Two of these Real Estate investment programs are based in Texas and recently, an article was published in The Atlantic magazine that fully supports investing in Texas for some very solid reasons.

Here’s a brief summary of the article:

No state is thriving in the wake of the Great Recession, but compared to the rest of the country, Texas is experiencing something like an economic boom.  Three of top five most resilient major metro areas for employment are in Texas – McAllen, Austin and San Antonio.  And, Texas was recently named by CNBC as the “Top State for Business” for the second time in three years.

There are 4 reasons why Texas is a great place to invest:

1.  A Late Start – because of energy and technology, Texas declined slower than the national average and bounced back faster.

2.  Stable Real Estate – diversification, non-exotic lending practices, abundant & cheap land prevented a “bubble” like those in California, Florida, Arizona & Nevada.

3.  The Right Mix – stable industries such as energy, education, high-tech, health care and military spending have served to keep the economy going.

4.  Something About Texas – it’s a popular place to do business because of tax incentives, a plentiful labor supply, lower wages and less regulation.

Here is a link to the full story: How Texas Is Dominating The Recession

According to the article, San Antonio is the only large metro area to place in the top 10 of these post-recession categories: lowest unemployment, lowest percent job loss since December 2007, and lowest decline in home prices.

Right now, many of our Self Directed IRA Real Estate investors are focused on San Antonio, Texas. They’re “loaning” funds, rather than “owning” property, through a turn-key program with one of our trusted partners . It is classified as “Interim Construction Lending”.

Purchasing rental property for dependable cash flow is a very good long-term option, but this is a “great” short-term option with interest rates being paid to investors of 18% to 20%.

Anyone is eligible to invest using either Checkbook IRA LLC & Solo 401(k) funds or personal funds.  Interest is paid monthly and the term of the loan is 6 months.  After that period, the investor can roll right into another specific loan.

Utilizing Self Directed retirement funds is perfect for this investment since it has the potential of “supercharging” your account at a time when many investors have seen significant losses in the stock market.

Risk is mitigated by a tightly controlled process whereby funds are disbursed in stages or “draws” by the builder.  In essence, the investor is in first lien position and is protected just as a bank would be under the same circumstances.

Please click on this link: Interim Construction Lending for a Fact Sheet on this investment opportunity.

For detailed information, please contact us by phone at 877-229-9763 or fill out a Contact form.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

Then, within days, USA Today published an article entitled “Computerized Stock Trading Leaves Investors Vulnerable” by Matt Krantz, Staff Writer.

A summary of Farrell’s article goes straight to the heart of the matter:  “Wall Street has no conscience, no soul, no ethics, no moral values…other than to get rich as fast as possible”.  But, he says, equally as troubling is that “we, as Main Streeters, are not only allowing it, but are addicted to continuous participation in it, regardless of outcomes”.

Krantz, in the USA Today article flatly states “There are no real buyers and sellers, the machines see stocks not as securities used by companies to raise money, but rather, symbols, numbers and bits that are traded, swapped and exchanged”.

Now, here’s the really scary part.  Krantz reveals that “technological advances are making it nearly impossible for regulators, who play a critical role in maintaining a fair market, to monitor the system that by its very nature has no paper trail and buries transactions in mountains of data”.

After reading both these articles about Wall Street’s “rigged casino” mentality, hopefully you’ll be ready once and for all to distance yourself from the madness by seeking alternatives to your investment options.  And, your best option is to invest in the distressed real estate market with a Real Estate IRA.

Over the last year, more and more clients have asked us if we could recommend Real Estate investment options for their self directed plans.  So, we began investigating numerous turn-key Real Estate investments that are tailor made for Self Directed IRAs and 401(k)s.

We narrowed our focus to three companies that have entirely different business models and will fit the needs of most of our clients.  And, we can wholeheartedly endorse these companies as having competent and ethical leadership.

In fact, we are investing alongside our clients in two of the companies.  The investment amounts range from $22,000 to $300,000.  Historical returns are from 12% to 20%.

Following are brief descriptions of each program:

Interim Construction Lending – Texas & The Pacific Northwest

Because of tight lending restrictions by banks, builders have had to go to private sources to build residential homes for buyers who are pre-qualified for a mortgage and have entered into a purchase and sale agreement for the property.

