For years, I ran my construction business as an owner-operator. Like many in the trades, I wore every hat—chasing work, managing projects, keeping the books, and making sure the bills got paid. While the business provided income, it was more of a job than a business that could stand on its own. At some point, I realized that if I stepped away, the business would stop. That realization was the spark that pushed me to redesign my business around a system I call the Biz Freedom Framework™—a five-part model that transitions businesses from owner-operator dependency to an employer-led, turnkey business.

Building a Business That Runs Without Me

The first step was Ownership—deciding what I truly wanted from the business. Ownership meant more than having my name on the LLC papers. It meant shaping a vision, documenting guiding principles, and holding myself accountable to building something that worked with or without me.

Next came Leadership. I had to stop being the only decision-maker. Leadership meant building a team that could take responsibility, delegate tasks, and carry out the company’s vision. This required investing in people, processes, and clear expectations.

The Get Work function was about creating a repeatable, professional way to bring in projects without me personally having to sell every job. Marketing systems, proposal templates, and a trained sales pipeline made sure the company could consistently at ... Read More…

Video review and noted by Kimberly Weiss and summarized by Microsoft CoPilot. 

 🎥 Originally recorded on February 5, 2020, Bill Warner’s “Top 10 Inspection Myths” remains an insightful and practical resource for anyone navigating property acquisition. Whether you're a seasoned investor or a first-time buyer, this video cuts through the noise and exposes the misconceptions that can cost you thousands—or worse, leave you with a property full of hidden issues.

Even 5 years on from when Greater Dayton REIA recorded this video with Bill Warner, his myth-busting framework still totally holds up. Here’s why it’s still essential viewing today:

🔍 Myth #10: “The Bank Already Ordered the Inspection”

This one still trips up buyers because the terms appraisal and inspection are sometimes used interchangeably, when they are not the same. Warner clarifies the critical difference between an appraisal and an inspection:

• Appraisal = Value assessment based on visible features and market data.
• Inspection = Deep dive into the property’s condition, systems, and potential risks.

Banks care about collateral. You should care about what you're actually buying.

⚠️ Myth #9: “Inspectors Will Find Everything That’s Wrong”

Inspections aren’t X-rays. They’re designed to uncover major issues—structural failures, safety hazards, plumbing leaks—not every minor flaw. Concealed defects and co ... Read More…

One of the first major decisions real estate investors face after acquiring a rental property is whether to manage it themselves or hire a professional property manager. Both approaches can lead to positive outcomes, but they come with different responsibilities, costs, and benefits.

This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of each option to help you make an informed choice for your portfolio.

Self-Managing Your Rental Property

Advantages

Cost Savings
By managing the property yourself, you avoid paying a management fee—often 8 to 12 percent of monthly rent—along with leasing and renewal fees. This additional income can be reinvested into the property or your next investment.

Direct Control
You oversee tenant selection, vendor relationships, and maintenance standards. Without a middleman, you maintain a clear understanding of your property’s condition and can implement your expectations directly.

Hands-On Experience
Managing your own property provides valuable insight into leases, repairs, and local regulations. This knowledge can strengthen your decision-making as an investor.

Disadvantages

Time Commitment
Showings, maintenance calls, rent collection, bookkeeping, and tenant communications all fall to you. These responsibilities can become time-consuming, especially as your portfolio grows.

Emotional Stress
Handling tenant complaints, late payments, or evictions personally can be challenging. It requires a professional mindset and fi ... Read More…

When you acquire property from a seller and simultaneously sell it to a third-party buyer, as a briefly intervening title holder, you may think you don’t need an owner’s title insurance policy. After all, you’re only holding onto the property for a few seconds and not even taking possession of it. So, what’s your risk if an eventual title issue arises?

