They Perceived That Their Strategy of Continuous Refinancing Was a Smart Decision Until It Wasn’t
By Dan J. Harkey
Summary
The last mortgage broker who attempted a refinance for this savvy couple discovered that there was insufficient equity. The mortgage broker rediscovered the doctrine of impossible performance.
Meet a smirky couple, let’s call them John and Jane, who, with their savvy financial strategy, could be considered the kings and queens of leveraging.
Their journey began a decade ago when they purchased their home. As its value soared, they smartly refinanced and withdrew cash to cover their living expenses. This strategy initially seemed to be a stroke of financial genius, sparking the interest of many with its initial success and leaving the audience intrigued and eager to learn more.
They bought their home a decade ago, and as its value increased, they repeatedly refinanced. Refinancing, in simple terms, means they replaced their existing mortgage with a new one, often with better terms, and pulled out cash to cover their living expenses. This move should have raised some red flags and left many feeling uneasy.
The strategy involved choosing an adjustable-rate loan with an initial fixed-rate teaser low payment and refinancing at the end of the teaser period.
When the adjustment from fixed to ARM with an index caused their payments to go up the last time around, they found themselves in a situation they could not afford. This is a predicament that many of us can relate to and empathize with, fostering a sense of sympathy and understanding in the audience.
This couple’s story is a stark warning about the potential risks of repeated refinancing and the crucial role of building equity in property. It’s a lesson in financial responsibility that every homeowner should heed.
Consider this scenario: This homeowner defaults because their property lacks equity to refinance for the umpteenth time. Equity, in simple terms, is the value of your home that you truly own, which is the difference between the market value of your property and the amount you owe on your mortgage. This situation is a powerful reminder of the potential financial pitfalls of not building equity in your property. It’s a crucial lesson that every homeowner should be enlightened about.
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While the couple may have pointed fingers at the last mortgage broker, their situation underscores the importance of personal responsibility in meticulous financial planning and decision-making. It also sheds light on the risks for a mortgage broker participating in the refinance of such an irresponsible borrower. The mortgage broker, who is supposed to guide and advise the borrower, also bears responsibility in such situations. By emphasizing personal financial commitment, we can prevent such situations and take control of our economic well-being, empowering the audience to take charge of their financial future.
Overleveraging, which is borrowing too much money, can lead to financial instability and potential default. The couple in our story faced this risk; every homeowner should know it.
https://www.realestateinvestormagazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/refinancing.jpg4001000dulcehttp://www.realestateinvestormagazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/logo.pngdulce2025-08-22 04:59:232025-08-22 05:02:17Financing Overleveraged Homeowners Who Continuously Refinance and Living Off The Proceeds
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Picture this: You’ve found the perfect property for your next real estate venture. The location is prime, the potential is limitless, and you can already envision the return on your investment. But before you sign on the dotted line, there’s one critical step that could make or break your deal: the zoning report. Lenders demand these reports for a reason – they’re not just paperwork, they are your gateway to minimizing risk and ensuring the success of your investment. Here are the top 6 reasons why zoning reports are the unsung heroes of commercial real estate (CRE) lending.
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Lenders require zoning reports for several compelling reasons, each rooted in the goal of minimizing risk and ensuring the viability of their investments:
1. Legal Compliance is Critical
Zoning regulations dictate how properties can be used and developed within a specific geographic area. Lenders need assurance that the property conforms to these regulations to ensure legal compliance. Non-compliance with zoning laws can lead to costly legal battles, fines, or even forced closure of the property, jeopardizing the lender’s collateral.
2. Risk Mitigation
Zoning reports help lenders assess the level of risk associated with financing a particular property. By understanding the property’s zoning designation, permitted uses, and any restrictions, lenders can gauge the likelihood of potential obstacles or liabilities that may impact the property’s value or income-generating potential.
3. Protecting Collateral
For lenders, the property itself serves as collateral for the loan. Ensuring that the property complies with zoning regulations helps protect the value of the collateral. If zoning violations are discovered post-financing, it could diminish the property’s value or render it unusable for its intended purpose, thereby increasing the lender’s risk of financial loss.
4. Future Marketability
Lenders consider the future marketability of the property in the event of foreclosure or default. Properties with zoning issues may be less attractive to potential buyers or investors, making it harder for the lender to recoup their investment in the event of default. A thorough zoning report provides insight into any potential impediments to future sale or lease of the property.
5. Project Viability
In cases where the borrower intends to undertake development or renovation projects, lenders need assurance that the proposed plans align with zoning regulations. Zoning reports help lenders evaluate the feasibility and viability of the proposed project within the context of existing zoning laws. This assessment is critical for assessing the potential risks and rewards associated with financing the project.