In essence, you become “The Bank”.  The process is turn-key with everything in place, including legal documents to support the loan and put you into 1st lien position. Investment: $25,000 to $140,000.  Typical term is 4 to 12 months, at which time you can reinvest or not.  Returns: 12% to 20%.

Model Home Leasebacks – Major Metro Areas of Texas

In order to free up capital to build homes within a subdivision, builders are willing to sell their model homes and then lease them back at very attractive rates. These model leasebacks are extremely rare since builders have cut back on new development over the past year. Cash flow is estimated from $600 to over $2200 per month.

Tenant is the builder and already in place with leases! Some of these homes come with a “resale agreement” from the builder. Use your Self Directed IRA or 401(k) as an all cash lending resource or obtain a non-recourse loan to leverage the purchase.  Investment: $159,00 to $300,000.  Returns: 12% to 20%.

Cash Flow Homes – 26 States

These are residential properties that offer an affordable program to first time home buyers, with an owner-financing component. The homes have been rehabbed and have an installment contract buyer in place.

All properties come with the following:  in place installment contract buyer, copy of contract, free and clear title, national servicing company, national title company, credit report of installment buyer, recent comparable sales, info on the area, pictures of the home before and after, inspection/repair report, and performance guarantee.

Unlike owning a rental property, by offering first time home buyers a program with a deed for land contract component, they have pride of ownership. The buyers are considerably more qualified, pay on time, and show pride of ownership, thus increasing the value of the property and improving the community.  This approach protects against property value decline and insures long term cash flow without the hassles of being a landlord.  Investment: $22,00 to $60,000. Returns: 13% to 15%.

For detailed information on these investments, please contact us by phone at 877-229-9763 or fill out a Contact form.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

Distressed properties continue to be the primary investment interest of the hundreds of self directed investors we speak with every month. This is no surprise, as distressed home sales continue to make up about 30% of total home sales nationally according to First American Core Logic. The discounted prices at which these properties are being purchased bode well for the investor ready to seize the opportunity.

As we have discussed in prior blogs, being prepared is the key to success in this market. The very best deals go to those investors who can write strong, clean offers. Banks are not at all interested in contingent offers with dependencies on funding, far-off closing dates, or indeterminate naming on title.

A cash offer from a qualified buyer who can close cleanly will end up at the top of the bank’s loss mitigation agent’s desk each and every time – even if it has a slightly lower price than a competing, non-cash offer.

With a Self Directed IRA or Solo 401(k) offering checkbook control, you can write the best offer, and can get the best deals. Many of our investor clients are doing just that, and purchasing fantastic investment properties markets across the country.

These powerful self managed investment plans allow you to write an offer and commit with a deposit check on the spot – with none of the paperwork delays associated with self directed IRA’s held by a 3^rd party trustee. You can easily provide proof of funding, and – with an established plan in place – the name of the entity that will be taking title. Because you are fully in control with these plans, you can act on opportunities with confidence.

What does not work so well is the practice of getting a property under contract… and then trying to establish a Real Estate IRA to fund the transaction.

If being prepared is the way to get the best deals, this approach is the best way to lose a good deal. We speak to far to many investors approaching their investment strategy in this backward fashion, and in many cases they wind up disappointed.

We frequently see banks just walk away from a deal the second an investor starts trying to change anything related to the contract. Banks holding REO properties commonly have another offer in line, and do not feel at all inclined to go out of their way to accommodate your change in direction. You lose. It’s that simple.

Being prepared does not mean you need to liquidate your current investments to cash while you are out looking for real estate opportunities – as many potential investors believe. You can establish a new self directed plan and initially move only enough funds for an earnest money deposit. Alternately, you can move a larger portion of your portfolio, but keep it fully invested within the new plan until you are ready to execute on a transaction. This type of flexibility is just one of the many benefits of the self managed plans we offer at Safeguard Financial.

So, if you are seriously considering adding real estate to your retirement investment portfolio with a self directed IRA, call and speak with one of our expert IRA advisors today. We understand self directed IRA’s, real estate investing, and what it takes to succeed in the distressed property arena – and we’re more than happy to share this knowledge with you. You owe it to yourself to be prepared.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

Now that the first quarter is behind us, what’s really apparent is that even though things have somewhat stabilized, there’s a lot more pain to come.

