Syndication: SEC Compliance

Syndication SEC compliance involves various rules and regulations investors must follow. Real estate syndication put simply is a group of investors pooling their money together. They use the capital to purchase and manage real estate that is usually beyond their ability to acquire independently. 

The investors form a legal entity like an LLC to buy and manage the real estate. Investors receive profit in proportion to their investment from the following: 

Watch the Royal Investing video featuring securities attorney Stephen Slawinski who specializes in helping real estate sponsors raise capital and stay compliant with the SEC. 

What Is SEC Compliance?

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sets regulations and laws that investors must follow. The laws protect investors from fraud and ensure that publicly traded companies provide accurate financial information. Companies file reports with the SEC to demonstrate their compliance. 

Rules And Regulations For Syndicates Under The SEC

The SEC requires syndications to comply with laws concerning securities selling. Syndications remain compliant by following the regulations controlling private placements found in SEC Regulation D. 

Rules And Regulations

Strict rules control a syndication's organization and property transfer. Additional SEC rules for real estate syndicates include the following: 

Syndication: Securities And Non-Securities 

Securities represent financial value and can be traded on a public exchange: stocks, bonds, and options. Non-securities are investments not typically sold on a public exchange, like art and some real estate.

The syndicate's structure determines if your investment is a security or a non-security:

The significant difference is that securities must follow SEC regulations, while the same rules do not bind non-securities.

SEC Compliance: Registration, Exemptions, And Deal Structures

Four acts affect syndications. We'll discuss each and how to avoid the implications of each act. 

Securities Act Of 1933

Under this law, it's unlawful to sell or offer to sell a security without registering the security with the SEC unless the security is exempt from registration. 

Avoid the implication by:

Exemptions under Regulation D, Rule 506(b):

Exemptions under Regulation D, Rule 506(c):

Securities And Exchange Act Of 1934

This law makes it illegal to "effectuate" the sale of a security or accept compensation for the sale of a security as an unregistered broker-dealer. 

The implication is difficult to avoid because selling interests to your company or passive investors is probably "effectuating" the sale of a security. 

Exemptions to this rule appear in Rule 3a4-1.

The Investment Company Act Of 1940

This law stipulates that a company "engaged … in the business of … trading securities" must register with the SEC. 

Avoid the implication:

The Investment Advisor Act of 1940

The law dictates that acting as an investment adviser is unlawful without registering with the SEC. 

Avoid the implication with a direct ownership interest in real estate.

Exemptions:

SEC Compliance: Syndication Structure

JV Structure

Property owned by

 The structure might not be a security if each partner has an active role. If it isn't a security, no other security laws apply. 

Basic Deal Structure

Property owned by 

A basic deal structure helps with the acts in the following ways:

Watch the video to learn more about the Fund of Funds structure.

SEC Compliance Key Takeaways

Deal structure impacts SEC legal compliance requirements. The SEC has a specific definition for what constitutes security and non-security. When investing in a real estate syndicate, you'll want to:

Ready to learn more about real estate investing? Join Royal Investing for weekly meetings to level up your investing education.

Qualified Opportunity Zones

Are you a real estate investor looking for a new way to maximize your returns? Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) may be your perfect investment opportunity.

John Berlet, Fund Manager of Coastal Bend OZ Fund LLC, recently gave a presentation titled: Qualified Opportunity Zones at the Royal Investing. The information overviews the benefits of investing in Opportunity Zones and how to get started.

This article will explore QOZs, how they work, and how investors can exploit them. We'll also discuss the potential tax benefits of investing in QOZs and provide some tips on getting started.

What Is A Qualified Opportunity Zone?

Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) are economically distressed communities where new investments may be eligible for preferential tax treatment.

Tax Benefits Of The QOZ Program

The Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) program was created in 2017 as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to encourage economic growth in underserved communities. 

The program provides tax incentives for investors who make long-term investments in these areas:

Benefits Of Investing QOZs

Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) offer long-term investment opportunities for taxpayers looking to defer and reduce capital gains taxes:

How To Find Investment Opportunities

QOZ investing can be a great way to impact the community while earning tax benefits positively. To qualify for QOZ investing, low-income communities, and certain neighboring areas must meet specific population requirements defined by census tracts.

To identify eligible census tracts for QOZ investing, you'll need to look at the list of designated Opportunity Zones released by the Secretary of the Treasury in July 2018: 

How To Form A Qualified Opportunity Fund

Forming a qualified opportunity fund (QOF) is essential for investors looking to take advantage of the tax benefits of investing in designated opportunity zones. The process involves filing IRS Form 8996 and submitting it with your federal income tax return.

Once you have filed Form 8996, you will need to make sure that your fund meets the following requirements set forth by the IRS:

Key Takeaways

Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) offer real estate investors a unique opportunity to invest in economically distressed communities and receive preferential tax treatment.

The program encourages investment by allowing investors to defer capital gains taxes on their investments and offering the potential for permanently excluding capital gains taxes if they hold their assets for at least ten years.

QOZs provide several other benefits, such as:

These advantages make QOZs an attractive option for real estate investors looking to maximize their returns while helping to revitalize local economies. 

Are you ready to take your education to the next level? Join Royal Investing Group Mentoring and learn from industry experts.

Compound Your ROI With The 1031 Exchange

Are you a real estate investor looking to increase your return on investment (ROI)? A 1031 exchange may be the answer. 

A 1031 exchange, a like-kind exchange, is a tax deferment strategy that allows investors to swap out an investment property for another and defer capital gains or losses. Instead of paying taxes on the sale of your property, you can reinvest the proceeds into another property and continue to compound your ROI.

At our Royal Investing Summit, Dan McCabe, Co-founder and President of Exchange Resource Group, shares his 40 years of experience in handling 1031 exchanges and how they work as an investment strategy. 

In this blog post, we'll discuss what a 1031 exchange is, how it works, and what rules you need to follow to take advantage of this powerful tax deferment strategy. 

How Do You Defer Capital Gains Tax With A 1031 Exchange?

When selling an investment property, a 1031 exchange allows you to defer capital gains tax by reinvesting the proceeds into a similar type of property:

What Are The Rules And Regulations For a 1031 Exchange?

A 1031 exchange, a like-kind exchange, is a tax deferment strategy that allows investors to swap one investment property for another and defer capital gains taxes. 

Here are the rules and regulations of a 1031 exchange:

Imaginative Ways To Use A 1031 Exchange

There are more imaginative ways to use a 1031 exchange than a traditional one.

Reverse 1031 exchanges, Reverse Improvement Exchanges, and Reverse Construction Exchanges are all viable options that can help you maximize your gains while minimizing your taxes.

Reverse 1031 Exchange

A Reverse 1031 Exchange is a tax deferment strategy that allows real estate investors to trade one investment property for another without incurring capital gains. 

Here are important points to consider when looking into a Reverse 1031 Exchange:

Reverse Improvement Exchange

A reverse improvement exchange is an advanced exchange that allows taxpayers to acquire their intended replacement property before selling their current property.

It combines a reverse 1031 exchange and an improvement 1031 exchange. 

Here are some key points about this type of exchange:

Reverse Construction Exchange

A reverse construction exchange is a combined strategy that allows an investor to acquire their replacement property first and improve it before selling the relinquished property. 

It involves the following steps:

Key Takeaways

A 1031 exchange is an excellent tool for real estate investors to defer capital gains tax and free up more capital for investment in the replacement property. It's essential to remember that exchanges must be appropriately structured and adhere to all IRS rules, but when done correctly, they can provide significant tax savings.

For those looking to learn more about 1031 exchanges, Royal Investing Group Mentoring offers resources and guidance on how to take advantage of this powerful tool. Join us and start taking control of your financial future!

Connecting Private Lenders With Borrowers

Investing in real estate can be challenging. It's a harsh industry, especially when it comes to securing capital. Connecting private lenders with borrowers may be a solution for real estate investors. 

Private lenders aren't for everyone. But, in certain circumstances, they may be right for you. Chris Naugle, Founder and Owner of The Private Money Club, explains in a Royal Investing Virtual Summit how his company and other private money lenders connect with borrowers and provide them the capital and solutions they need. 

What Are Private Lenders?

Private money loans, more commonly known as private money, are loans offered by a private organization or even a wealthy individual to another person or company. These individuals and organizations providing such financial help are called private money lenders.

Private lenders allow you to secure funds outside traditional banking or lending qualifications. However, due to relaxed regulations, these loans can be risky for both parties, so due diligence is required. 

Who Can Be A Private Lender?

Since a private lender is anyone who has money to give you that isn't a bank, a private lender can be any of the following: 

If you're looking to buy a property, attend to much-needed renovations, or prep a home for reselling- private lenders might be the perfect fit.

How Do Private Lenders Evaluate Borrowers?

Guaranteeing a solid return on investment is of the utmost importance - and that means mitigating any risk involved. Before providing capital to potential borrowers, they analyze various factors such as:

A Borrower's Choice: Private Lenders vs. Banks

Why would you choose a private lender over a bank? 

Banks and credit unions typically don't lend to rehab projects or other investments for flippers - the property must be in good standing to receive conventional financing. That might kill a lot of deals for you. Private lenders are usually more than willing to fund these activities.

Advantages

In most cases, private lenders have lower borrower requirements than a bank. For instance, you may enjoy the following:

There are also some drawbacks when you work with a private lender that you should know. 

Disadvantages

With a traditional lender, you can secure a 30-year mortgage. Private lenders are flexible but usually want their money back sooner than 30 years. 

Another issue is that you may have to pay a higher interest rate than what you'd find at a bank.  

Before taking out a loan, it is essential to vet the source of funds and ensure that those funds are legitimate. Typically, these lenders comprise several individual investors who expect a return on their investment; thus, verifying that your loan won't abruptly collapse is critical for borrowers.

How Do Borrowers Connect With Private Lenders?