6. Compliance with Loan Conditions
Lenders may impose specific conditions related to zoning compliance as part of the loan agreement. Obtaining a zoning report helps ensure that the borrower meets these conditions, thereby safeguarding the lender’s interests and maintaining the integrity of the loan agreement.
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7. Rebuildability
Improvements built on the land often preceded the latest and greatest changes to the zoning codes. These buildings and structures are often grandfathered in and are allowed to operate legally even if they could not be built again in the same way today. Lenders consider this along with the “rebuildability clauses” defined by the jurisdictions as they state that if a building has had so much damage, it needs to be torn down and built up to code instead. This can drastically change the value of the collateral, especially if a smaller structure with less rentable space needs to be built instead.
Overall, zoning reports provide lenders with essential information to make informed lending decisions, mitigate risks, and protect their investments. By requiring zoning reports as part of the due diligence process, lenders demonstrate their commitment to prudent risk management and responsible lending practices in the commercial real estate market.
PZR is accepted by every major Lender and Title Company in the U.S. including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. PZR is the nation’s most trusted zoning due diligence company delivering unmatched speed, accuracy, and efficiency, since 1993.
Alan Hall, Senior Account Executive at LightBox PZR
Alan Brings over 20 years of commercial due diligence experience and a wealth of experience in sales leadership roles in the commercial real estate industry. Alan led sales and marketing efforts for Old Republic Commercial Due Diligence Services, a nationwide provider of all third-party Due Diligence Services. Prior to that he managed the central U.S. as a Qualified Intermediary for OREXCO 1031, Old Republic National Title’s IRC § 1031 Exchange company.
LightBox PZR pioneered the standardized zoning report in 1994 and has remained the nation’s premier provider of zoning information for over three decades. Today, LightBox PZR delivers comprehensive zoning intelligence alongside robust data and geospatial solutions, empowering real estate professionals to make informed, strategic decisions with confidence.
https://www.realestateinvestormagazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/location.jpg4001000dulcehttp://www.realestateinvestormagazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/logo.pngdulce2025-08-13 03:24:592025-08-13 03:26:57The Crucial Role of Zoning Reports in Lending
Unsolicited advice to others is a waste of resources, which irritates those who didn’t ask for it. But when people ask for your advice, be charitable.
By Dan J. Harkey
Summary
The habit of giving unsolicited advice is tough to break, and generally, those who spew out advice constantly are the ones “voted least likely to succeed in high school.”
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Article:
The world around us: successful tactics
We must cultivate three key traits within ourselves: optimism, positive attitudes, and skepticism. These traits will guide our decision-making and help us navigate the complexities of our professional and personal lives.
Question each circumstance with a skeptical eye.
Truths, taking control, optimism, positive attitudes, skepticism, and personal empowerment go hand in hand.
Reserve opinions or explanations and isolate the discussions until the likelihood of truth or falsity becomes apparent.
Your real-life experience becomes paramount, good and bad.
Trust your instincts.
Trust nothing from mainstream media, news, or social media without independent verification. Stay informed and vigilant, as this is the key to navigating the complex web of information that surrounds us.
Reject propaganda and spin in mainstream media and social media.
Those 10,000 likes, impressions, and online friends are not friends, but just noise and an illusion of success.
When you read the news or watch television, they trap you into an addiction to watching them; their objectives are profits through advertising. 90% + of the content is noise, and 10% is, or maybe more, substantial. Substantial means of importance to ourselves, our economic system, and our societal system.
Their objectives are not about representing your best interests. It is about profits, maintaining power and authority over others, and the status quo.
Mainstream propaganda and spin are crumbling as people recognize the deceptions and subliminal suggestions.
Read and subscribe to alt-media sources for truths.
Question the validity and purpose of every action taken by Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Agriculture, Big Banks, Wall Street, Big Media, the military-industrial complex, and the various Big Government Monopolies.
Trust nothing from government-manufactured statistics, biased polling data, ideologically polarized scholars, and spin-doctor research intentionally keep the public ill-informed about actual conditions.
The spin doctors work 24/7 to keep the public isolated from truth and reality.
The us: our internal selves.
We must possess five traits: Positive attitude, dreaming and practicing success traits, listing action items completed by action habits, tenacity, and skepticism.
Be willing to take calculated risks repeatedly.
Be willing to move outside your comfort zone repeatedly.
Be willing to reinvent yourself repeatedly, each time at a higher level. Embrace change and take calculated risks, as they are the stepping stones to your personal and professional growth.
Be willing to adopt new strategies, action items, and action habits and discard old ones that no longer work.
Be willing to become your best critic and listen to the market to tell you if your strategies are working.
If you are not making money, or enough money, then your strategies need retooling.
Become and remain more productive and work harder than those around you.
Have the attitude of being ever-present and the last man (person) standing if necessary.
Those with tenacity will be successful.