As poorly as the housing market has performed so far this year, some economists think it may soon get worse.  Millions of homeowners are behind on mortgage payments, leaving them vulnerable to foreclosures.  In turn, these distressed sales will further drive down prices of neighboring homes.

That’s the bad news.  Now for the good news.  As we have pointed out before, in every unfortunate situation or circumstance there is always opportunity for the investor who has set up, and operates, a Real Estate IRA or a Solo 401(k) plan.

Recently, one of our clients told us how he’s putting his Self Directed IRA to use.  He lives in California and is investing in real estate in Ohio.  A little over a year ago, a friend told him about a company that had experienced great success acquiring distressed properties in Youngstown.

With a professional team in place (Realtor, contractor, property manager, etc), the company is buying small single family homes on behalf of the investors and then doing a minimal amount of rehab work.

They rent the properties primarily to people who have been living in apartment buildings that want to live in a neighborhood with a yard.  The renters are actually paying less rent and are getting more square footage and amenities.

In some cases, the properties are offered on a lease/option basis and the renters are putting down a non-refundable deposit of up to $3000, in addition to first and last month’s rent.

Our client currently owns 4 of these properties…2 with personal funds and 2 with his Checkbook IRA LLC.  He tells us that the return on investment he’s experiencing is a lot better than when he had everything tied to the stock market.

This is just one example among dozens we hear about every week.  Each story seems to have a unique twist, but the common element is that these investors are doing very well with IRA/401k real estate investments because they’re willing to put some effort into understanding how to best grow retirement wealth.

If you haven’t read our posts on distressed properties and the opportunities for investment, click HERE to read the 3 part series. Now, more than ever, banks are going to be more willing to make deals with short sellers and with the properties they have taken back in foreclosure proceedings. Again, more opportunities.

If you haven’t done it already, get a Self Directed IRA plan set up, find a good Realtor with training in the distressed property market and start making offers.  The time to take control of your own retirement investing is now.

Contact one of our Expert IRA Advisors at your earliest convenience in order to put together an investment plan that will meet your needs and put you in a position to take advantage of any opportunity that may come your way.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

You can set up a Solo 401(k) even if you already contribute to an employer sponsored retirement plan….and, there are HUGE benefits.

Combined with the ability to invest into non-traditional assets, such as real estate, the Safeguard Financial Solo 401(k) has some very attractive features that set it apart from other Self Directed IRA plans:

• High contribution amounts (up to $49,000 or $54,000 if over 50 years of age)
• Permits tax-free loans (50% of the total plan value, up to a maximum of $50,000)
• Exempt from taxes related to the debt-financed portion of a real property transaction
• Self-trustee plan (an IRA custodian is not required)
• Up to $22,000 of contributions can be designated to a Roth sub-account

Any type of business can establish a Solo 401(k), so long as there are no full time employees other than the business owner and their spouse.  It can be a partnership, corporation, LLC or sole proprietorship.  Also, the business doesn’t have to exist yet… you can set up a new business at the same time you establish the plan.

In other words, if you work for someone else, you can still set up your own business and initially fund the Solo 401(k) plan with a former plan rollover or transfer from an existing traditional IRA or SEP IRA.

A good example is Steve.  He is a security officer for a large manufacturing company and decided to offer his services on weekends for private events.  So, he set up a new company “Steve’s Security Services” and rolled over a 401(k) from a former employer to initially fund his new Solo 401(k) with $60,000.

Steve’s objective is to maximize contributions to his retirement plan and limit his tax liability, and now he’s got the perfect set up to accomplish it.  He earns $77,000 per year at his full-time job and his employer match is 3%.  So he contributes the full salary deferral of $16,500 and the manufacturing company contributes another $2,310.

Being very successful in finding part-time opportunities through his side business, Steve earns a total of $22,000.  While Steve cannot make additional deferral contributions due to maximizing through his full-time employer’s plan, he can utilize the profit sharing portion (employer match) of his Solo 401(k).  This allows him to contribute 25% of his self-employment earnings – another $5,500.

The end result?  Steve added $24,310 to his retirement plan, and reduced his taxable income by $22,000.  As a special bonus, this deferral reduced his adjusted gross income and put him in a lower tax bracket.  Steve saved more than $2,000 at tax time!

