-

elli’s proprietary “DealGrader” algorithm. Every property on Norada’s website has its own DealGrader score.

“It’s a score from 0 to 100, measuring the investment quality of a real estate in-vestment,” said Santarelli. “It’s a snapshot of profitability and investment risk — the higher the score, the better the investment quality. It’s unique, it’s our algorithm, and again, no one else has it. It’s just one more tool in the bigger picture to help inves-tors.”

Other tools Santarelli makes free and available include weekly newsletters,

free membership to Norada’s Real Estate Investment Group, and Norada’s Hous-ing Market Forecast, recently updated for 2013. “That’s essentially an appreciation forecast for the industry,” said Santarelli. “It lays out the top 100 markets, with a focus on the top 15.”

If that wasn’t enough, Norada offers a free report called “Building Wealth in Real Estate,” in it, he talks about a wealth accumulation plan that focuses on real es-tate, with enough of the basics to be useful to a novice — and enough detail to appeal to an advanced investor. “It’s actually a system to accumulate property over time

WWW.NORADAREALESTATE.COM

CALL US AT (800) 611-3060

Download a free copy of ourvaluable 15-page special report,“Building Wealth in Real Estate”and receive a free membership toour nationwide investor network!

FREE REPORT

Norada Real Estate Investments helps take the guessworkout of real estate investing. By researching top real estategrowth markets and structuring complete turnkey real estateinvestments, we help you succeed by minimizing risk andmaximizing profitability.

Successful Real Estate Investing Beginswith the Right Investment Property!

WEALTH CREATION MADE EASY

The simple answer is that it is the most pow-erful way to accumulate wealth, and more people have become millionaires through real

estate than any other means. And despite the obvious need to save for retirement, a recent Wall Street Jour-nal article indicated that a startling 95% of Ameri-cans will face financial difficulties by retirement! Of course, you have several options for building wealth, but most of these options pale in comparison to real estate. Consider options like savings accounts, CDs, bonds, and money market accounts. These are safe

options, but you certainly won’t reach a goal of building significant wealth through these means.

For the most part, these options barely keep pace with inflation. Think about it: How many millionaires do you know who became wealthy by investing in savings accounts? The stock market can bring you some interesting returns, but it can also lead to some big losses. You have very little control over the companies you invest in, and there are no significant tax advantages to owning stock. In addition to the wealth you’d create, you would also benefit from the growing annual cash flow being produced by your income properties. The income earned can help supplement your existing income, provide additional capital towards the purchase of additional income property, and eventually give you the freedom to quit your job and retire with passive income!

The book details a very simple plan that will create long-term wealth and cash flow for you and your family. The plan is very scalable, which means you can do more or less in order to achieve your wealth and income goals at your own pace.

Remember: “Don’t wait to invest in real estate, invest in real estate and wait.”

Pre-order “Building Wealth with Real Estate” today on Amazon.com. Download the first chapter FREE at www.NoradaRealEstate.com

Why Build Wealth Through Real Estate?

Continued on pg. 30


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fluff some put behind it,” he said. “It is hard work, but it pays off.”

Herriage and his team members can help a distressed owner get out of virtually any housing situation. Herriage Homes works with some of the most challenging cases in the industry, including unwanted rentals, properties in need of major repairs, quick sales, short sales, divorce sales, pending foreclosures, bankruptcy liquidations.

“It takes me about 15 to 20 minutes to walk through your house and make you a cash offer,” Herriage said.

“My offer is on an as-is basis. This means you do not have to make any repairs, or even clean out the house in some cases. I call it, ‘Take what you want, and leave what you don’t.’” In an average month, Herriage buys five to seven houses. He wholesales more than half of those properties, “flips” others, and retains some in a rental portfolio. The dramatic spike in people using the Internet for all types of matters has not changed Herri-age’s basic process of buying, fixing, and selling houses.

“It is still a people business. The best way to make money in this business is to be behind a steering wheel,” he said.

“There are those that teach to sell product, and those that teach to buy and sell more houses. I teach about real world actionable information I obtain weekly by being active in what I teach about. There are few that can claim that.”

To learn more about Herriage Homes, call 972-755-1880 or visit www.timherriage.com

Dallas Wholesaler, Industry Leader, pg. 11

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that can be adopted by anybody,” said Santarellli, “and tweaked whether you’re buying one property a year, two a year, or one every two years. You can adjust the pace, but if you stick to the plan you can create a lot of wealth and cash flow.”

It talks about all the advantages of real estate investing — appreciation, leverage, financing, tax advantages, and of course the significance of inflation, which Santarelli thinks few investors consider.

“A lot of people don’t think about inflation, and how your monthly mortgage payment is fixed in current dol-lars,” said Santarelli, “but with inflation you’re making those payments with cheaper and cheaper dollars every year.”

All of which paints Norada as a forward-thinking, agile analytics-based real estate investment company, unbur-dened by specific markets, that puts every free tool imagin-able in the hands of its investors.

To learn more call 800-611-3060 or visit online at:www.NoradaRealEstate.com

Questioning Convention, Marco Santarelli, pg. 28


Investor Education a Top Priority for Equity Trust

Learn about the history of Equity Trust on the next page >>

Continued on pg. 59


The executives of Equity Trust, a self-directed IRA firm in Ohio, truly believe in investor educa-tion. For this reason they host a

conference every year to increase aware-ness of basic investment fundamentals to investors.

“Unfortunately, too many people these days are investing without understand-ing the basics,” said Jeff Desich, Chief Executive Officer.