Technology will drive much future success, wealth accumulation, and innovation.
By adapting and getting on board, you position yourself to be at the forefront of these changes, rather than being left behind.
Do everything bigger, better, and faster, and face the headwinds head-on.
Become a Self-Starter and reject mediocracy and dependency.
Self-starters are people who have a positive attitude, a plan with action items, execution of the plan, a series of tasks, accomplishments, and many interruptions.
It’s about self-motivation to learn competencies and skill sets and achieve small successes over time, not inherited or innate abilities.
The process involves developing an attitude, motivation, enthusiasm, self-confidence, talent, tenacity, and flexibility through repeated experiences and, in many cases, redundant actions to accomplish your goals.
Listening rather than talking is a tremendously powerful concept that should be recognized for its importance. People like to talk about themselves; let them. As they are talking, you show compassion, receive valuable information, and remain in control of the conversation.
Focus on yourself, your family, and your career. The remainder of the world will take care of itself.
Be charitable, willingly share your knowledge with others, when possible, but not foolishly.
Keep your close relationships near and dear to your heart.
All sustainable relationships are based on mutual and reciprocal benefits. When one party is the continuous giver and the other party is the continuous taker, something is wrong. Exploitation comes to mind.
Eliminate false relationships in your life that bring nothing to the table, of give and take.
False relationships serve to clutter our lives, drag us down to their level, and act as a counter force to personal success.
Isolate negativity and negative people around you.
Keep positive people in your life and eliminate those who do not subscribe to your attitude and enthusiasm.
Regardless of the news about strife, antagonism, and insanity surrounding us, we all should rise in the morning to be productive.
Think carefully about your family’s inalienable rights, personal sovereignty, and your position in the economic system called the U. S. A.
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Stand tall in your thoughts, intuition, and integrity.
Remain confident and, above all, remain a non-conformist.
Reject ‘groupthink,’ which is the practice of making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility. Instead, foster an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and independent thinking is encouraged.
Remain active, accept responsibility, lead with courage, and be patient.
Operate with expectations from others. This isn’t easy.
Do not expect immediate gratification. The more successful you become, expect jealousy from those who refuse to pay the price.
Accumulating experiences and successes sets you apart, earning distinction in the top 10% of your field.
Relying on your intuition and the 80/20 rule. You earn 80% of your income from the most productive 20% of your activities.
Attempt to eliminate clutter and noise in 80% of activities, which will get 20% of the results.
Dramatically expand your marketing outreach program. This seems to be a dominant flaw in most businesspeople who have been successful despite themselves.
Modify your marketing plans to adapt to current conditions, which are technology-based.
Eliminate operational redundancies, such as duplicative tasks or inefficient processes, and ineffective marketing strategies. This will streamline your operations and free up resources for more productive activities.
Dramatically expand your network of possibilities.
We cannot afford to stagnate by doing nothing or hanging out with others who do nothing.
Accelerate outbound communications through text, email, and podcasts.
Reach out to the public and be positive and a role model.
Never advise others unless they ask, or there are economic benefits for you.
The remainder of societal problems will take care of themselves.
Advance your personal knowledge base and careers, protect our families, show dignity and respect to others, and essentially wear blinders as we fight through the forest full of deception.
We must continue our personal growth, intellectual development, keenness of memory, and awareness of societal obstacles.
By refusing to give up or allowing others to infringe on our person, we invest in ourselves and reap the many rewards of personal growth and resilience.
Staying physically active is crucial for maintaining a healthy balance in life. Equally important is spending well-earned time in your “mental hobby shop”. This is essential for escaping the pressure and recharging your focus.
Spending well-earned time in your mental hobby shop is essential. It will help you escape the pressure and recharge your focus.
Learning to live in uncertainty without becoming a victim of anxiety and fear is a crucial skill. Fear and anxiety are wasted emotions. They do not produce any actions, solutions, or results.
Fear and anxiety are wasted emotions. They produce any actions, solutions, or results.
Eliminate consumer debt. Business-related debt designed to leverage your enterprise to achieve higher profits is still acceptable.
Hard cash is king. Keep some handy.
America cannot compete with cheap labor; robotics and technological advances will sharpen our competitiveness.
Discuss possible offensive and defensive measures with friends, business associates, and neighbors, and ask them to do the same.
We must work to change our leadership so that they represent the people rather than themselves. That is a tall order.
Thank you for your valuable time. Please share with others.
https://www.realestateinvestormagazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/advice.jpg4001000dulcehttp://www.realestateinvestormagazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/logo.pngdulce2025-08-11 04:27:242025-08-11 04:29:35Do not advise others unless they ask for it; A young loan officer recently asked me for advice on becoming successful. So, here is my advice to him.