In a future blog, we’ll fill you in on how Steve invested his plan in some opportunities he identified in his local real estate market that resulted in a return on investment of over 20%.

Whether you are currently self-employed or considering adding a side business, you owe it to yourself to consider the Safeguard Financial Solo 401(k) plan.

The bottom line is this.  If you are truly interested in growing your nest egg, you need to explore your self-directed retirement plan options fully.  At Safeguard Financial, we offer the widest range of self directed investment plans in the industry.  All of our plans are focused on putting you in control of investment decisions, allow a broad range of asset choices, and are backed by the highest quality professional setup and advisory services… and a low cost guarantee.

Our expert IRA advisors can assist you in determining what the best fit for your particular situation may be, whether a Solo 401(k), Checkbook IRA, Custodian-Managed Self Directed IRA or a Business Funding IRA. When it comes to self directed IRA investing, Safeguard Financial is your one stop resource.  Contact us today to learn more and take control of your retirement plan investing.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

And then, with most retirement plans, we are offered a handful of “diversified” offerings in just a handful of asset classes.  If you are invested in the “balanced”, “international” and “growth” funds offered through the typical company 401(K) plan, are you really diversified?  As many of us learned too late in this most recent stock market collapse, the answer is a resounding no.

With a self directed IRA, you have the ability to diversify your portfolio by adding a wider range of asset classes such as real estate, privately held stock, commodities and foreign currencies.  While that is a great start, many self directed IRA plans fall short when it comes to managing and balancing a well diversified investment portfolio.

In a self directed IRA held by a 3^rd party custodian, your only in-house investment option is a money market account with an interest rate well below the rate of inflation.  If you want to invest in or re-allocate between, say, stocks and Forex, you need to spend both time and money just getting the custodian to move funds from one brokerage account to another… and in many cases there will be a charge simply for holding the brokerage account within your IRA.

What if you have a rental property or a note that generates good cash flow each month?  Do you want to erode that growth by either parking the income in a money market account or through the cost associated with moving funds to where they can be re-invested productively?

With a Solo 401(k) or Self Directed IRA with Checkbook Control, you are not handcuffed in this manner.  You really can control your retirement investments in ways not possible through any other investment platform.  Not only can you be truly diversified, but you can exercise another key element of smart investing by “always keeping your money working”.

In the checkbook control plans offered by Safeguard Financial, the assets of your retirement plan are held in a specially constructed legal entity which you control.  You can hold a full variety of asset classes in the name of your Checkbook IRA LLC or 401(k) plan trust, and easily move capital between these assets.  The income from the tax lien that was redeemed or the foreclosure fix/flip property that sold can easily and quickly be moved to where it will do you the most good – whether that is another tax lien, a private mortgage, or shares of a Fortune 500 company.

If you are serious about growing your retirement wealth through investing in an array of asset classes with your self directed IRA or Solo 401(k), contact one of our expert IRA advisors today.  We’ll help you establish an investment plan that will enable you to balance your portfolio and re-allocate without unnecessary delays and fees.  Our experienced and professional team will have your Checkbook IRA or Solo 401(k) up and running in 30 days or less with the fastest, turn-key setup process in the industry.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

In Part 1, we took a look at the opportunity (for investors) created by foreclosures, short sales and REO (real estate owned) property.

Part 2 dealt with the advantages of being a cash buyer utilizing a Self Directed IRA or 401(k).

Part 3 will explore having the “right plan” in place before the investment opportunity arises!
___________________________________________________________________

During the course of a day, we receive at least one phone call from a potential client who is frantic to set up a Self Directed IRA plan in order to complete a real estate transaction that has already been set in motion.

This scenario has several potential downsides. First, it runs the risk of creating a prohibited transaction regarding mixing personal funds with IRA funds (because of the down payment requirements). Secondly, if the investor has been aggressive in setting a closing date, there is a real possibility that the Self Directed IRA plan won’t be in place in time to make the closing.

Therefore, when it comes to taking advantage of purchasing “distressed” properties with a Real Estate IRA plan, the key is…to already have the plan in place prior to engaging in a transaction.

(As pointed out in Part 2 of this series: Retirement investors who have set up a Checkbook IRA, or a Solo 401(k), plan with checkbook control, have the same advantage as a cash buyer.)

