How I Got Started and What That Means to Investors

I'm a real estate junky.

I love property

I love to talk about real estate. I love to look at real estate. And I believe that California real estate, purchased wisely, is one of the best long-term investments a person can make. It is a tangible asset that produces income whether prices are up or down -- and they aren't making any more California coastline. The value of the property is in the income it generates. Compare that to stocks that make wild swings with the latest newscast, or currency that loses value against inflation, and reliable monthly income can be appealing.

My first place
How I got started

The first property I bought was a 4-unit apartment building in South Redondo Beach. I had been looking for a home for myself -- and the dog I hoped to adopt from a rescue (I'm all about pound puppies).

I didn't intend to become a landlord or own an apartment building. I thought that was something only rich people could do. But I had the good fortune to purchase the property and I moved into one of the units.

One of my favorite things was collecting quarters from the coin-operated washing machine that all the tenants used. It felt like free money.

What I learned

Over the next couple of years, I learned:

  • landlord-tenant law,
  • how to evaluate properties,
  • how to apply different leasing parameters to properties in various locations,
  • and the value of building relationships with plumbers (and others who will help you maintain your investment for the long-haul).

A duplex we flipped

Since then, I've had the opportunity to buy and sell a fair bit of income property ... some have worked out better than others. I am delighted to share those experiences with my clients, so you don't have to go through the same trial and error process.

I have a talent for:

  • helping clients secure properties that have a lot of buyer interest,
  • leveraging interest from multiple buyers to get a seller the top price for their property,
  • negotiating complicated transactions,
  • finding solutions that get transactions closed successfully,
  • and helping clients get the best value or the highest return.

What that means to you

I work with great lenders who help clients get the best rates at the lowest cost. I am adept various financing options from low-down loans for first-time home buyers to commercial loans.

Coins in a jar marked

I specialize in income property and 1031 tax-deferred exchanges.

I also help investors use funds in their retirement accounts (IRAs and Roth IRAs) to buy income property -- which is something that most people don't even know you can do.

I also earned Series 6 and Series 22 securities licenses so that I could offer additional investment options for the seasoned investor.

Let's get started

I am not crazy about get-rich quick schemes -- after all, has anyone seen one that actually worked? Investing takes work and a willingness to learn. Often, it takes some seed money but not always. Good credit is certainly a plus. And patience is a bonus.

If you've got those traits, you can use OPM (other people's -- a mortgage) to generate a long-term income stream. In California, you also have the benefit of relatively fixed costs, since property taxes are fixed for the term you hold the property (with some adjustment for inflation) and are some of the lowest property tax rates in the country.

Since prices in many areas are in the neighborhood of 2002 prices, right now is a great time to invest.

I would be honored to help you achieve your personal or investment objectives.

Articles About Investing and Being a Landlord

Courts Allow Landlords to Hold Open Houses at Rental Properties