Realty411 Expands their Conferences to Connect with As Many Readers and Real Estate Investors as Possible
Realty411, a real estate media company producing magazines, conferences and webinars to provide investors with knowledge, will host events in three regions of the state: Northern, Central, and Southern California.
In an effort to connect with as many readers in person as possible, Realty411 is hosting three complimentary events in three regions of the Golden State. The dates and cities are:
Oct. 25th – Santa Clara, CA Nov. 15th – Santa Barbara, CA Dec. 6th – Pasadena, CA
Beginning in Santa Clara, the heart of Silicon Valley, Realty411 will unite local guests, readers and visiting educators and subscribers to learn about the local, statewide and national real estate markets and trends.
Realty411’s “Invest with Confidence” Summit will take place on Saturday, October 25th at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Santa Clara located at 2885 Lakeside Dr, Santa Clara, CA 95054.
Starting at 9 AM, the event will focus on market trends, industry news, insight from real estate investors, real-life real estate stories, motivational speaking, networking sessions, real estate exhibitors, plus many resources.
If you have an interest in real estate and want to learn more about investing, be sure to reserve tickets today. This free event is open to the public and is of special interest to brokers/agents, private lenders and other realty professionals. As a bonus, this venue also offers plenty of complimentary parking.
This important Summit, in the center of the technology industry, is a must for all new and established real estate investors and is attended by guests throughout the Bay Area and San Jose. Be sure to plan to attend Realty411’s Investor’s Conference in the birthplace of numerous tech giants like Apple, Google, and Facebook! Silicon Valley is also well known for venture capital and research universities, don’t miss this exciting event in a great area.
Next, Reaty411 will host their “Invest with Confidence” Summit in Santa Barbara, California on November 15th at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. Known as the American Riviera, Santa Barbara offers a fantastic weekend escape and past events in Santa Barbara have been attended by investors and companies from throughout the country. Free parking is available around the perimeter of the venue, plus hotel self-parking is complimentary for Realty411 guests.
Hosted by Dan Ringwald, a local multiple business owner and director of the Santa Barbara Real Estate Investors Association, Realty411’s Santa Barbara Summit offers complimentary ocean-front learning and the perfect opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful areas of California.
To celebrate the end of the year and the publishing of their last issue for 2025, Realty411 is hosting a “Holiday Gathering & Investing Summit” and networking mixer on Saturday, December 6th. Be sure to attend this one-day event featuring timely insight, top educators, and exhibiting companies.
Realty411’s “Holiday Gathering & Investing Summit” is being held at the Hyatt Place Pasadena, located in Old Town Pasadena. The venue’s address is 399 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91101.
Realty411’s Holiday Summit will take over the entire venue with multiple rooms inside and outside available to maximize networking. For those wishing to elevate their experience, Realty411’s Summit will also feature VIP tickets with reserved seating and delicious food plus beverage options. Parking for this one-day event is only $18 for the entire day. Be sure to reserve tickets to this holiday educational event featuring raffles, giveaways, and joyous cheer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more information about Realty411 events, visit Realty411.com As an alternative, visit Realty411’s Eventbrite page at: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/realty411com-1322876767 To inquire about speaking or exhibiting at these events, please call 805.693.1497.
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Almost every housing boom and bust cycle over the past 100 years was directly related to access to third-party money sources. When rates are low and the loan approval process is more flexible, home values tend to be high. Conversely, higher rates and tighter loan approval processes usually make home prices stagnant or declining.
The average 30-year fixed rate over the past 50 years was about 7.7%, which is actually much higher than today’s 30-year fixed rate average that is about 1% lower as of the first week in August 2025.
The peak high 30-year fixed rate over the past 50 years reached 18.63% in October 1981, while the low rate average fell to 2.65% in January 2021.
On August 7, 2025, the 30-year fixed rate fell to a 6.63% rate average, as per Freddie Mac and the NAR. This was the lowest 30-year fixed rate average in about 10 months dating back to October 2024.
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The Fed’s Next Move
The next three scheduled two-day Federal Open Market Committee meetings held by the Federal Reserve in 2025, where interest rate directions will be discussed, will be on these dates: ● September 16-17 ● October 28-29 ● December 9-10
The FedWatch Tool, which is managed by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), now forecasts a 94.4% chance of a rate cut at the next Federal Reserve meeting to be held on September 16 and 17. This is partly due to a combination of weakening and revised past jobs reports, rising consumer debts and delinquencies, and increasing risks of future inflation trends.
On August 1, 2025, voting members like Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook shared that the recently revised jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was a bit “concerning” to several Fed members. The BLS had provided a downward revision of its May and June payroll figures by a combined 258,000 jobs, which was the largest jobs reporting correction since 1968.