Understanding the kind of private lender you seek is integral to beginning your search. Finding the right person may be time-consuming. But don't worry - there are a few approaches out there that can help you connect with a private lender. 

Use your network

Establishing connections through networking is a reliable method for locating private lenders. Use it to find accredited investors, individuals, and financial institutions who can provide your funds.

Look for places you can grow your network:

If you're open to seeking out private individuals, your search options become almost infinite.

Google private lenders

If you're searching for private lenders near you, it's as easy as Googling them. Additionally, dedicated sites such as Private Lender Link can help to locate the right lender for your needs quickly.

Keep in mind, however, that lenders obtained through these searches will most likely receive more offers than lenders found organically. 

What If I Want To Be A Private Lender?

Private lending may be a solid strategy if you're interested in earning passive income. As opposed to investing directly in real estate or business ventures, which require purchasing property and managing the day-to-day operations of a company, private lending allows you to reap the rewards without any of these hassles.

You'll need the required capital to become the bank for borrowers to turn active income into passive income.

Key Takeaways

Connecting private lenders with buyers is a people business. As a real estate investor, you must massage your network to find a private lender. You'll see distinct advantages of working with a private money lender. 

Some of those include: 

There are drawbacks, so you must do due diligence when looking for a private lender. 

Do you want to know more about connecting with private lenders or learn how you can become a private lender? Sign up for our FREE Royal Investing Group Mentoring, where we cover all types of real estate investing topics. 

Digital Marketing Tools for REIs

The internet has revolutionized business, especially for real estate investors. Web presence, SEO, and Google Ads are handy and powerful digital marketing tools that you must use to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive field. 

Dr. Adam Gower builds best-in-class digital marketing platforms for real estate developers interested in online syndicated deals. He stopped by and shared his expertise on generating leads through your web presence, optimizing your homepage, and how SEO and Google Ads can generate business. 

What Is Online Real Estate Syndication?

Online real estate syndication is a process of pooling money from individual investors to purchase and manage income-producing real estate. Private investors can participate in the deal by buying shares in the entity that owns the property, typically organized as a limited liability company (LLC) or limited partnership. The entity will manage the investment, collect rent, pay expenses, and distribute profits to the investors based on their ownership percentage.

The syndication structure allows real estate owners to raise capital from multiple sources without giving up complete property control. It also allows individual investors to diversify their portfolios by investing in professionally managed real estate assets with high potential returns.

Why Does Digital Marketing Matter To Real Estate Investors? 

Digital marketing starts with your online presence. Crafting a professional online presence through your website presents more than just an opportunity to publicize your brand and gain trustworthiness. It also gives potential investors easy access to discover what you offer - all from the comfort of their homes.

A marketing funnel is a visual representation of the customer journey, from first contact with you all the way through to purchase. It comprises distinct stages, each representing a step in the process. You can use different tactics and strategies at each stage in the funnel to draw customers further down until they reach the conversion.

Quality content that addresses a customer’s pain points can effectively draw customers through the funnel. Content should not just focus on selling but on educating and providing solutions to your potential investors. High-quality, informative content will draw people in and eventually lead them to become investors.

How Does SEO Impact A Real Estate Investor?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is optimizing a website to increase its visibility and traffic from search engines. 

By using a combination of on-page and off-page optimization techniques, such as: 

Keyword Research

Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing keywords that are relevant to your business or industry. 

This process involves conducting keyword searches using tools such as Google Adwords, Keyword Planner, and other keyword analysis tools to identify popular search terms related to your business.

Link Building

Link building is acquiring links from other websites to your website. The links help search engines understand that your website is reputable and authoritative in its industry, resulting in higher rankings on search engine result pages.

Build links through:

Content Optimization

Content optimization is the process of optimizing existing content for search engines. Optimizing ensures that content has relevant keywords, is well-structured, and is optimized for search engine crawlers and readers. 

Content optimization also ensures the website is easy to navigate and provides a good user experience. Additionally, you should regularly update content with new and relevant information to keep readers engaged and boost visibility. 

SEO helps websites rank higher in search results. This increased visibility brings more potential customers to the website, increasing revenue.

Real estate investors can benefit from SEO by improving their visibility in search engine results and reaching more potential customers. 

Real estate investors can increase their website traffic and target specific audiences by optimizing their websites for relevant keywords related to their industry. Link-building and content marketing strategies can also help real estate investors build authority among potential partners. 

Why Are Google Ads Important To Digital Marketing?

Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that enables businesses to create and display product or service ads on search engine result pages. With Google Ads, companies can have their ad appear at the top of search results when customers search for relevant keywords, allowing them to reach more potential customers. The ads are an effective way to drive more traffic and leads to your website. 

Google Ads is an essential tool for real estate investors because it allows them to reach a wider audience and drive more qualified leads. 

With Google Ads, investors can target potential buyers with relevant keywords, allowing them to capture the attention of motivated partners likely to convert. 

Digital Marketing Key Takeaways

The internet has revolutionized how real estate investors reach potential buyers, tenants, and sellers. It has changed the game by:

Web presence, SEO best practices, and using Google Ads are potent weapons in your marketing arsenal. The people leveraging those tools are the most effective in an ever-changing real estate investing landscape. 

Do you want to learn more about best practices for real estate investors? Yes! Join our Royal Investing Group Mentoring to unlock the secrets to success from real estate investors like yourself.

Buying Real Estate Notes To Build Wealth

Are you a real estate investor who likes the idea of building wealth? Buying real estate notes might be right for you. 

We invited Paige Panzarello, CEO of Cashflow Chick, to share her expertise about building wealth with notes when inventory is low, and property prices are too high for any good deals. 

Panzarello draws on her 20 years of experience and $150 million in real estate transactions completed to explain the fundamentals of buying real estate notes and how they generate profit. 

Keep reading to learn more about building wealth by buying real estate notes. 

What Does Buying Real Estate Notes Mean?

To understand what buying real estate notes means, you need to understand what a note is. 

What Are Notes? 

Notes are a promise to pay or a debt instrument. The note's debt can be secured or unsecured: 

Also, notes can either be performing or non-performing:

Advantages

An advantage of buying real estate notes is that you become the bank. 

Another advantage is that by not buying hands-off investing--you're not a landlord. Instead, you own the promise to pay, not the property.

What Types Of Notes Should I Buy?

The type of note you buy will depend on your risk tolerance and investing strategy. But, Panzarello prefers to invest in non-performing real estate notes. 

Why Non-Performing Notes? 

Non-performing notes provide good value for a real estate investor. When you buy a non-performing note: 

How Do You Find Deals Buying Real Estate Notes? 

Building a network is the best way to find deals for buying real estate notes. 

Through your network, you may find deals buying real estate notes from the following: 

How Do You Make Money Buying Real Estate Notes?

How do you make money buying real estate notes? Usually, you'll buy the non-performing note at a discount on the unpaid principal balance. 

The following example uses figures for educational and illustrative purposes only. The figures are not a guarantee of performance. 

Here is an example of how you might make money buying real estate notes: 

Since it's non-performing and the person who has the note is not paying anymore, you can buy the note at a discount. 

In this instance, let's suppose that the discounted note price is 50% of the current market value of the property: 

 You are all in for $45,000 but have equity of $35,000. The equity is the home's current market value minus the cost of buying the note: $80,000 CMV - $45,000 note = $35,000.

But how do you tap into that equity? 

The way to make money buying real estate notes is through one of the many flexible exit strategies. 

4 Money-Making Exit Strategies For buying real estate notes

Foreclosure 

When you invest in notes, you need to be aware of the difference between judicial and nonjudicial foreclosure states.

In general, you want to avoid judicial foreclosure states because they take more time and money to foreclose. 

Foreclosure is usually the last resort, but since you're in the first position: 

Here is an example of how foreclosure may work out. 

Short Sale

A short sale usually takes 3-6 months. An example of a short sale looks like this: 

Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure

This exit strategy generally lasts 3-6 months. You get the property instead of foreclosing, which acts as complete repayment of the loans. 

Once you have taken possession of the house, you can:

Establish Reperforming Loans

Getting the loan reperforming can take between 6-12 months. You can use $120,000 to work with borrowers to get them reperforming on loan by forgiving some debt to get them performing. It makes sense because you were never going to see that money anyway. 

You might give the borrower a $20,000 discount: 

You make money by:

Or, when they become performing notes, you can sell them to a performing note investor. 

Key Takeaways

As with all deals, buying real estate notes requires you to perform due diligence. 

The fundamentals of buying real estate notes include the following: 

Do you want to learn more about real estate investing? Join Royal Investing Group Mentoring, where our expert investor community discusses opportunities and real estate investing best practices.

Why Residential Assisted Living Investing May Be Profitable For You

People age. And as those people age, they will need a place to call home. Our aging population’s demand for homes may make residential assisted living investing an attractive addition to your portfolio.

As Isabelle Guarino-Smith, COO of Residential Living Academy, notes, 76 million Baby Boomers are entering the marketplace for assisted living. As a result of the Boomers' entrance into the market, Guarino-Smith argues that now is an ideal time to invest in residential assisted living.

The world is in flux, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

People will still get old and still need a place to stay. Consider this, the fastest growing demographic is people aged 80 and older. We have better medicine, technology, and healthcare. And it's making people live longer.

Those longer-living people may need some help with their day-to-day life or medical attention to preserve their quality of life. Our aging mothers and fathers still need a safe place to call home. 

In this article, we'll discuss the following: 

Residential Assisted Living Investing: Marketplace Truths

A residential assisted living is a group home that helps with the activities of daily living for the seniors who live there. 

It's not:

Instead, a RAL is a residential home in a single-family home residential neighborhood. Typically, an owner or operator renovates these homes with age-appropriate furniture and furnishings, especially the rooms and bathrooms. 