In an article in the San Francisco Chronicle dated Sept. 1, 2009, Carolyn Said, a staff writer, recounts the story of Nathan Foran who used his self-directed IRA to buy a dilapidated foreclosed house for $25,000 cash.

Foran plans to invest another $25,000 to $35,000 from the retirement account to fix up the property. He then hopes to rent it out for about $1,000 a month…money that will go straight into his retirement account.

Although Said doesn’t address the issue, Foran would have already had a Self Directed IRA, Checkbook IRA, Real Estate IRA or Solo 401k plan in place in order to acquire a foreclosed property. In fact, it is a foregone conclusion, since immediate availability of cash is required for such transactions and only a plan with checkbook control would afford this option.

The author of the article goes on to point out:

“With many properties at bargain-basement prices, more people have been turning to their self-directed IRAs as a ready source of capital to make real estate investments. Companies that manage self-directed IRAs say real estate investments by their clients are up as much as 30 percent over the past year.”

Further, she states that “Self-directed IRAs account for just 2 percent of the $4.2 trillion IRA market, but are among its fastest-growing segments. They allow access to a variety of investment vehicles beyond just stocks and bonds.”

“Most IRA real estate investors buy properties with all cash, the simplest approach”, Said points out. “If they don’t have enough funds to do that, they can partner with other IRA account owners, or even partner with themselves, for instance paying half from their IRA and half from their personal savings.”

Suzanne Gregg, an agent with Paragon Real Estate Group in San Francisco, has bought and flipped a couple of properties through her IRA and said she tripled her money.

“It’s not like you just buy a stock online and forget about it; it’s a little more hands on,” she said. “It’s a tangible asset you can see and manage.”

As we have discussed in the previous 2 articles in this series, opportunities for picking up “distressed” properties abound. Yet there are 3 fundamental steps that should be taken in order to be successful:

Step 1: Education. Be able to speak the language of “distressed property”.
Step 2: Put together a team of knowledgeable professionals to assist you.
Step 3: Have the right plan in place prior to engaging in a transaction.

If you are serious about growing your retirement wealth through investing in distressed properties with your self directed IRA or Solo 401(k), contact one of our expert IRA advisors today.  We’ll help you establish an investment plan that will enable you to be ready to act on opportunities quickly and gain the best deals.  Our experienced and professional team will have your Checkbook IRA or Solo 401(k) up and running in 30 days or less with the fastest, turn-key setup process in the industry.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

(Carolyn Said’s article can be read at SF Gate, the online home of the San Francisco Chronicle.)

In Part 1, we took a look at the opportunity (for investors) created by foreclosures, short sales and REO (real estate owned) property.

Part 2 deals with the advantages of being a cash buyer utilizing a Self Directed IRA or 401(k).

Part 3 will explore having the “right plan” in place before the investment opportunity arises!

___________________________________________________

Cash is king…especially when it comes to buying “distressed” properties, including foreclosures, short sales and REOs.

In today’s “upside down” real estate market, investors with cash have a distinct advantage over a competitor who would be obtaining a mortgage to complete a transaction.  The cash buyer is much more flexible and has the ability to act quickly.  Owners and lenders who are involved with foreclosed properties love this combination.

But, here’s a little secret. Retirement investors who have set up a Self Directed IRA, or a Solo 401(k), plan with checkbook control, have the same advantage as a cash buyer. Not only is cash immediately available, but these retirement investment plans also offer flexibility and spontaneous transactional ability.

How is that possible?  Because retirement funds have been moved to a checking account whereby the owner is able to execute a transaction on behalf of their retirement plan and write a check, or obtain a cashier’s check… immediately and without the delays of a 3^rd party review.

Many retirement investors question whether a Checkbook IRA (also known as an IRA LLC, Real Estate IRA LLC, Self Directed IRA LLC or Solo 401k) is necessary for investing in real estate.

Technically speaking, an investment can be made directly from a Self Directed IRA custodial account. However, when investing in distressed properties, it simply will not work.  Reaction time is everything, and custodial paperwork/process is not well-suited for moving rapidly.

For more extensive information regarding custodial vs Checkbook IRA investing, CLICK HERE.