Back at the previous Fed meeting in July 2025, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to keep interest rates unchanged and within the 4.25% to 4.5% rate range. By early August 2025, the future near term probability of a rate cut skyrocketed to a 94.4% chance of at least a 0.25% rate cut and only a 5.6% chance of no rate cut at the next September meeting.
Some financial analysts believe that the Fed may be inspired to start cutting rates as much as 0.5% at a time and/or will continue cutting rates at the final three scheduled Fed meetings here in 2025 if the U.S. economy is seen as weakening more so than strengthening. This is partly due to the fact that the Fed is usually just as concerned about unemployment trends as they are about core inflation numbers.
Rising Home Inventory Numbers
Has there ever been a time when there is so much contradictory published data about real estate trends that can be viewed as both positive and negative at the exact same time as most metropolitan regions hit all-time record price highs?
There were 4,000,000 homes listed for sale as active inventory in 2007. Here in 2025, there are approximately 1,500,000 homes listed for sale. However, there are also 45 million more people across the nation today.
The vacant and distressed shadow inventory supply of U.S. homes absolutely dwarfs the national home listing inventory supply by a significant multitude. A recent study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that the average redefault rate over 12 months after a previous loan modification approval for a subprime mortgage-like mortgage was 56%.
Many homeowners have been able to keep modifying their delinquent mortgages for more than four years without making one payment. At some point, lenders and loan servicing companies will start filing foreclosure on a larger scale and the national home listing inventory supply will start to rapidly rise.
There were 500,000+ more U.S. home sellers than buyers in June 2025. How will these number trends look later this fall and winter?
The Declining Dollar
The US dollar has lost more than 28% of its purchasing power since 2020, as per the Truflation US Aggregate Inflation Index. Sadly, the purchasing power is declining at a faster pace now by falling somewhere between 10% and 11% through just the first seven months of 2025.
The M1 money supply (cash or cash-like instruments) went from $4 trillion in January 2020 to $20 trillion just 22 months later in October 2021. The more money in circulation, the less the purchasing power.
Upwards of nearly 1/3 of your savings has been severely damaged in half a decade between 2020 and 2025. Inflation is also akin to a hidden form of taxation.
The imploding value of the dollar over the past 50 years is a major factor why home prices have skyrocketed well above the annual published inflation rates. Historically, homes have been an exceptional hedge against inflation. Fifty years ago, $1 had the same purchasing power as 7 cents today here in 2025.
Real estate, however, is usually an exceptional hedge against inflation as homes have historically increased in value at least more than double the published inflation rates over the past 50 years.
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Interest Rate & Home Value Directions
Home values and interest rate trends are usually inverse to one another. When rates are low, home price directions are likely to rise. Conversely, rising rates can cause home values to fall. The 30-year fixed mortgage rates are tied directly to the 10-year Treasury yield, which is inverse to price and demand, while the Federal Funds Effective Rate impacts short-term consumer loans more. Many times, these different rates rise and fall together.
Even if the Fed pivots and starts aggressively slashing rates, a housing bottom tends to take somewhere between 24 and 48 months on average following a Federal Reserve rate cutting campaign such as the rate cuts after the 17 separate rate hikes between June 2004 and June 2006. From 2008 to 2015 when rates were near zero, it took upwards of seven years for some housing regions to rebound following the final June 2006 rate cut.
Record Home Equity and Locked-In Owners
U.S homeowners are now sitting on almost $35 trillion in net equity with or without existing mortgages in place. For homeowners who are locked in with sub-5% 30-year fixed mortgage rates, they may be hesitant to sell and lose these 5%, 4%, or 3% fixed rates.
For others (California homeowners, especially) who have built up equity far greater than the primary home sale capital gain exemption amounts ($250,000 for individuals and up to $500,000 for married couples filing jointly), they may be reluctant to sell and pay capital gains taxes on amounts over and above these maximum capital gains tax exclusion numbers.
In past housing downturns, the key factors that caused the price drops included:
* Rising home listing inventory (the distressed “shadow inventory” continues to be artificially suppressed and slowly released)
* Increasing unemployment numbers (the true unemployment rates are much higher than the published government data as I’ve said for decades)
* Rising foreclosures that later became neighboring home sales comps which, in turn, may drive down the non-distressed home values as well.
* Increasing “upside-down” or “underwater” homes where the mortgage debt exceeds the current market value. In California, it’s easier to walk away from a purchase money mortgage (the rules change, however, once you refinance your original California purchase loan) because the lender cannot pursue you for any financial losses and obtain a deficiency judgment like in other states like Texas.
* Unaffordable mortgage payments
What about long-term rate directions?
Please keep your eyes squarely focused on the next few Fed meeting decisions as well as the direction of the 10-year Treasury yield, which is a direct catalyst for the 30-year fixed mortgage rate directions.