Even if you own the property for only a few seconds, hours, or days, you’re entering the “chain of title,” or the ownership record. If any title issues arise later, you could be dragged into legal disputes. Some problems are not discoverable through a standard title search, and don’t surface until later:

• Errors in the public records
• Forged documents
• Omitted signers required for effective transfer from an LLC or other entity
• Undisclosed purchase agreements or other contracts
• Undisclosed heirs

As long as the end buyer has an owner’s title insurance policy, they can file a claim for any covered issues that arise. They can also, however, make a claim against their seller to enforce warranties provided in the deed that was recorded to transfer title. If the end buyer did not get an owner’s title insurance policy, then seeking recovery from their seller may be their only option. And even if a title insurer accepts the claim and pays the insured, the title insurer may seek recoupment from the seller or a previous title holder, depending on the circumstances. The ... Read More…

Key Pointers for Frustrated Real Estate Investors

By: Loreal Loftus

1. Shift Your Mindset

• Frustration usually comes from unmet expectations — focus on progress, not perfection.
• Remember: every “no” gets you closer to a “yes.”
• Real estate is a long game — persistence wins.

2. Go Back to the Basics

• Are you consistently generating leads (daily/weekly)?
• Are you making enough offers? (Most investors underestimate this.)
• Track your activities — leads, calls, offers — not just results.

3. Improve Your Follow-Up

• 70–80% of deals come from long-term follow-up.
• Use a CRM, reminders, or even a simple calendar to re-engage old leads.
• Stay in touch until life changes make the seller motivated.

4. Adjust Your Strategy

• If flips aren’t working, try wholesaling or creative financing.
• If competition is high, target off-market deals (driving for dollars, referrals).
• If cash buyers are slow, build buy-and-hold partnerships.

5. Focus on Relationships

• Network with agents, wholesalers, contractors, and other investors.
• Deals often come from your circle of influence, not just cold marketing.
• Be the person others think of when they hear “distressed property.”

6. Control What You Can

• You can’t control the market or interest rates.
• You can control:
  ? Number of calls made
  ? Number of offers submitted
  ? Consistency of follow-u ... Read More…

30-Day Action and Motivation for all Real Estate Investors

By: Loreal Loftus

🏡 Agents – 30-Day Action & Motivation

• Build relationships with investors
• Learn creative financing basics
• Prospect FSBOs & expired's daily
• Attend a REIA to connect with wholesalers & flippers
• Practice investor scripts

🤝 Wholesalers – 30-Day Action & Motivation

• Build daily seller outreach habit
• Create a simple buyer’s list
• Learn how to assign contracts
• Track KPIs (calls → leads → offers → deals)
• Role-play seller conversations

🚀 New Investors – 30-Day Action & Motivation

• Define your “Why” & vision
• Pick one strategy to focus on (don’t chase all)
• Meet 3 local investors
• Learn deal analysis basics
• Make at least 1 offer by Day 30

💵 Private Money Lenders – 30-Day Action & Motivation

• Define your lending criteria (LTV, terms, risk tolerance)
• Learn how to secure deals with promissory notes/mortgages
• Network with 3 active investors
• Review sample deals
• Draft a “Lender Credibility Packet”

🔨 Fix & Flippers – 30-Day Action & Motivation

• Find 3 contractors & get bids
• Tour 5 distressed properties
• Build your deal analysis spreadsheet
• Meet hard money & private lenders
• Walk 1 deal start-to-finish with an experienced flipper

Markets rise. Markets fall. But savvy investors build systems that keep working, no matter which direction the headlines go.

It’s 2025, and something feels eerily familiar. The stock market continues its upward climb, fueled in part by policy decisions designed to keep confidence high. But under the surface? Cracks are beginning to show. Housing inventory is creeping up. Buyer activity is cooling. According to Redfin, the typical home is now spending more days on the market than at any point since 2015.

If you've been investing in real estate long enough, you might be flashing back to 2007. And while history doesn’t repeat exactly, it does rhyme. The question is: how are you preparing?

Traditional financial advice often encourages diversification. But what if you're heavily invested in real estate and prefer control over guesswork?