Common Myths and Misconceptions

Ways For You To Get Involved In Residential Assisted Living Investing

There are three primary ways you can get involved in residential assisted living investing.

#1 Own The Real Estate And Lease To An Operator

You would be known as a preferred real estate provider. You would need to purchase a home, renovate it, and get it licensed and ready for the operator. 

Some advantages of going this route include the following: 

#2 Own The Real Estate And Be The Operator

You work in the home and operate the business. Being an owner-operator means you'll help each senior with their day-to-day activities, including but not limited to: 

You can save money by doing this, but you will invest a lot of sweat equity. 

#3 Private Lending Or Partner

As a private lender, you provide the capital for an interested borrower who wants to operate a residential assisted living facility. Private lending is the most hands-off approach to breaking into the RAL market. 

Residential Assisted Living Investig: Model ROI

For these education examples, we will use an assisted living facility's average monthly cost of $4,500. For illustrative purposes, we'll use ten residents, which is typically the maximum number of residents that you can house:

________

For a more detailed breakdown of how much money you have the potential to make, check out Isabelle Gaurino-Smith's in-depth discussion of different earnings models.

Key Takeaways

There is a silver tsunami upon us composed of aging Baby Boomers. More than 76 million boomers are aging and are looking for places to live that are conducive to their lifestyle. 

One possible place that boomers will call home is residential assisted living (RAL) homes. 

RAL properties have several advantages that may make you want to include them in your investment strategy: 

The demand appears to remain strong as people live longer, so now may be an opportune time to invest in the emerging RAL marketplace. 

Do you have questions about how to get started in residential assisted living investing or real estate investing in general? 

Join our FREE Royal Investing Group Mentoring, where we meet weekly to discuss the nuances, challenges, and solutions involved with your real estate investments. 

Syndication, Due Diligence, and Profitability

Your first step in syndication due diligence is deciding if this type of real estate investing is right for you. 

To help you determine if syndication is the correct type of investing for you, Sarah Sullivan, founder, and owner of SuGo Capital, shares her wealth of knowledge on syndication investing.

In general, Sullivan argues that determining what kind of investing is right for you requires you to consider four concepts:

Watch Sarah's presentation to get a detailed breakdown of Syndication Structure and Due Diligence. To help you determine whether syndication investing is right for you, we'll cover syndication, due diligence, and potential benefits. 

What Is Syndication?

Characteristics of a real estate syndication:

The structure of a real estate syndication consists of 

The capital needed for syndication comes from the general partners, limited partners, and a loan. Here is Sullivan's example of how capital and ownership would work. 

CapitalOwnership
General partners pay 10% General partners own 30%
Limited partners pay 30%Limited partners own 70% 
Loan for 60% N/A

The general partners execute the business plan and exit strategy when appropriate and pay the limited partners their share. 

Because the company is an LLC, there are certain tax benefits that a limited partner is entitled to. For instance, asset depreciation passes through the LLC and can be claimed by the limited partners when it comes time to pay taxes on your gains.

Simple Model For Syndication Return On Investment

A real estate syndication should double your money in five years or less. 

Suppose you make a $100,000 investment into a real estate syndication. Your return on investment ideally would play out like this: 

Sullivan advises her clients that a real estate indication that performs less than this level is not worth investing in. 

Syndication Due Diligence

For syndication due diligence, you want to start your evaluation with the people involved, consider the market, and then the property.

Syndication Due Diligence: People

The people involved in the deal will be a critical factor in whether your investment is a success or failure. Evaluate the sponsors, property management team, and extended team by: 

Syndication Due Diligence: Market

Evaluate the market and compare it to what's happening in the United States. Some of the factors include: 

Syndication Due Diligence: Property

The property is the final piece of the puzzle. When checking the property, evaluate the following: 

Key Takeaways

Finding the right type of investment for you is an essential component of your overall strategy. As you determine what type of investing might be right for you, it's crucial to do due diligence. Through careful research, you may decide that real estate syndication investing is right for you. 

Some things to keep in mind when it comes to syndication: 

Join other like-minded professionals in weekly Royal Investing Group Mentoring, where we network and discuss real estate investment opportunities and best practices. 

Deal Vetting for Real Estate Investors

Deal vetting in real estate is essential to any potential investor's due diligence. The process ensures that the investment decision follows sound economic principles and an understanding of its risks. 

It can also help uncover hidden issues or opportunities to negotiate better terms.

By taking time to vet a real estate deal carefully, investors can make sure they make informed choices to protect their financial interests. It also helps to ensure that any purchase aligns with their long-term objectives.

What Is Deal Vetting?

The process of vetting a real estate deal involves an in-depth analysis of the property, its current condition, and any potential red flags. 

This due diligence includes assessing factors such as:

It also involves researching the seller's history and scrutinizing financial statements to ensure everything is accurate.

Ultimately, the goal of vetting a real estate deal is to identify potential risks or opportunities associated with the purchase. By doing so, investors can ensure they get the best possible deal and avoid surprises down the road.

Importance Of Knowing the Local Market

When vetting a real estate deal, it is essential to understand the local market. Deal vetting includes researching the area's economic trends and demographic makeup to understand the potential future value. 

Additionally, understanding the nuances of local zoning laws and regulations can give insight into what kinds of projects are allowed in the area.

Significance Of An Area's Economic Trends

Researching an area's economic trends involves looking at factors such as:

You can find this information in government reports or other published resources. It is important to note that trends tend to move in cycles, so it is important to analyze potential future value over a more extended period.

By researching an area's economic trends, investors can better understand the potential future value and compare it to the asking price. This due diligence helps ensure the deal is reasonable and worth pursuing.

How Do I Recognize A Good Deal?

The vetting process can help identify a good deal. As previously mentioned, due diligence should include researching the area and analyzing potential future value.

It is also important to thoroughly inspect the property for signs of structural damage or other issues that could affect its value. Additionally, investors should review contracts closely and negotiate better terms.

Deal Analysis

It is also essential to consider the cost-benefit of a real estate deal. This means looking at the potential return on investment (ROI) and weighing it against the risks involved. 

Factors such as market volatility, tenant turnover, legal fees, and property maintenance can all affect an ROI.

Deal Vetting Key Takeaways

Real estate investing carries risk different from other investments, so extra care is needed.

The importance of due diligence in real estate investing, specifically rental properties, should not be underestimated. The objective is to have a positive cash flow each month and own a property that will rise in value over time.

One unfortunate decision or mismanaged rental property could cost you instead of contributing to your wealth. By doing proper research upfront, you increase the chances of achieving your goals significantly.

If you want help vetting a real estate deal, join Royal Investing for free group mentoring. Our experienced team can provide invaluable advice and guidance to help you make the best investment decision.

Resourceful Investor's Guide To Structuring a Short-Term Lease

You've decided to get into the short-term rental industry. As a result, you need to know how to structure a short-term lease. 

A whole host of situations and challenges come with this type of property. One of the primary challenges is the level to which your state regulates the industry. There are many laws and regulations that may apply to your city. 

As with any real estate agreement, you want to protect yourself with an enforceable contract containing legally binding terms. Your agreement must encompass the landlord's and tenant's rights and outline essential details concerning the local occupancy laws. 

To help you, we will review the 9 essential items you should include on a short-term lease agreement.

What is a short-term rental?

A short-term rental is an investment property that is rented for a short time. These properties, sometimes called vacation rentals, are an alternative to hotels. They have seen their popularity rise since AirBnB emerged in 2008. 

Owning a short-term rental comes with some distinct benefits, including the following: 

Before Creating A Short-Term Lease, Do Your Research 

First, you must ensure you can have a short-term rental in the property's location.

Local laws

As a real estate investor, you must check local laws and regulations. Laws vary between jurisdictions: in some places, there are no regulations, and in others, short-term rentals are outright banned. 

Protect yourself

Short-term rentals have more tenants shuffling through them. An increase in the number of people coming and going on the property increases your potential liability. 

We've long championed the usefulness of an LLC to shield yourself from liability; without an LLC, you may be liable (sued) for incidents that occur on your short-term rental. And a lawsuit can be costly. 

In addition to an LLC, it's a good idea to work with an attorney to create a short-term rental agreement. A legal professional can advise on safeguarding yourself from potentially problematic tenants who steal from or damage your investment property. 

Screen your tenants 

Screening your tenants is incredibly important. You will run into fewer issues and save time and money if you thoroughly vet your tenants. Make things easier on yourself by having a platform that lets you directly communicate with your tenant. 

After you've done due diligence, you should establish a short-term lease agreement. 

Short-Term Lease Agreement: The Essential Ingredients

As a real estate investor, you may ask yourself, "what should I include in my short-term lease agreement?" The answer depends. Local laws and regulations may stipulate precisely what you have to include, and the rules may apply at the granular level. 

In general, every short-term lease should have the following 9 elements included.

#1. Property details

The first item on a short-term lease should be a clear description of the property. Your description should include every item inside your vacation rental. Also, be direct and to the point, and do not leave any room for misinterpretation or ambiguity. 

#2. Tenant information

Your short-term lease agreement must include relevant information about the tenant. At a minimum, you should have the following: 

#3 Tenancy period

The tenancy period is a critical portion of the lease agreement. The length of the stay starts on the day (down to the hour) that the tenant enters your rental property. The period ends the day (and hour) the tenant departs. 

Suppose you fail to list the tenancy period. In that case, you may run into severe legal issues-like a tenant refusing to vacate the property.

#4 Payment

This potion should include everything that has to do with payment. You will want to include the following: 

#5 Tenant duties

You must define the tenant's obligations in the short-term rental lease. The duties might include maintaining the property and paying the agreed-upon amount at the agreed-upon time. 

#6. Cancellation process

This section explains how the tenant should cancel the rental agreement. Typically, you'll want a written cancellation request from your tenant. 