Even if the Fed takes short term rates down to near zero again like in past years, the 10-year Treasury yield may still increase due to factors such as fewer foreign buyers for our Treasury bonds, rising federal debt, and future credit downgrades by credit rating agencies such as Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch.
The potential for any future credit rating downgrades for our federal debt may, in turn, drive bond prices downward and 10-year Treasury yields and corresponding 30-year fixed mortgage rates higher.
Money is needed to get you into and out of your real estate properties whether it originates from a mortgage broker, bank, equity fund, or your savings account. The more affordable the access to cash, the more likely that home values may rise rather than fall in either the short or long term.
We shall see what happens with future rate and home value trends. While there are no guarantees for real estate and life in general, the only constant in life, and also for rates, is change.
Rick Tobin
Rick Tobin has worked in the real estate, financial, investment, and writing fields for the past 30+ years. He’s held eight (8) different real estate, securities, and mortgage brokerage licenses to date and is a graduate of the University of Southern California. He provides creative residential and commercial mortgage solutions for clients across the nation. He’s also written college textbooks and real estate licensing courses in most states for the two largest real estate publishers in the nation; the oldest real estate school in California; and the first online real estate school in California. Please visit his website at Realloans.com for financing options and his new investment group at So-Cal Real Estate Investors for more details.
Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.
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Realty411’s VIRTUAL Event – A Focus on Purchasing Land
Hello Investors,
Are you looking for new opportunities to grow your wealth through real estate? Join our exclusive webinar tailored for savvy investors like you.
What You’ll Learn:
Why buying land is one of the best investments a person can make
Discover where the educator is focused on buying land and why
Insights on why purchasing land is a secure and steady way to wealth
A LIVE Webinar with a long-time Realty411 Educator: Mr. Michael Poggi
Details (Two Live Options):
📅 Date: Wednesday, August 20th, 2025
⏰ Time: 9 AM PT / Noon ET AND 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET
💻 Where: ONLINE
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EDUCATOR:
MICHAEL POGGI
I’m Michael Poggi, and after 30 years in real estate and investing, I can confidently tell you:
👉 The real wealth builders aren’t pouring more money into Wall Street. They’re quietly buying vacant land in fast-growing areas.
I’ve helped thousands move money out of stocks, IRAs, and mutual funds into low-cost, high-growth resort lots — often with no debt and no tenants.
And I’m holding a free webinar to walk you through the exact strategy. This is NOT a course for sale. This is a DONE FOR YOU strategy !!! we do all the work.
💥 Why land?
No repairs or maintenance
No buildings, no insurance headaches
No tenants to evict
And it’s 100% passive once you own it
Best part? You can use IRA, 401(k), cash, or even stock liquidation to invest.
📅 Join the webinar and see why land is outperforming Wall Street:
👉 [Reserve Your Free Spot Now]
To your success, Michael Poggi
Published Author, National Speaker, Real Estate and Alternative Investment Spearhead Michael Poggi, the founder of The Millionaires Group and Poggi Wealth Institute, has been the industry’s leading authority in alternative wealth-building strategies. Michael Poggi is a nationally recognized public speaker and professional investor, developer and author.
Michael speaks on how to buy real estate and invest in many other venues using your IRA or old 401K plan through the power of self directing it. In fact, he shows people how they can transform their IRA’s and 401K’s into completely self managing money making machines, creating cash flow monthly and TAX FREE.
He also runs a private equity group that funds projects all over the world. In addition, Mr. Poggi is the President and Founder of The Millionaires Investment Group, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
You can find Michael as a featured guest on the Money Talk radio shows. His company, Build Wealth With Land, LLC, is one of the largest land providers in the U.S., providing hundreds of secure vacant lots yearly to investors and builders. And amazingly, Michael does all of this legally Tax Free!
Michael was featured on the cover of REI Wealth magazine, issue #37, which is owned and published by Realty411.
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A peaceful coexistence with others is part of our cultural heritage, encompassing interactions with nature, government, institutions, businesses, personal relationships, strangers, and our beloved pets.
by Dan J. Harkey
Summary
When someone appears arrogant, supercilious, and disrespectful, it is often an indication that they harbor inner insecurity. Try to break down their barriers by being open and friendly. If you can help them in their pursuits of happiness and success, it may turn them around, one chip off their shoulder at a time. If you are unable to break the barriers, then avoid them in the future.
Dignity is a universal state of being that transcends our differences and is the inherent worth and value of every person.
It is earned through our thoughts, actions, habits, values, and associations with others. Dignity is fundamental to our culture and humanity.
Dignity rests in the minds of others who associate with us. They know whether we have earned it.
Even animals recognize their inherent value to others and know who respects them. They very much distinguish between non-caring, hostility, cruelty, abuse, and kindness.
