“While all the other kids were spending their birthday money on games and candy, I was the kid who turned my monetary presents over to my grandfather, with only a small portion handed back to buy a toy or sweets. Sacrificing the instant gratification and sweet tooth to the greater prospect of more in the future through investment was one of the greatest lessons my grandfather taught me.”
My grandfather has been my inspiration, I too have found success in real estate by investing in emerging markets for myself and our clients, making it possible to step out of the rat race earlier and be able to spend time with those I love. My story is not far off from my grandfathers. At 18 years old, I entered the Navy and took all that saved birthday money and purchased my first condo. All the sweet tooth sacrifices finally paid off with a nice townhome to show for it.
It was exciting to learn that I could make money through time and investment, and it worked out very well at that. I was collecting rent, making more in passive income then I did during my first year of service. Living what I learned earlier in life, I stayed at the barracks when my peers were out partying, saving my pay in order to purchase more property.
I became the local go-to guy for pocket listings and REO’s. I was doing for others what I was doing for myself, again, just like my grandfather. I learned I liked passive income and started helping other investors by lending them money on properties I would consider buying myself. Pre-Google and Staples, I spent hours researching and putting together resume packets and sample investment portfolios for my projects, with spreadsheets and 35-millimeter camera pictures.
To my surprise, I started receiving phone calls from people I never met asking if they could partner with me. I had more money than properties. I only wish my grandfather was alive at this time to guide me. I had more than 2 million dollars pledged to me and had no idea what to do with it. I was in my mid 20’s and risking my life in the dark streets of New York as an officer for under $30,000 per year and here are investors pledging all this money to me. Needless to say I was frightened.
As CEO’s, farmers, trust fund financiers and IRA holders sought my assistance, I was able to teach them how to invest their funds so that they too could make the most of their hard earned salaries. Asked to speak at invite-only seminars around the country, I taught the art of creating wealth passively while simultaneously raising money. Also as an REI coach for four years, I have guided investors on the how-to’s of real estate investment and finance. Be it my military or NYPD experience or simply my do-ordie East Coast survival attitude, when I coach I expect a lot from my students. I expect a return and I don’t just mean money. I want to see future generations give back just like my grandfather.
My passion is creating residual passive income from real estate and mortgage notes and educating my children on the same. Like my grandfather mentored me, I too have educated and encouraged my son to enter the business. Taking me up on my offer, we run “302 Wholesale” out of Delaware while he is also an apprentice with one of the state’s largest developers.
I am teaching him the art of taking people who, within a year or two, are making more than what they are making at work and are able to sit on a beach. As far as what suit to put on, well it is a choice of which bathing suit to wear and not what business suit and tie to put on for the next meeting.
Like me, “Do they have to work? No,” Through IRAs, notes, partnership deals and multiple family housing, it is possible for stadiums being built that create the need for housing. This growth creates new employment opportunities to blue-collar workers all over the country. There are dozens of demographics with low crime and great schooling. I have a good team behind me and I am good at building organizations and strategies. My team partners with special groups, we invest in multi-family buildings, we wholesale some properties and we do land acquisitions. We bring investors to multiple properties and are taking that from the tri-state to nationwide.
Speaking at high-network events and training other qualified investors how to build their retirement portfolio through partnering on these deals and building their own turnkey rental portfolios helps stop the struggle in life. A lot of people have no place to retire and they don’t know what to do. They are making no money and/or losing money while barely getting above the poverty level.
I understand this personally on so many levels and am actively working with clients to build a solid rental portfolio and take control of their destinies. It’s about how to get out of that job and get control of your life by investing wisely for the future. There are so many things we talk about: we talk about how to live, get out of the rat race and to set up a future to be there for others the way my grandfather ensured he could do for my grandmother, which brings me back to the beginning of the story.
My parents didn’t make the impact my grandfather did for me when it came to taking power and control over my money, and future. I’m trying to pass that on. I use my kid’s money in every deal and they earn a percentage depending on how much they invest. They love it and it’s great to beat the amount they earn working by earning them passive income. And I do the same for my clients. By investing funds into emerging markets, like my grandfather, I am able to help create a future savings rather than a present good time. Thank you grandfather.