#7. Amenities 

You can use this section to add more details and information about the property and what you have available. You can include information about AC, TV, and a pool. 

#8. Additional clauses

Consider including additional clauses that limit your tenant's acceptable activities. A standard additional clause is the prohibition of pets from entering the premises. 

#9. Signature 

Your contract is legally binding only if both parties sign it. Consequently, you need to leave room for signatures. 

Key Takeaways About Crafting Your Short-Term Lease

A short-term lease agreement is critically important because it protects you. As a result, you should always remember to have one for yourself and your tenants' safety and protection.

This legally binding contract makes it so that you can enforce the terms of agreements and ensure that your rights are safe. 

To learn more about short-term rental properties, or the real estate investment industry, join our Royal Investing Mentoring sessions. It's FREE and comes with no obligation; we want to help you learn more about real estate investing so you can secure your financial future.   

Entity Structures to Protect Business Partners

As a real estate investor, you know you need asset protection for yourself. It would be best if you also had asset protection for partners. You need that layer of protection to insulate yourself against any potential liability exposure caused by your partner's actions. 

You may trust your partner completely. But when it comes to business, you've got to plan and limit your liability. 

There are several entity structures to protect business partners, but in this article, we'll focus on the Series LLC and Delaware Statutory Trust (DST). 

Can A Series LLC Be Used In Asset Protection For Partners?

A series LLC provides asset protection for partners and you via its novel design. The articles of formation allow a Parent trustee with an unlimited number of series entities. 

Each of the series can have individual:

Each series should have an individual name, bank account, bookkeeping, and records. For each series, you can have different partners and other managers. Also, each series entity's rights, responsibilities, and ownership are unique. 

In other words, each one of the LLC's entities can act independently of others in the series. That segmented design provides asset protection to you and your partners. 

How Does A Series LLC Provide Asset Protection For Partners?

The crucial component of a series LLC is the liability protection it provides for you and your partners. Each series owns the assets in it, and those holdings are shielded from the other entities within the same series. 

You can use your LLC to set up a shell company and trusts. 

If you use a shell company, you will break your company up into an asset holding company which isolates your assets into individual entities. For instance, the asset holding company would split each property into its series if you have multiple properties. 

The second component would be an operations company that handles your company's daily operations. You can shield your asset-holding company from lawsuits; even if you get sued, the operations company holds nothing of value. 

If you use a trust, you hide your assets completely.​ That works because you name an anonymous trust as the owner of the holding company LLC. Anonymous trusts do not need to list their holding publicly, so your assets are virtually invisible to people who would sue you. 

You can do this efficiently because you don't have to pay to set up new entities within a series. 

All in all, a series LLC provides assets protection for partners and yourself by providing the following:

What About An LLC And Taxes?

You can probably save on taxes with a series LLC. 

A series LLC is represented in its home state. If your LLC is in a state with no sales tax, you won't have to pay sales tax. For a real estate investor, rent payments between series aren't taxed by the state.

Usually, no matter the number of entities, you'll only file one tax return. Typically, your operating or parent company is the only company you must put on your tax form. You're still paying taxes on the other entities in the series. For filing purposes, you only report as one single entity. 

What Is The Delaware Statutory Trust (DST)?

The Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) protects partners by compartmentalizing assets, providing anonymity, and defending wealth from lawsuits. 

The DST is similar in structure to a series LLC. Both asset protection vehicles separate assets into individual series. Each major asset can be placed inside its own company. For instance, if you own three properties, you'll have the parent DST with three series beneath it.

How Does A DST Provide Asset Protection For Partners?

With a DST, you have an asset sorted into a separate series. Suppose you and a partner own a property in one of those series and get sued. The damage is limited and contained to that one series. 

The legal action does not affect any other properties in your DST. 

What About A DST And Taxes?

The DST can help real estate investors avoid California's franchise tax. In most cases, other investors outside of California would be better served using a series LLC. 

But California investors are better off using a DST because LLCs and other corporations must pay $800 per entity annual franchise tax. 

A DST does not incur that franchise tax because it is classified as an estate planning tool. 

Key Takeaways  

You'll buy more properties as you grow your real estate investment portfolio. Each property adds another layer of liability, so it's essential to protect yourself against potential lawsuits and other risks. You might partner with others as you get more properties, and you'll want even more asset protection.

Asset protection for partners and yourself is secured using an asset protection vehicle. A series LLC or a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) are among the best ways to protect you and your partner. 

Both an LLC and DST provide similar protections through anonymity, asset isolation, and asset protection. 

Royal Legal Solutions helps real estate investors like yourself protect their assets. Sign up for FREE Group Mentoring where we collaborate with other successful real estate investors, CPAs, and attorneys. 

Stop Bleeding Leads: How Virtual Assistants Help REIs

Virtual assistants are a necessity for real estate investors. 

You wear a lot of hats. On any given day, you might find yourself generating leads, securing financing, chasing down deals, dealing with tenants and toilets, and more. That many responsibilities can stretch you thin. 

Sound like you? If so, you're in luck.

Today, we'll talk about how leveraging a virtual assistant enables you to delegate burdensome tasks, spend your time on more profitable endeavors, and scale your business accordingly. 

Why Should I Use A Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant has the potential to help you scale your real estate investing business. They will allow you to do more deals more efficiently, save on expenses, and reduce your workload.

A virtual assistant enables you to pass on some of the toils while improving the efficiency of the processes that make your business operate. The key is to have a dedicated, trained virtual assistant who understands the different nuances that accompany your specific industry. 

Virtual Assistants Save You Time

Time is your most valuable asset; virtual assistants protect that asset by taking on lead generation. 

Cold calling is among real estate investors' most effective lead generation methods. While it is effective, it is also challenging to stay consistent because of the time sink and the amount of burnout. 

A dedicated, trained virtual assistant can make 400 to 600 cold calls daily. VAs: 

Virtual Assistants Consistently Follow Up

A consistent follow-up to your leads usually means money. 

Most deals are closed by following up, but sometimes this is left by the wayside because of other equally pressing matters in your business. That costs you deals and money.

Bob Lachance at REVA Global puts the importance of follow-up in perspective:

All in all, 92% of people are done trying to convert a lead by the 4th rejection. You can automate your follow-up through the use of a virtual assistant. It takes several touches to close a deal. 

Optimal Tasks For Virtual Assistants

Another task that you can have your VA do is the property and lead research. While you are out looking for deals and securing financing, your VA can vet the properties by: 

Once you train a virtual assistant on how to do these processes, you'll be free to spend your time doing activities that matter the most to you. That could be anything from finding deals to spending time with your kids. 

Secrets To Scaling: Virtual Assistant  

There are several tasks that you can delegate to your VA. These tasks are essential but may not necessarily be the best use of your time. As a result, it might be ideal to leverage the skills and expertise of a virtual assistant. 

The most common tasks for scaling that a VA can assist you with include, but are not limited to: 

Save Money With A Virtual Assistant

As you grow your real estate investing business, you'll need help. A VA can provide you with that help efficiently and for less money than hiring an in-person or in-house assistant. 

Bob Lachance at REVA Global breaks down the savings: 

Virtual AssistantIn-Office Hire
- 20 hours: $212 per week 
- 40 hours: $424 per week
- Benefits: 
Paid time off
Health insurance
Company paid training
- Technology and equipment are provided by VA
- Office space provided by VA
- No state or federal taxes		- Average Salary for College Graduate: $35,000 to $45,000
- You pay for the benefits package
- Technology and equipment are your expense
- Office space provided by you
- State and federal taxes

Key Takeaways

Running your real investing business takes a lot of energy and time. It often requires you to take on several different responsibilities. You have to grow and maintain your business through steady leads. 

You can reduce the time you spend generating leads by leveraging the skills of a virtual assistant. A VA can handle the following tasks with accuracy and ease: 

Generating leads is a time-consuming process for one person. The time sink and attention to detail it requires can cause even the best of us to miss leads or burnout. If you're not working efficiently, you may let leads languish, pile up, and ultimately lose those opportunities. 

Are you ready to speak with an expert? Learn about our comprehensive solutions you can use to achieve financial freedom, reclaim your time, protect your assets, and build your legacy. Book a FREE discovery call now.

Top Tips I Wish I Knew When I Started Real Estate Investing

Imagine if you had a roadmap that helped you reach your real estate investing goals based on what you like, your interests, and your risk tolerance. A roadmap that saves you time and money by optimizing your investing experience to acquire your properties and make your money. 

That's what you get with this article; a roadmap gleaned from the experiences of a real estate attorney and investor, Jason Marino, ESQ. This list of tips benefits those just starting who don't have much real estate investing experience. Anyone can grow their real estate business if they are willing to follow some fundamentals and learn the basics. 

This beginner's guide will look at the top tips a real estate investor should know when investing in properties. 

Your Team Of Industry Insiders

As you find deals and decide where to invest, you may not be acquiring properties where you live. Sometimes the best deals are properties in another part of the state or a different state altogether. You'll have to learn how to acquire and manage your real estate remotely. 

As a real estate investor, time is your most valuable asset. To save time and money, you should build a team. At a minimum, your team must include the following types of people:

Work with professionals who have real estate investing experience

All professionals will bring something of value to a conversation, but a specialist will be better for you than a generalist. A generalist won't know how to address your pain points. Some professionals lack relevant experience and won't understand your specific needs as a real estate investor. 

Find a team of professionals who have direct personal experience or business experience in real estate investing:

Make Money With Market Research

Market research is the difference between profitable properties and losing time and money. It also allows you to take emotion out of the equation.

You want details and data for your market research. Some research your team on the ground will provide. You can also do plenty of initial research on the internet: 

Focus Is Key To Profit

Most people will succeed more by focusing on a single aspect of real estate investing. Diversifying too much can be detrimental and counterproductive because you will have to spend time managing various types of investments. 