The volatility of Wall Street isn’t just a matter of risk; it’s a matter of timing. A portfolio that drops 20% right when you need to tap it for income or to replace HVAC can throw off your entire plan. That’s why more investors are turning to alternatives that emphasize stability, control, and liquidity … especially in uncertain times.

#1 Start with cash flow and liquidity.

Real estate investors often live in the land of “lumpy” income: months with big wins followed by dry spells. One increasingly popular strategy is adopting a business-style approach to real estate finances by creating a "R ... Read More…

12-Month Outlook (What it Means for Real Estate Investors)

By: Loreal Loftus

1) “Moratoriums ending”

• The big pandemic-era protections are mostly gone. FHA’s special COVID recovery options were extended through Apr 30, 2025 and are now sunset, while FHA’s new, permanent tools (like the Payment Supplement) take over. Expect a more normal flow of defaults as temporary protections fade, partly offset by these new workout tools. 

2) FHA “issues” (loss-mit, delinquencies, policy changes)

• FHA rolled out the Payment Supplement (lets servicers use a HUD-backed second to temporarily reduce the principal portion of the payment for 36 months) and ordered servicers to implement it by Jan 1, 2025. FHA also issued 2025 updates tightening and clarifying permanent loss-mit options. Net effect: more borrowers get saved, but some will still roll into sale/foreclosure. 
• FHA delinquency is elevated versus conventional (Q2 2025 FHA delinquency ~10.57%), so distress skews FHA in many markets. 

3) Maxed credit cards / consumer strain

• Household debt is at new highs; credit-card balances ~$1.21T and delinquencies have been rising broadly. This pressure spills into housing budgets, boosting motivated-seller conversations (pre-foreclosure, divorce, relocations). 

4) Silent second mortgages

• “Silent seconds” (undisclosed ... Read More…

10 Things to Do Right Now if you are a New Real Estate Investor

By: Loreal Loftus

1. Learn Creative Financing

• Study subject-to, seller financing, lease-options, and innovations.
• These tools help you create deals even when sellers owe too much or rates are high.

2. Build Your Buyers List

• For wholesalers and agents, cash buyers are your lifeline.
• Network at REIA meetings, Facebook investor groups, and auctions.
• Collect contact info and buying criteria (price range, location, property type).

3. Master Deal Analysis

• Practice running comps, calculating ARV, and estimating repairs.
• Use simple formulas: 70% Rule (ARV × 70% – Repairs = Max Offer).
• Confidence in numbers makes you faster than your competition.

4. Track Local Inventory

• Watch for listings that sit 90+ days — motivated sellers hide here.
• Set up MLS alerts or Zillow/Redfin searches for your ZIP codes.
• More days on market = more negotiation power.

5. Get Comfortable Talking to Distressed Sellers

• Practice scripts for pre-foreclosures, divorces, inherited homes, and tired landlords.
• Sellers in distress want a problem-solver, not just another “lowball offer.”

6. Understand New Rules for Agents

• If you’re an agent, learn the new buyer-broker agreement requirements.
• Practice explaining your value and how compensation works now.

7. Line Up Private Lenders

• Start building relationships with people who want to lend mo ... Read More…

In today’s high-interest housing market, RetroRate is helping buyers and sellers rediscover the value of assumable mortgages—home loans that can be transferred from seller to buyer, often at significantly lower rates than current offerings.

 What RetroRate Does RetroRate’s software scans public listings on platforms like Zillow and Realtor.com to identify homes with assumable mortgages. These loans, often backed by agencies like the VA or FHA, can offer monthly savings of over $1,000 compared to new mortgages—especially for homes purchased or refinanced during the 2–3% interest rate era.

 Market Impact Across 10 states, RetroRate found that 22% of listings had assumable loans, averaging 4.42% interest. The company also offers a concierge service—charging 1% of the purchase price—to guide both parties through the complex assumption process.

 Challenges to Consider

 Why It Matters for Investors and Agents Assumable mortgages can be a strategic tool for affordability and ne ... Read More…