Archives for October 2013

10 Reasons Texas Is Our Future

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The crisis may be over (for the time being) in Washington. But the crisis for America’s middle-class continues, as middle-income jobs get harder to find and the cost of living gets harder to bear. Where can Americans turn for answers?  In a word: Texas.

In the cover story of this week’s TIME magazine, libertarian economist Tyler Cowen, author of the new book Average Is Over, looks at why so many Americans are headed to the Lone Star State. And he comes to a surprising conclusion. For better or worse, he argues, it’s because Texas is our future.

Here are 10 reasons why America’s future is going to look a lot more like Texas:
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Top Ten Tax Deductions for Landlords

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No landlord would pay more than necessary for utilities or other operating expenses for a rental property. Yet millions of landlords pay more taxes on their rental income than they have to. Why?

Rental real estate provides more tax benefits than almost any other investment.

Every year, millions of landlords pay more taxes on their rental income than they have to.  Why?  Because they fail to take advantage of all the tax deductions available for owners of rental property. Investment real estate provides more tax benefits than almost any other investment.

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Why Investors Use Land Trusts

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This article is Part 2 of a four-part series on Land Trusts.  You can find Part 1 here: Understanding Land Trusts

Investors, attorneys, or CPAs unfamiliar with the use of land trusts often ask me “why would someone consider using a land trust?” My general response is “why not.” When it comes to entity structuring many people prefer to being with the complex rather than the simple. The land trust, contrary to the multiple internet gurus or guest REIA speakers that sing the vestibule of virtues offered by this rudimentary of tools, is simply and nothing more than a title holding vehicle with some interesting attributes. From a legal standpoint, the land trust is a type of “grantor trust” (this is the phrase you should use in states that don’t formally recognize land trusts via statute).

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Why You Should Be Investing Your Cash in Real Estate

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Monopoly-ChanceAs entrepreneurs find success with their primary business ventures, many search for the right investments for their profits.

Of course, we can and should all start traditional tax preferred vehicles like an IRA and 401k. These are the bedrock of good ‘benefit' planning for ourselves and our employees. I'm also convinced more entrepreneurs should consider rental real estate as an important part of their portfolio.

I realize many business owners shrug off this concept after the recent downturn in real estate values, but let me list a few reasons that may change your mind:

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