An aphorism highlights the importance of focusing: "A jack of all trades is the master of none." More pointedly, if you had to have brain surgery, would you rather have your general practitioner or a neurosurgeon with years of experience? 

Pick a lane, pick a focus, and be intentional. Scattered focus is scattered resources.: 

Mentors Reveal Insider Secrets and Tricks 

In this industry, you have to network and speak with someone who has experience in the same focus area that you're prioritizing: 

Analyze Your Real Estate Investing Deals For Profit Margins

Emotions are your enemy when you're investing in real estate. Remove emotion from the transactions, carefully calculate, and be intentional with your decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I diversify? 

It could make sense. Risk mitigation and higher returns are a possibility. Make sure you don't spread yourself too thin. You could end up putting too much time into managing different markets. External factors like deals and available time should guide your choice to diversify. 

It's probably best to stay within a real estate investment type, you know, and diversify by geography. Find an entirely remote team you trust; this will be your biggest challenge.

What is happening with the short-term vs. long-term market? 

Short-term properties started unregulated, but that's changing. It's becoming popular. More laws and more saturation are making mid-term and long-term rentals more attractive. Eventually, oversaturation of the market should force prices to drop.

Key Real Estate Investing Takeaways

As a real estate investor, you need to have a plan for your investments. As you grow, so will your strategy. But anyone can get started by learning the basics and adhering to these fundamentals: 

Are you ready to start your real estate investing journey? Sign up for FREE Royal Legal Solutions Group Mentoring to learn more from our real estate investing experts.

How Do I Collect Rent From Renters That Have Moved Out?

You have to collect rent that is past due. That's not fun, but it's sometimes necessary. This whole process can be a sticky situation for any real estate investor. 

Maybe you disagreed with your tenant over their excessively late rent. Or maybe they broke the lease and added another pet without your knowledge. Maybe their kids dropped a firecracker in the toilet, and it exploded. 

For whatever reason, either you had to evict, or your tenant packed up and moved out, denying you the ability to collect back rent.  

That's not an ideal situation. It's an unpleasant annoyance that a real estate investor contends with as part of doing business. But it doesn't have to be. 

In this article, we'll cover three practical and actionable strategies that enable you to collect back rent for the services you rendered. 

Collect Back Rent From The Security Deposit

You can't control that your tenants violated the terms of their lease, broke it, and left. You can control how you respond to their actions.

Suppose your tenant left without paying rent. Their violation is a situation in which they surrender the security deposit to you. Being behind on rent or breaking the lease is probably enough for you to collect back rent. 

Check with your real estate attorney to be safe. You never know when your absent tenant might demand the security deposit back. 

Use The Courts To Collect Back Rent

Even if your tenant left, they still have the responsibility to fulfill the terms of the lease agreement. First, you should try communicating with the tenant to explain their financial obligations. That doesn't always work out.

A lease is a legally binding contract. In other words, your tenant signed a legally binding contract stipulating that they would pay rent to live on your property. Once they violate the terms of the agreement, you have legal recourse in the form of your state's small claims court system. 

How Does Small Claims Court Help Me Collect Back Rent?

Small claims court is a relatively cheap and time-efficient way to collect back rent. The process differs from state to state, but in general: 

You'll get an enforceable judgment if you win in small claims court. With that enforceable judgment, you can collect back rent from your tenant via:

Use Other Legal Remedies to Collect Back Rent

Another excellent, straightforward legal remedy to collect back rent is to sue in assumpsit. 

When you sue your former tenant in assumpsit, all you're doing is asking the court to get them to pay what they owe you. That's it. Some states don't believe you're entitled to just back rent but also interest on the unpaid rent. We're fans of such landlord-friendly statutes.

It's always a good idea to check local laws and retain counsel if you plan to go to court. The court may be a worthwhile endeavor for large enough sums that the tenant could plausibly pay. Others may prefer to negotiate directly, arbitrate the dispute, or seek small claims damages as alternatives.

When Is Suing Worth it?

Your mileage with success in court will vary. The most significant considerations are their likelihood of success and the value of their own time. State law largely determines the former, how much you can recover, and in what venue.

The second consideration--about the value of your time and how you wish to spend it--is far more personal. Lawsuits are lengthy, often painful affairs. Most people will go well out of their way to avoid one. The reward and chances of victory need to be sufficiently high for the stress to be worth the trouble for most of us.

That said, court remedies exist for a reason. They're there when all your other, more straightforward solutions to your problems fail. When diplomacy, asking nicely, raising your voice, lowering your voice, offering to solve it between yourselves, offering to "release" from or any won't do anything. 

If you've lost money from nonpayment, you can be made whole financially. Just understand that with anything court-related, there are never any guarantees.

Key Takeaways

It's never fun to have to collect back rent. It's time-consuming for you and takes you away from running your business. Unfortunately, collecting back rent is a necessity sometimes.

You have several options to collect back rent that we covered. You can use each or all of the following strategies to get your money:

Royal Legal Solutions helps real estate investors protect their assets. Secure your financial future, and register for your FREE Royal Investing Group Mentoring Wednesdays at 12:30 pm EST! 

Why Millennial Homeownership Is At A Record Low: What Real Estate Investors Should Know

Millennial homeownership is historically low. According to the most recent Census data, about 49% of millennials own homes. It's become a national pastime or running gag to blame the millennial generation for killing different industry types. Or they are chalking up the low millennial homeownership to avocado toast and overpriced pumpkin spiced lattes. 

In this article, we give an overview of the struggles that millennials face. Also, we cover how you, as a real estate investor, can benefit from understanding their plight. 

Millennial Homeownership Is Historically Low

Millennials want to own homes but can't afford the price tag. More than 75% of millennials still view homeownership as part of the American Dream. But, a growing number (more than 20%) believe they will never own a home and will be eternal renters. 

Millennial homeownership is much lower than the rate of 26-41-year-olds of the past. There are reasons beyond any person's control for that. 

Several factors characterize the low rates of millennial homeownership:

All these factors combined are squeezing millennials as they enter the financial prime of their lives. But the issues are forcing many millennials to delay marriage, kids, and homeownership. 

First-time home buyers are in a disadvantageous position; home prices are to the moon; mortgage rates are spiking. Low wages and debt make wealth generation more difficult. These realities form the perfect storm for low millennial homeownership rates. 

America has become a much more difficult place to secure an affordable mortgage. "First homes" (single-family homes, even multis under $250,000) make up less of the market than ever before.

After the 2008 crash, real estate investors scooped up hot deals on all kinds of properties, enjoying a single-family budget property free-for-all. By now, most investors have upgraded these homes, upsold them, or maintained them to be competitive in today's market.

That means the homes are worth more than appreciation alone. Yet, it's the same asset investors got cheap after the crash. Millennial tenants are now more likely to become lifelong tenants instead of purchasing their own homes. It's bleeding down into Generation Z too. They're the generation with the most people in crisis. As a whole, they're the generation struggling to transition from renters to buyers. 

Yesteryear's Stats Don't Apply to Millennials: What REIs Need to Know About This Population

Even assuming 18-35 years olds are still the "homebuying age group" is foolish and inaccurate. Ask any 18-year-old how likely they are to own a home soon. Seriously. Any college student, even. The American Dream of homeownership isn't dead, but it's on life support.  

Millennials faced a different world: 

These factors present difficulties and challenges that prevent millennial homeownership.

Renting is often tricky. Millennials are more likely to move in with their parents than any other generation. Many in their 20s and 30s move home under financial duress, while others lack that option and live with housing insecurity.

These problems are natural barriers to home ownership. We haven't even delved into this generation's many cultural crises. Everything from later marriage age to the ongoing opioid crisis that continues to rage through mid-2019 can affect how this population rents and buys.

Why Millennial Homeownership Trends Matter for Real Estate Investors

Most investors count Millennials among their tenants or desired demographic. Single-family investors and those starter homeowners can stand to benefit in a seller's market. While the housing market has cooled somewhat, there are still ways to benefit from understanding your tenants. 

Millennials as tenants

As millennials learn that homeownership is just one path to building wealth, their preference for renting may align with your investment goals. Attracting and keeping these tenants is essential. 

You want consistent rental income, spend less time preparing a unit for rent, and avoid uncertainty with a new tenant. To keep your millennial tenants, consider: 

In general, Millennials are well-educated and tech-driven. For them, home prices, supply chain issues, and low cash reserves have made renting a certainty for the foreseeable future. Typically, a well-educated, employed tenant is an ideal tenant for you to have. 

Millennial homeownership as an exit strategy for you 

Millennials want to buy a home. That desire may provide you with an exit strategy. It's not all doom and gloom. A NAR report from March 2022 shows that millennials make up 43% of home buyers. Instead of McMansions, they are looking for good deals on properties and efficient use of indoor and outdoor space. 

If you have a property worth under $250,000, you're sitting on a high-demand property. Millennial buyers are competing, and investors can play fair while profiting.

Key Takeaways

Millennials sometimes turn to real estate investment to "escape" debt or employment barriers. Knowing this group's challenges helps you relate (or understand the real estate issues if you're a Millennial) to life and business. All real estate investors benefit from understanding their Millennial tenants, partners, and fellow investors' struggles. 

Come strategize with us. Secure your financial future, and register for your FREE Royal Investing Group Mentoring Wednesdays at 12:30 pm EST!

How Renting Can Be Profitable For Astute Beginner Real Estate Investors

Starting in real estate isn’t easy. It isn’t easy. The challenge is why most beginner real estate investors struggle to build their business regardless of the blood, sweat, and tears they invest. 

Sound like you? Good news, you’re in precisely the right place! 

This article doesn’t list out a million mindless strategies. 

What we’ll show you instead are targeted strategies that work. These strategies are easy to replicate for your real estate journey. These strategies help you grab onto the bottom rung of the property ladder and climb your way to financial freedom. 