Desich and his staff members work continuously to ensure that each cli-ent understands not only his ultimate investment goals, but in which real estate properties he has invested. Desich holds multiple licenses with the Financial

Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and is a registered financial principal. When not working closely with clients or giving workshops across the country about the flexibility and profit potential of self-direct-ed IRAs, Desich is a guest professor at Ohio State University’s prestigious Max Fisher College of Business.

“Assisting clients in achieving their financial goals is the greatest value we provide,” Desich said.

Equity Trust is one of the leading firms in the rapidly growing self-directed IRA market. Despite the economic downturn that began in 2008, IRAs around the world are worth about $5.7 trillion. Equity Trust is the custodian of about $12 billion of retirement


Jeff Desich, CEO of Equity Trust

photo by David Gaylor

if it’s on the MLS, it’s way to late to secure a deal, but that is simply not true! Granted, more competition will exist at that point, but landing a diamond in the rough is still possible for savvy, all-cash buyers. Folks, I just found, rehabbed and closed three diamonds in the past 18 months alone.

Plus, every time I look on the MLS, I find a deal. I know I’m not alone on this one, in fact, a broker affiliate of ours in Alabama just sent us a “Smoking Deal” in Birmingham. It was an REO listed on their local MLS. Having been a licensed real estate agent for the past 10 years, it gives me a sense of pride to know that our industry is on the forefront of technology. So next time you’re searching for that next “Smoking Deal”, be sure to log on to your local MLS instead of driving for dollars. You’ll save gas money by simply click-ing for deals online. — by Linda Pliagas, [email protected]

THE MLS 411 - Access it!Did you know that most MLS (Multiple Listing Service) Boards across the country have a free guest search, which can be tapped into by anyone? All you have to do is a basic Google search to find the link to the MLS in the city you want. For example, type in: “Kansas City MLS” or “Los Angeles MLS”. It’s that easy. Google will search the web and display either the MLS website itself or it may list a number of websites from REALTORS® and/or Brokers who can provide searches through their websites. If you do use an agent’s website to gain MLS access, you may also want to tell them you’re looking for a discounted property and would like to see more deals. Most savvy agents have a pulse on the market and they may know about some “pocket listings”, which may be worth knowing about.

Clicking for Dollars, pg. 7 Flipping Boston with Dave & Peter, pg. 22

“One of the biggest myths is that you need money to make money in real estate,” Seymour said. “But you really don’t.” really don’t.”

He and Souhleris occasionally hear people cite a “down economy” as an excuse to not move from dreaming of investment into becoming an actual investor.

“Whether it’s the mundane or the insane, we’re always looking for new ways to approach the way we do business,” Seymour said.

“Some people call that ‘seeing around the corner.’ We prefer, ‘Knowing what’s coming.’ It’s been that dedication to creativity that’s led to our business being the focus of ‘Flipping Boston.’”

When the show premiered in early 2012, it set a record as A&E’s highest-rated Lifestyle series launch in history. With two successful seasons in their portfolios, Seymour and Souhleris are looking forward to doing even more episodes.

“It really is not that edited,” Souhleris said. “What you see is pretty much how we really act.”

Seymour, who professionally markets himself as a “big picture thinker,” has a tenacity adopted from his days as a paramedic and firefighter.

“A life-changing commitment to real estate investing is not a game, nor is it for the faint of heart. In this industry, success manifests itself in those who think big, believe big, and have the courage to act on both,” he said.

But despite his deep commitment to the real estate market, his main priority is his family.

Ready to learn how to flip like the pros from “Flipping Boston?” Then visit www.citylighthomes.com for your free copy of “The Flipping Formula.” Alternatively, you can call 800-927-1883 to find out about consulting with Dave Seymour, Peter Souhleris, or one of their trained professional associates.


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Wholesaling for Quick Cash3 No Money - No Credit Needed3 No License Required3 Quickest Way to Get Paid

Finding Motivated Buyers3 Learn to Build a HUGE List3 Cost Effective Marketing Tactics3 Flip Ugly Houses to Cash Buyers

Your Real Estate Business3 Building Your Power Team3 Daily Business Operations

Finding the Deals3 Know Your Target Zone3 Leverage for BIG Discounts3 Find Deals Others Can’t

(951) 280-1900

3Realty-Based Training at it’s BEST!

Here’s what to expect:

Wholesale Training CampIn this money-making 3 day Real Estate Whole-sale Training Camp, Real Estate Master Sensei Gilliland teaches you how to earn thousands of

dollars without investing a single penny of your own money. He’ll show you step-by-step to set up your business so you can start flip-ping properties and earning the money you desire. Once you know Sensei’s top secrets and put them into action, you’ll be flipping real estate deals without cash, credit, or risk!

Keeping Your Funnel Full3 Guerilla Marketing Strategies3 Track Absentee Owners3 Getting Sellers to Call

Deal Analysis & Negotiations3 Collecting Seller Intel3 Research Quickly & Accurately

Pre-Foreclosure Strategies3 Profiting with Distressed Owners3 Get the Deal Before the Agent3 Understand State Flipping Laws

Flipping without the Risks3 Easy to Understand Contracts3 Assignments and Double Closings3 No Rehabbing Required

Learn the Art of Creating Cash and Much, Much More!Attend this

trAining to stArt

Your reAl estAte

CAsh MAChine

Call Us TODAY to Secure Your Seat!

Sensei GillilandReal Estate Master

Tel 951.280.1900 Fax 951.280.1904 Web www.BlackBeltInvestors.comwww.BlackBeltInvestors.com

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