Real Estate

Forced Appreciation

There's a questionnaire that I go through with my new customers over the phone, and in it I ask if forced appreciation is part of their investment strategy. Often I hear a response of "huh?" Forced appreciation belongs mostly to the world of commercial real estate. It's natural for the new real … [Read more...] about Forced Appreciation

The Collapse of the Dollar & How to Profit From It

I just got done interviewing John Rubino, co-author of The Collapse of the Dollar - Make a Fortune by Investing in Gold & Other Hard Assets, and it was quite interesting. Rubino stated that: Over the last 7 years the stock market has dropped [as significantly] as it did during the Great … [Read more...] about The Collapse of the Dollar & How to Profit From It

Hot Topic – Checkbook Control / IRA LLC

I work in the field of Self Directed IRAs & 401(k)s. Based on the phone calls and emails we receive, by far the most discussed topic is checkbook control. Some people want it; others don't. Some service providers support it; others discourage it. What is it? What most people are referring to … [Read more...] about Hot Topic – Checkbook Control / IRA LLC

Real Estate in the Wild West

"Buying foreign real estate is kind of like buying real estate in the Wild West. 150 years ago they probably didn't have an MLS, local board of Realtors, or disclosure laws," says foreign investment specialist Tom Phelan. I had the chance to catch up with him today and pick his brain. As described … [Read more...] about Real Estate in the Wild West

Increasing buying power

These are the primary ways of increasing buying power when putting real estate into a retirement account: Mortgage financing - This has to be in the form of a non-recourse loan, which is typically limited to about 70% LTV. This can double or sometimes triple your buying power, allowing you to have … [Read more...] about Increasing buying power