Surprising Path To Financial Freedom For Beginner Real Estate Investors

Renting is a solid option for beginner real estate investors. I know it seems counterintuitive, but let me explain. 

Should I rent, or should I buy a home? That question is especially salient now with interest rate hikes and inflation. Despite the projected drop in home prices, interest and inflation may make purchasing your first property too expensive. In other words, beginner real estate investors find it tough to get on the property ladder. Tough, but not impossible. 

The reality is that when you buy a home, you take on debt. Taking on debt is always a risky proposition, no matter how secure it seems. Renting enables you to mitigate that risk. 

I want to disabuse you of the notion that renting means throwing your money down the drain. That’s a lie. In exchange for rent, you get a place to live. No matter where you live, it’s going to cost money.

Indeed, you aren’t building equity in a home with rent. The thing is, not all that money goes to building equity in the house. For instance, mortgage interest eats up a large chunk of the cash a homeowner pays in the early life of the loan. 

Also, there are many associated costs that a property owner incurs that a renter never sees. A few of those costs include: 

The landlord typically covers most or all of these expenses when you rent. That means you have an opportunity to keep more cash in your pocket. As you build a nest egg, you should look into the following so that you can get on the property ladder as a beginner real estate investor: 

The ultimate goal is to transition from renting to owning a property.

How Do I Start As A Beginner Real Estate Investor?

To start as a beginner real estate investor, you must plan. Some of the more immediate options include:

Another way to invest in real estate is through a Federal House Authority Loan. 

An FHA loan is typically for home buyers who do not meet the requirement of a traditional loan. These loans have low credit scores and down payment requirements. Also, FHA loans are for buyers who intend to use a property as their primary residence, also called the occupancy requirement. 

If you decide to use an FHA loan, you must possess the home within 60 days and use it as a principal residence for one year. 

As with all things, some exceptions apply. You can use an FHA loan to help you start your real estate investing business by buying a multifamily property.

Here is how it works. The FHA allows property owners to buy homes with up to four units (fourplex). The only rule is that the owner has to live in one of the units as their primary residence. That way, the owner can rent the other three units for income. 

Here is an illustration of how that might work: 

Suppose you use an FHA loan to buy a multifamily home for $250,000. The mortgage for that home will be about $2,000 per month. You have to occupy one unit, but three units are available. 

The average renter pays about $1,330 per month in rent. That means you could potentially live in your unit and charge three other renters $1,330 per month (or more, depending on market forces). In this case, you will earn $3,990 per month, have a place to stay, and a way to progress up the property ladder as a beginner real estate investor. 

No matter what step of this process, you need to protect yourself. Royal Legal Solutions offers expert advice and proven strategies to help secure and keep your assets safe. Take our FREE 5-minute quiz to get powerful wealth-building insights. 

Key Takeaways 

Renting is not throwing your money away. Remember, you get a place to live and don’t have to deal with the pesky taxes and costs associated with home ownership. For beginner real estate investors, renting is an opportunity to save money and reduce your debt. 

While renting, you can consider subletting out (if you’re allowed) or dabbling with REITs to increase your cash flow. Ultimately, you will want to transition to your first property. An excellent way to do that is with an FHA home loan, provided that you meet the requirements. 

Want to learn more about how to get started in real estate investing? Register for FREE Royal Investing Group Mentoring Wednesdays at 12:30 pm EST.

Residential Assisted Living Facility Investing

Why would you be interested in residential assisted living facility investing when you could stick with single-family and multifamily homes?

Residential assisted living facilities have the potential to provide a greater return on investment than other types of properties. Also, the country is aging and needs a place to live its golden years. This type of investing should be pretty lucrative in the coming years. 

Below you will find a simplistic guide that explains the fundamentals of this emerging investment opportunity. Keep reading to see if residential assisted living facilities are a promising addition to your portfolio. 

Check out our video replay with residential assisted living facility investment expert Isabelle Guarino Smith. 

What Is Residential Assisted Living? 

Residential assisted living is a group home for seniors that helps the residents with their daily lives. The help runs the gamut from hygiene, eating, and physical therapy. These are typically in single-family home neighborhoods with homes made accessible for seniors.

These are not nursing homes, nor is it independent living. It's somewhere in between.

Is Residential Assisted Living Facility Investing Feasible?

Yes, residential assisted living facilities are a reliable investment. The facilities are a reliable investment because of demographics. Like Bob Dylan says, "The times they are a-changin'."  

Let me show you how times are changing. To put a finer point on it, let me show you how the US is getting older. There are more than 73 million baby boomers in the United States aged 70 or older. By 2030, all boomers will be at least 65. In general, US citizens are living longer, and in 2034 there will be more older adults than under 18 children for the first time in history. 

More elderly means increased demand for certain goods and services. One of those goods and services might be a residential assisted living facility. You can take advantage of this inevitable shift in the country's demographics by investing in a facility. After all, aging boomers will need a place to stay.

As with all real estate investments, you want to be protected. Please look at how we provide asset protection strategies in all 50 states for all asset classes. 

Debunking 7 Common Residential Assisted Living Misconceptions

If you're anything like me, you hear "assisted living facilities" and think of bed sores and elder abuse. It doesn't have to be like that, though. Here is a list of 7 common misconceptions. 

#1 You have to work at the home

The facility is an investment that is similar to your other assets. But it's also a business. As with any business, you will need to dedicate time to the front end to become operational. One aspect of this involves hiring staff. You do not have to work at the home.

#2 Liability insurance is expensive

Insurance does cost money. However, if you shop around, you'll be able to find the appropriate amount of coverage for the right price.

#3 Seniors all died from COVID

Seniors did not all die from COVID. While they were the most at risk and constituted the most deaths, many older people still need a place to retain their dignity and call home. Also, aging boomers are entering this market, so there will be plenty of residents on the horizon.

#4 Good employees are hard to find

Good employees might be hard to find for huge nursing homes. Those types of homes have a 50 to 1 resident-to-employee ratio. With that many people, it's hard for anyone to give the required level of care and attention. In contrast, a residential assisted living facility has a much lower resident-caregiver ratio, meaning better care.

#5 You don't need medical experience

You didn't need to be a contractor or real estate agent to invest in real estate. It might have helped, but it wasn't a requirement. Likewise, you don't need to have medical experience. It might help, but it is not a requirement. 

#6 HOAs can't prevent you from creating one

The Federal Fair Housing Act outweighs and supersedes any complaints. 

#7 Seniors can't afford the service

Since the pandemic began, boomers have a combined wealth of $71 trillion. This means they have the money to spend on dignified housing for the final stretch of their lives. 

3 Simple Routes To Investing

Here are the three ways to invest in residential assisted living: 

  1. own the real estate and lease it to an operator
  2. own the real estate and operate the business
  3. private lender or partner

#1 If you own the real estate and lease it to an operator, you are a preferred real estate provider. That's important for you as a real estate investor because you potentially:

#2 You own the real estate and operate the business. Owning the real estate and owning the company might be profitable. Here's why–the average cost of care in an assisted living facility is $4,500 per month. There are no standard configurations for a residential assisted living facility. Still, anywhere from 6-16 people can stay on your property.

#3 You act as a private lender or partner. Maybe you have cash, and you invest in someone who is going to be an owner and operator of the business. 

Key Takeaways

Residential assisted living facility investing might be a solid investing strategy for you. Here are the key takeaways from the discussion today: 

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Due Diligence: 6 Tips for Notes Deal Vetting

Due diligence involves investigating, auditing, or reviewing circumstances and facts around a deal. As a competent real estate investor, you’ll want to conduct due diligence so that you have a clear understanding of the financial ramifications of any agreement. 

Doing your due diligence is especially important when you consider note deals. Suppose you want to invest in first-position non-performing notes backed by real estate. Non-performing notes are when the borrower has stopped paying. You want to ensure that the investment you are committing to is fiscally sound, right? 

After all, notes are an asset class with growth potential. Like all investments, note deals carry some risk. Royal Legal Solution mitigates the risk to your property with our asset protection strategies in all 50 states, for all asset classes–including notes. 

This article outlines six factors you should consider when vetting your note deal. Continue reading to get a primer on due diligence best practices.

#1 Property Valuation

Property valuation is essential when looking at what notes to buy. You can analyze the property using online research tools. The next step is to have someone who is boots on the ground do an inspection and value the home for you as well. 

The property valuation is the basis for your discounted purchase price. You won’t necessarily pay the unpaid principal balance. 

#2 Verify The Property 

Sometimes note investors can get into a sticky situation by only doing online searches. You need to follow up by sending someone to see the lot and verify that a structure is on the lot. 

If you don’t do your due diligence here, you might buy a note and end up with an empty lot. That’s a devastating oversight!

Here are the things that you will want to get verified: 

If you choose to get into note investing, you’ll want a good return on your investment. Reasonable due diligence maximizes your profit and minimizes your risk. 

#3 Inspect The Asset

The bank might tell you that the property is a single-family home. What might happen is this–it might be a mobile home or a condo. Those types of structures might not be in your plan. Trust but verify because the banks get it wrong sometimes. 

#4 Check For Unpaid Taxes

Make sure that you know how much delinquent property taxes are. When someone stops paying a mortgage, they usually stop paying their taxes. In this case, you will want to know when and if a tax sale is scheduled. 

Steps to take when checking for unpaid taxes: 

#5 Research Liens Or Judgements

You will want to verify any liens, judgments, or junior lien holders. Knowing about other lien holders is vital if you accept a deed instead of foreclosure. 

For instance, suppose you receive the deed as payment in full for the loan from the borrower. Even though you are in the first position, someone with a lien, HELOC, or judgment against the property will move ahead of you. That means you become responsible for those liens. That could be costly.

#6 Follow Chain Of Ownership

You have to follow the chain of ownership with notes. Make sure you are intimately familiar with where the loan originated and all the subsequent note holders.