Dignity and respect can also be eroded for the same reasons, with the best examples being distrust of governments, mainstream media, and institutions. When we feel that these entities are not treating us with the respect we deserve, it can lead to a breakdown in our respectful behavior. This can create a cycle of disrespect that is detrimental to our society.
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The perception and value others hold for us are reciprocal. We will lose our dignity if we are perceived as failing to treat others with the respect they deserve. This principle of reciprocity, where our actions influence how others treat us, is a powerful reminder of our responsibility to maintain the dignity of others. It’s a two-way street, and our actions can significantly impact how others perceive and treat us, making us feel responsible for our actions and their impact on others.
Showing others dignity and respect is a matter of cultural common courtesy. People who refuse to treat others in this way are generally arrogant, disdainful, insecure, or a combination of all three. This can manifest in various ways, such as interrupting others, speaking over them, or dismissing their opinions.
For instance, respecting a person with special needs could involve being patient and understanding, while respecting someone from a different religion could include being open-minded and tolerant. When interacting with a person with special needs, you can show respect by being patient and understanding their unique challenges. When engaging with someone from a different religion, you can show respect by being open-minded and tolerant of their beliefs. Similarly, when interacting with someone from a different social stratum, you can show respect by acknowledging their achievements and treating them with equal respect. In a professional setting, respect can be demonstrated by listening to others’ ideas and giving credit where it’s due.
Sometimes, tribal social instincts can influence the equation, affecting one’s perception that they are chosen as God’s favored child. These instincts, deeply ingrained in human nature, can lead to a sense of superiority based on religion, social status, or personal beliefs. This can influence how one treats others, often in a disrespectful manner. It’s essential to acknowledge these instincts and consciously work to overcome them in our interactions with others, thereby becoming more enlightened and aware of our own biases.
Each of us has the power to contribute through our actions, and even the smallest of these can make a significant difference. This is not just a responsibility but a source of personal empowerment. Our contributions, no matter how small, are essential to a more respectful society. By understanding the power we hold, we can inspire others and create a ripple effect of respect and dignity, making us feel empowered and capable of making a difference.
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Worthwhile quotes from famous people:
To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Our inner strengths, experiences, and truths cannot be lost, destroyed, or taken away from us. Every person has inherent worth and can make a valuable contribution to the human community. We can all treat one another with dignity and respect, provide opportunities for growth throughout our lives, and support one another in discovering and developing our unique talents. We each deserve this, and we can all extend it to others.
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Time is a precious, limited resource and non-renewable; once gone or wasted, it is gone forever. Resources designed to magnify the value of time can be leveraged through others or technology-driven, including hardware and software programs. There are more brilliant programs than anyone could ever dream possible. But the same applies to training.
By effectively leveraging our time, we can allocate time to concentrate on the most crucial activities.
This empowerment, derived from effective time management, is the cornerstone of boosting productivity and achieving a better work-life balance. It instills a profound sense of control and confidence in your daily activities, enabling you to make the most of your time and resources.
Remember, we’re managing time and harnessing our talents and skills through others, be they associates, employees, or independent contractors, who will swiftly assist us in achieving our goals.
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Time spent, A, B, C, D, and Time Off are subsets of this time management system.
Time effectiveness may vary according to motivation, regimen, objectives, tenacity, and the use of strategic leverage. Leverage is achieved through delegating tasks to others.
Time is the most valuable resource.
‘A-Time’ is not just valuable; it’s the cornerstone of successful sales for salespersons. It’s face-to-face or one-on-one communication with targeted buyers and sellers. This contact, whether in person, by phone, or by email, must explicitly reflect a request that the party or prospective buyer/seller work with us or buy our products, goods, or services. This is when your skills and talents are tested, and it’s not just crucial for your success; it’s urgent. Understanding and prioritizing ‘A-Time’ is not just essential; it’s urgent for your sales success.
Salespersons must spend more than 60% to 80% of their available time in an ‘A-Time’ mode. This underscores the critical importance of their role in the sales process. Focusing on ‘A-Time’ keeps us on track and goal-oriented, ensuring our time is spent on the most valuable and productive activities.
The concept of A-Time has been complicated by changing marketing trends. Knocking on doors, personal visits, phone solicitations, a meeting, and a transition into a close relationship were anticipated in the past. People are not answering their phones; they rarely respond to emails, which leaves text messaging. And those need to be personalized. Even with a speed text system on the phone, each outgoing text articulated verbally with the assistance of SIRI will take 30 seconds. One thousand times 30 seconds will take 8 hours. Now, more automated systems are available, but the warning is that the text messages must be personalized.
I doubt relationship building with remote business strategies will return to the old way. That is why I write and publish an article daily as a form of personal branding. I aim to provide my readers with real value that benefits their business and personal lives, all while sprinkling in some humor.
B-Time is the time spent preparing (preparation time) to transition into A Time.