The county courthouse will have records of all assignments of mortgages for each transfer of the mortgage to subsequent note holders. These records will be in the correct order, so you should be able to follow the chain of ownership. 

Due Diligence Key Takeaways

Suppose you decide to get into note investing. Don’t you want a risk-free return on your investment? You’re in luck because doing due diligence maximizes your profit and minimizes your risk. Here are six critical factors in doing your due diligence when vetting notes: 

Are you ready to speak with an expert? Learn about our comprehensive solutions you can use to achieve financial freedom, reclaim your time, protect your assets, and build your legacy. Book a FREE discovery call now.

Note Investing: You Become the Bank

What options are available when inventory is low and priced too high to be profitable? You become the bank with note investing!

For a real estate investor, note investing might be an excellent option for you. With this type of real estate investment, you won’t have to manage property or deal with other types of transactions actively. It’s passive income. 

As with any asset, you need asset protection. We provide asset protection strategies in all 50 states for all asset classes, including real estate notes. 

Use this guide to start you down the right path. Are you in the market for an investment that provides passive income without the dregs of property ownership? If so, note investing might be the answer to your prayers. Keep reading to evaluate the feasibility of this investment for your financial situation.

Note Investing Explained

Note investing is when you purchase real estate notes. The idea is that you change the terms of the note by reselling it, or you foreclose on the property to generate cash flow. 

What’s A Real Estate Note?

Simply put, the real estate note is two things. The first is the promise to pay or a promissory note. The second is a lien. A real estate note is the same thing as your mortgage note. 

In other words, it’s a written promise to pay money plus interest for a predetermined time. The mortgage places a lien on the title of real property to secure the written contract. If you default on your mortgage, the property may go into foreclosure. Defaults and foreclosures provide unique opportunities for real estate investors. 

When you start note investing, you know the difference between performing and non-performing notes:

Why Should I Invest In Performing Notes?

Performing notes provide passive income. There is less risk in note investing with performing notes because the borrowers are keeping up with their mortgage. That means they make on-time payments. Those on-time payments provide a source of relatively reliable passive income. 

Why Should I Invest In Non-Performing Notes?

Note investing has several advantages. They are: 

Cheaper: The non-performing real estate is secured by the equity in the property. If the borrower defaults, the real estate is more affordable to buy. You can purchase these notes from .38 to .62 on the dollar. 

Income potential: Another advantage is that depending on how you resolve the note, you could experience an excellent return on investment or create ongoing passive income. 

Secured by real property: Inflation. Stagnant wages. Whatever the reason, people are increasingly defaulting on their homes at a higher rate. For instance, there has been a 24% increase in foreclosures post-Covid indicates. Those homes represent a tremendous opportunity in this note investing space.

How Do I Get Started? 

You will need to find someone who will sell real estate notes to you. Typically, you will be able to buy notes from banks, other investors, note investment funds, and real estate brokers. 

Risks of Note Investing

No investment is without risk. Before making any financial decision, you should consult a qualified financial advisor or attorney to decide what’s right for you. There are a few perils associated with note investing:

Rewards of Note Investing

Note investing has several rewards if you decide it’s the right investment strategy for you. Number one is it might make you a lot of money if you do it right. 

The first step, you have always got to cover your assets. You don’t want your assets exposed, so protect them. 

After that crucial step, you could potentially enjoy the benefits, including: 

What Does It Mean To Become The Bank With Note Investing?

When you buy a note, you become the bank. As the bank, you have complete control over your exit strategy. As a real estate investor, that will bring some peace of mind. 

Key Takeaways

There are several things to consider when deciding whether note investing is right for you. Here are the primary takeaways from this guide:

Are you ready to speak with an expert? Learn about our comprehensive solutions you can use to achieve financial freedom, reclaim your time, protect your assets, and build your legacy. Book a FREE discovery call now.

Pro Tips to Acquire and Manage Real Estate Remotely

Why would you want to take the time and effort to acquire and manage real estate remotely?

Due to the demand, legislation, or tax laws, investing in your local real estate market is not always feasible. Remote real estate investing provides some distinct advantages that we discuss below. These advantages may provide the right mix of value and autonomy that you desire as you balance your investment strategy.

We featured this topic of discussion in a recent session of Royal Investing Group Mentoring. This session featured guest host Chris Weiler, who spoke in-depth about his experience investing in real estate opportunities outside of his immediate geographic location. Watch the Royal Investing replay.

Why Invest in Real Estate Remotely?

When you invest in real estate remotely, vast swaths of markets become available. You are no longer looking at markets in your state but all 50 states. In some cases, you may be looking globally for deals. That means you will have more chances to find properties with favorable terms.

Suppose you live in California. Typically, an investment property in California will cost more than one in the South or the Midwest. For instance, California's median sales price is $505,000; in Ohio, the median sales price for a home is $145,700.

In reality, people in Ohio also have to find a place to live. If they can't buy, they will need to rent. As a California resident, you may want to stay local and purchase a single-family home for the median sales prices.

Or it might be financially sound to shift your investment to Ohio, where you could purchase three homes for the less. Then you could convert each of those homes into rental properties.

An unintended benefit of remote investing is that it's more passive. You won't be there to contribute your sweat equity. Instead, you will be able to find better and more profitable uses for your time–like finding more deals.

How Do I Find Deals With Remote Investing?

Here's the thing, you don't find the deals. To successfully invest and manage real estate remotely, you must establish a strong network of trusted partners. Networking is a critical step in increasing your net worth.

Partners include, but are not limited to:

Your partners should have skills and core competencies that you can leverage. Also, offering your partners an incentive to work with you is essential. It can't be a one-way relationship that only benefits you.

Another way that you could potentially find real estate opportunities is to look where you vacation. Investing where you enjoy visiting can be advantageous because:

How Do I Track My Remote Investments?

All the day-to-day considerations are the responsibility of your partners. In other words, they are your boots on the ground. Preferably, you will provide strategic decisions and capital while your local network will handle the operational decisions.

Delegating requires a lot of trust and communication, which is why having a solid network is crucial to your success.

One thing that is non-negotiable for your success is following accounting and bookkeeping best practices. At a minimum, you and your network will need accounting practices to know:

Detailed and dedicated bookkeeping provides an accurate assessment of your ROI. It enables you to make the best decisions for your future. Since you are working remotely, you will need to do online accounting and bookkeeping. It's just more convenient.

Here is a list of accounting and bookkeeping products that may work for you:

How Do I Split Profits?

When it's time to decide how to split the profits, everything is negotiable. There is so much fluidity because every situation is unique to you and your partner. A potential way to divide the profits is to structure the partnership based on each party's value to the deal.

One key fundamental is to get everything in an ironclad contract. A contract provides clear expectations about how the business should operate, who is responsible for what, and how you split profits. As an added protection, you might consider including an anti-embezzlement clause.

Can I Scale Investing In Real Estate Remotely?

Scaling is entirely possible, but you have to make sure you delegate responsibly and appropriately. It's much easier to scale with a reliable and solid network.

What Are My Exit Strategies For Remote Investing?

In remote real estate investing, you exchange control for an opportunity. Protect yourself by being flexible and having multiple outs. You may decide to have plans to do the following:

Your decisions will rely on the market conditions and your discussions with your network of trusted professionals.

Real Estate Investing Remotely Sounds Good. What Are Some Drawbacks?

Some things may give you pause. You may not have the risk tolerance that remote real estate investing requires. After all, you may experience fear from being so far away to be on-site and control what's happening.

Another thing is that you have to be reliant on others and trust them to do their job right. That's tough because finding the right team can be challenging. When you find the right people, you still have to incentivize and grow the team.

Key Takeaways

If you have an internet connection, risk tolerance, and an ability to delegate, remote real estate investing might be right for you. To be successful, you will want to:

For more education about opportunities for real estate investors, join our Royal Investing Group Mentoring on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. EST. We meet weekly for an hour as a large group to learn, share, and collaborate on relevant topics in a fun and friendly format.

Multi-Family Real Estate Investing Benefits and Nuances

Are you ready to move beyond single-family home investments? If this sounds like you, multi-family real estate might be a good investment.

Before you invest in any asset, you must consider the pros and cons of each move. Also, you need to know what you specifically want as an investor. For each decision you make, there will be a variety of outcomes.

Here is a list of 4 multi-family real estate investment tips and tricks.

These tips may be just the thing you need to make an addition to or transition from single-family home investments. You'll enjoy these tips if you're ready to move in a new direction on your real estate journey.

Tip #1: Passive Income: Sensational Value!

A multi-family is any residential property that contains more than one housing unit. These properties include, but are not limited to:

With more units come more tenants and more rent. Keep in mind that in the United States, the average rent is $1,326 per month.

For a real estate investor, that means more sources of cash flow.

Maybe you don't want to deal with finding deals, securing financing, and hiring a property manager. You still want to invest in multi-family real estate. A real estate syndication might be best for you.

With syndication, you pool your money with other investors and invest in a property. You get to spread the risk and responsibility among multiple investors.

Finally, multi-family real estate investing is an excellent way to create a diverse portfolio. When you diversify, you collect a variety of asset classes. A combination of assets reduces your risk. Any single asset class's performance doesn't tank the rest of your portfolio.

Tip #2: Professional And Reliable Team Fundamentals

When you invest in multi-family real estate, you need a reliable team to help you.

Multi-family is different from single-family home investments. It's both real estate and a business based on net operating income. So part of your team needs to be a mentor who has experience in the industry of multi-family real estate. Also, a mentor can find the sweetest deals and craft a safe exit strategy.

Next, you'll need a person to manage the asset. Your management might be a local person who can handle the property's day-to-day operations. For instance, you might employ a property manager who oversees the maintenance, finding and managing tenants, and emergency repairs.

Generally, people struggle with multi-family real estate investments when they mismanage the property. This type of investment takes a team and reliable partners.

It helps to increase your net worth when building your team. Part of growing your net worth is networking. You enter into a mutually beneficial relationship with someone who shares your vision.

Tip #3: Colossal Profits From Scaling

Economies of scale provide advantages when the cost of business spreads over a large number of units. With multi-family real estate, math and the law of averages works in your favor. Keep this in mind; people need a place to live regardless of market conditions.

You might have started with a single-family home and had success with your tenant. That's the limitation of your single-family home; you will only ever have one tenant. You can't scale that rental income.

With a multi-family property, you can scale exponentially. When you have more units in a property, you get more benefits, including:

Tip# 4: No Compromise On Due Diligence

When looking for the right place to buy multi-family real estate, you must do your diligence. At a minimum, you need to research:

The population needs to be growing. Typically, people want to live in a safe area of town, so you have to know the crime statistics for your investment area.

The economy needs to be both strong and diverse. For instance, Killeen, TX, is home to an Army base called Ft. Hood. The entire economy revolves around the base. In most rental properties, you will find a soldier renting. The thing about soldiers is that they move or get deployed. When that happens, you are subject to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

Find areas where the economy and renters are not homogeneous to avoid being stuck with empty units in the case of deployment or an economic downturn.

Good school districts are attractive to tenants with children. 32% of renting households have children, so you should keep that large chunk of the market in mind when doing your due diligence and research.

Key Takeaways

If you are ready to change your investment strategy or are looking for additional investment opportunities investing in multi-family real estate might be for you.

When you invest in multi-family real estate, you should:

For more education about opportunities for real estate investors, join our Royal Investing Group Mentoring on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. EST. We meet weekly for an hour as a large group to learn, share, and collaborate on relevant topics in a fun and friendly format.

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit: Can You Qualify?

Are you a first-time homebuyer? Good news, there are some excellent tax benefits for you!

You should know about a tax credit that puts more money in your pocket. The first-time homebuyer tax credit currently provides a refundable credit equal to 10% of the purchase price. The maximum tax credit is $8,000.

In 2021, President Biden and the 117th Congress submitted H.R. 2863-First-Time Homebuyer Act of 2021, which increases the tax credit to $15,000. Congress referred the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee, where it still sits. 

Read on to learn more about: 

First Time Homebuyer Rewards

According to the IRS, a first-time homebuyer is a person (with your spouse) who has not owned any other principal residence for three years prior to purchasing the new principal residence for which the credit is being claimed.

A principal residence is the dwelling where you and your spouse live most of the calendar year. You can only have one principal residence at any one time. 

You can either be a first-time homebuyer or a long-term resident and still qualify to get the tax credit. As a long-term resident, you are entitled to receive up to $6,500 in credit for purchasing a new principal residence.

First-time homebuyers are subject to gross income requirements.  

Income Tip And Secrets 

The income requirements to qualify are different for single and joint filers. The IRS looks at your modified adjusted income (MAGI) for this credit. Your MAGI is your adjusted gross income plus exempt or excluded income and certain deductions.   

MAGI limitations for the first-time homebuyer tax credit are:

How To Circumvent Challenges

Several situations can arise in which you are ineligible for the first-time homebuyer tax credit. First and foremost, if you exceed the MAGI limitations, you will not qualify for the tax credit. That’s not ideal, but you should know about the myriad of tax deductions available to you as a real estate investor. 

Check out our expert and informative articles on taxes to see what strategies you have available. 

Another reason the tax credit would not apply is if you purchased a home outside of the United States. In addition, you cannot sell the house or have the home stop being your principal residence in the year you bought it. That means you cannot use this tax credit to help you flip a house. 

If you received your home as a gift or inheritance, you cannot claim this tax credit. 

Shrewd Strategies To Stay Profitable as a First-Time Homebuyer

There are some situations where you will have to pay back this tax credit. For instance, suppose you decided to purchase a home and qualify for the credit. If you choose to sell the house within 36 months of the purchase date, you will have to pay back the credit. 

Perhaps you buy this home as your residence but decide to convert the home to a business or rental property. That means the house is no longer your principal residence. Since the home is no longer your principal residence, you will have to repay the credit. 

If you cannot keep up with the payments on the home and it goes into foreclosure, you will have to repay the credit.

You will have to include the credit amount as an additional tax on your tax return to repay the credit. 

If I Lose The Home, Do I Always Have To Pay The Credit? 

In some situations, when you lose the home, you will not have to pay back the tax credit.

For instance, suppose an act of God or some other disaster destroys your home. You do not have to pay back the credit if you purchase a new principal residence within two years of the home’s destruction.

Suppose the government finds your house unfit to be lived in and condemns it. No one is allowed to live on the property because of the safety hazards. In the instance of condemnation and your subsequent property abandonment, you don’t have to pay back the tax credit provided you purchase a new principal residence within two years of the condemnation. 

Maybe you get a divorce and lose the house to your now former spouse, the person who receives the home is on the hook for the tax credit.

Spotlight: The Bottom Line for a First-Time Homebuyer

As it currently stands, first-time homebuyers can earn up to an $8,000 credit to purchase their principal residence. Long-term residents can also qualify for a more minor $6,500 credit if they buy a new principal residence. 

The income limitations are $125,000 for single filers and $225,000 for joint filers. There are some situations where you will either not qualify or have to pay back the credit. Overwhelmingly those situations involve selling or losing the house. 

Taxes can be complicated, but they don’t have to be. To learn more about powerful tax savings strategies that you can use to keep more of your earnings, book a tax consultation by taking our tax quiz. The information you provide will enable us to have a productive discussion the first time we speak.

Improved Accounting and Bookkeeping Best Practices

Why would you want to take the time and effort to learn accounting and bookkeeping best practices? It can mean the difference between the life or death of your business.

As a real estate investor, your accounting practices provide you with a valuable snapshot of the health of your business, expenses, and possible avenues of profitability.

With sloppy or inaccurate accounting and bookkeeping practices, you will miss critically important information and have no sense of your overall financial health. That ignorance may turn out to be catastrophic. Read on to learn more about the benefits and importance of accounting and bookkeeping best practices for you.

We also featured this topic in one of our Royal Investing Group Mentoring sessions that you can view a replay of.

What Are Accounting and Bookkeeping Best Practices?

It depends on where you are in your real estate journey. A sole proprietor or married couple investing together may be perfectly suited to self-managing their books. In that case, you can keep detailed records with Quickbooks desktop.

The software gives you local control. That means you don't need a CPA or an accountant. One factor to keep in mind is that doing your books is time-consuming.

Ultimately, maintaining your books is a best practice because it keeps you intimately familiar with the details of business:

There are additional benefits to keeping good financial records, especially if you are looking for a business partner.

Why Bookkeeping Best Practices Are Important for Partnerships

Sloppy books kill business partnerships. For instance, you can't have garbage books and claims transparency. Making sound financial decisions based on accurate information undergirds importance in bookkeeping.

It takes effort, but maintaining accurate financial records is worth it because it helps bring peace of mind to your investments. Sloppy books might cover up embezzlement. Detailed and accurate bookkeeping is a good return on your investment because it provides peace of mind. And you can't put a price on that.

You can't make well-informed decisions when your books aren't straight. Excellent books help you make informed, unemotional decisions. You have to make sure you keep track of your records no matter what.

Here are some benefits of following accounting and bookkeeping best practices:

When Is the Right Time to Outsource Bookkeeping?

Finding good deals and building wealth are your most dollar-productive activities. The right time to outsource is to define standards and what it means to have good bookkeeping. Hire someone as a bookkeeper to increase your ROI. Your time spent on bookkeeping produces less value to you than finding good real estate deals.

When you decide on hiring a professional, they should be able to give you a tax strategy. Whether you hire a CPA, CFO, or tax attorney, they will show you how bookkeeping is essential for peace of mind.

You will also learn how your business is performing and how much it makes. Getting a solid understanding of your financial situation is the first step you have to take before leveraging tax strategies. All in all, your relationship should produce detailed, robust tax strategies from good, accurate bookkeeping.

What Do I Need to Do for My Accounting and Bookkeeping?

All business owners must regularly review their monthly operational expenses. Only by understanding your financials will you be able to achieve your financial freedom goals.

Another thing you need to do is find someone whose advice you trust and who you can listen to. It might be a person who has experience with the same real estate investment or a similar business. Part of doing the research is determining the scope and need of your relationship.

What Does a Good Bookkeeper Do?

You should find someone who is competent. That means your professional would have:

A dedicated partner will listen to your specific situation and help you think through your scope and needs. Also, they are more likely to provide upfront value to you before you make a financial commitment.

The ability to communicate is essential. Your partner needs to be able to tell you what is happening with your business at your level of understanding.

They need to be familiar enough with you to be able to speak to you on your level, just like Goldilocks–not too high and not too low. That helps them identify pain points and how to mitigate them. One of the critical things you can do to help yourself out is to make sure your expectations are clear.

Your professional needs to be an expert in real estate. That means they focus on real estate and have excellent knowledge about real estate. Don't waste time here with someone who doesn't provide value, as developing relationships are expensive in both time and cost.

Key Takeaways

Regardless of an individual's situation and the appropriate approach they choose, maintaining and regularly reviewing your books is crucial.

For example, the scope of your investments may dictate the bookkeeping process or processes you follow. A sole proprietor or married couple investing together may be perfectly suited to self-managing their books. Alternatively, investors who enjoin with partners or have many properties will prefer a solution accessible from the cloud by their team of professionals.

Ensuring that you have a solid understanding of accounting and bookkeeping best practices for real estate investors is one of the first steps to sustained wealth development.

Do you want to learn more about how to secure your financial freedom? Register for FREE Royal Investing Group Mentoring on Wednesdays at 12:30 pm EST to learn more while networking in a casual, fun, and friendly environment.