A phone call request, a letter request, or an email request is probably involved. Time may constitute 30% of one’s daily schedule. Push your time into A and delegate 20% to another, B.
Examples:
Could you draft a letter, email, text, or phone call to request an appointment for a face-to-face meeting with the prospect? This is a prime example of an ‘A-Time’ activity. So that you know, ‘A’ time does not start until the client is in front of you or on the phone. This ensures that your ‘A-Time’ is spent on the most valuable and productive activities.
Once you consummate the transaction, all other follow-up activities to drive the process forward fall under C Time.
Setting up your marketing email or text system.
C-Time consists of all administrative activity with no specifically defined result.
C-Time does have value in driving your business forward. It most likely consumes 50% to 80% of our workday. The key is to delegate C-Time to support staff employees or independent contractors, thereby shifting our resources to the most effective use of time.
Examples:
Record keeping and regulatory compliance activities are C Time.
I am developing and maintaining marketing systems and materials, including database maintenance and web-based lead sources.
Office organization and administrative duties activities are C-Time.
Interactions with staff and co-workers.
Interface with third-party vendors such as escrow, title, appraisal, environmental engineers, and property-related insurance companies.
All general activities required to maintain our business enterprise, but not directly attached to closing a transaction, are C-Time.
Industry educational events.
D-Time is the catch-all term for activities that produce no results and have little value; in other words, it is wasted time.
These activities may consume a large portion of our day. D Time differs from time off or away from your business or money-making activities.
Examples:
Reading news and having conversations with friends and family. (Some may argue that conversations with friends and family are not wasted time. )
I’d like you to maintain social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter, except for personal branding.
Casual conversations with employees and staff unrelated to business.
Industry meet and greets, cocktails with the boys or girls.
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Time Off:
Time off is not D Time, but Time off is time away from work, work-related emotional pressure, and clutter.
Everyone needs to recharge their (mental, emotional, and physical) batteries. Avoid any semblance of work pressures, including turning off the phone and computer. Avoid burnout by scheduling focused blocks of time away from anything related to work. Hopefully, these will be full days, unencumbered, away from the business environment altogether.
Most people have developed a place to escape from their business life or an activity that helps them transition from a frantic hustle-bustle into peacefulness, tranquility, serenity, and resolve. A personal tune-up comes to mind.
The escapee can divorce from work and, no matter how temporary, can figure out how to spend free time away from societal pressures. And there are many. If you would like a copy of my article Escape from the Jungle, you can find it on this website. I refer to this location as my Mental Hobby Shop, where I can completely detach from work and focus on my interests.
This time management system and becoming a self-starter are learned processes, not events, and their use should become a lifelong habit. However, everyone occasionally needs a tune-up or reminder.
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Isabelle Guarino trains and teaches entrepreneurs and investors at the Residential Assisted Living Academy.
She has extensive experience in building brands, launching this company and many more into national recognition while running the day-to-day operations.
She is responsible for the creation and success of the Assisted Living Conference, the Assisted Living Network Podcast, RAL National Association, Recovery Housing Academy, Pitch Masters Academy, and most of the Impact Housing Group’s companies. With a background in Business Marketing and Communications, from interning at Walt Disney World, to working at two Fortune 500 companies, she is a true leader in business development and operations.
Isabelle has spoken across the country to 100,000’s of investors and entrepreneurs, she is a 2x Best-Selling author and has been featured in major magazines and articles nationally. She was named both “Future Leader” in the Senior Housing industry and “Top Senior Housing Influencer”.
She is THE most sought-after coach and trainer in our country for all things “RAL”! Isabelle’s goal is to carry on her father’s legacy by training investors & entrepreneurs how to… “Do Good & Do Well”.Whether you’re a seasoned investor or new to real estate, this webinar will equip you with actionable strategies to diversify your portfolio and achieve consistent returns.Seats are limited, so secure your spot now!
Take the first step towards becoming a private lender and making your money work smarter for you. See YOU on the webinar!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ACADEMY:
Residential Assisted Living Academy Bio
Residential Assisted Living AcademyTM is America’s premier training organization in this unique and specialized niche’ of opportunity. Launched in 2012 by entrepreneur / real estate investor Gene Guarino, Residential Assisted Living Academy TM has trained hundreds of investors, business owners and entrepreneurs in this new and exciting field of opportunity.
With 77 million Baby Boomers preparing to retire over the next several decades, residential assisted living is a comfortable “home-style” alternative to institutional living such as a nursing home. This “silver tsunami” mega-trend makes for a huge financial opportunity for those prepared to position themselves for success.
In 2021, when Gene Guarino passed away his daughter and heir Isabelle Guarino stepped up to take the company to the next level. She is carrying on Gene’s legacy and leaving a mark on this senior housing industry by helping students open one RAL at a time.
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