To illustrate the “cash is king” position, you need look no further than this article from the San Francisco Chronicle on August 23, 2009:

‘Cash Is King’ In Market For Foreclosed Homes

Since January, Jay Nielsen has put in 10 bids (on foreclosed homes); “some were up to $80,000 over asking price and were still turned down,” said Nielsen, 41, a medical assistant. Each time, the banks selected offers from investors with all-cash offers – even when those offers were lower than his, Nielsen said.

“Cash is king right now,” said Glen Bell of Keller Williams Realty in Berkeley. For foreclosed homes, “a cash offer that hits the target price will many times trump a higher-priced offer with a loan. The ability to close has become just as important to banks as price. The prospect of a property being tied up longer, still on their books and then falling out is costly.”

Escrow closes quickly and easily with a cash offer, while offers with a mortgage often take 45 days or longer to close, and can fall through if the financing hits a snag. The result is that average consumers say they are being shut out because they can’t compete against deep-pocketed investors snapping up homes to rent out or flip.

Read the entire article here: ‘Cash Is King’ In Market For Foreclosed Homes.

If you are interested in giving yourself a competitive advantage, increasing your bargaining leverage, and growing your retirement wealth through investing in distressed properties with your self directed IRA or Solo 401(k), contact one of our expert IRA advisors today.  We’ll show you how you can join the scores of clients we have helped recently to take advantage of the fantastic opportunities out there in the world of distressed properties.

Safeguard Financial
877-229-9763
www.IRA123.com

• The majority of publicly traded companies such as Coca Cola, UPS, Delta Airlines and many others, have frozen traditional pension plans.
• Employer matching contributions to 401(k) plans have been put “put on hold”.
• Retirement benefits are under attack now, and medical benefits (already greatly reduced) are the next target.
• Every man, woman and child in America now owes $186,717 in tax debt thanks to the Wizards of Wall Street (investment bankers) and U.S. government elected officials who definitely do not have your best interests at heart.
  

(According to Wikipedia, the U.S. government is committed under current law to mandatory payments for programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. The GAO projects that payouts for these programs will significantly exceed tax revenues over the next 75 years. Net result: An Even Higher Tax Debt.)

Wake up America…time is NOT on your side, especially if you’re 40 years of age or older.

The economy is undergoing a fundamental change that signals less…not more prosperity. Most assuredly there is an increasing burden on individuals to shoulder more of the responsibility for their own financial future.

Younger, more mobile workers are being forced to build a retirement plan piecemeal, as they move more frequently from employer to employer. But, what about older workers who have just seen their retirement dreams blown to bits by the Wall Street investment banks? For many, there will be NO retirement.

And, the stock market WILL NOT recover fast enough for you to make up for all those losses. The Baby Boomer generation just became the Yo Yo generation (You’re On Your Own).

However, DO NOT DESPAIR. You have options. You can pull your retirement funds out of Wall Street (stocks, bonds and mutual funds) and move into an account that will allow you to invest in Main Street. In other words, invest into what you know by setting up a Self Directed IRA or 401(k) plan.

You’ll be able to invest in Commercial, Residential or International Real Estate,  Mortgages, Notes or Tax Liens. Or, you can invest in the Stock of a Private Company, buy a Franchise, or start a Business. And, there are many more options allowed by the IRS code.

Making the right investment choices will be the challenge. But, it’s a challenge worth pursuing because NOBODY is looking out for YOU.  You’re the only one who can do anything about your dilemma. So, get engaged now.

We’ll help you to navigate these very difficult and challenging times by helping you set up a Self Directed IRA, Checkbook IRA, Real Estate IRA, Solo 401(k) or Business Funding IRA.

The time to take control of your own retirement investing is now.  Contact us today to get started.

Safeguard Financial
www.IRA123.com
877-229-9763

While real estate prices may not quite have touched the bottom, foreign investors, including Canadians and Chinese, are snatching up bank owned, foreclosed and distressed properties all over the U.S.

Recently, CNNMoney.com, published an article entitled “Here Come The Real Estate Vultures”. The article stated “these are tempting times for real estate bargain hunters. Whether it’s the tony house down the street with an asking price that keeps dropping or office space at a deep discount, if you have the means, there are deals to be had”.

Not since 1976 have Canadians been able to participate in a meaningful way in the U.S. investment market. But, that’s all changed. The Canadian dollar is currently at par with the U.S. dollar and property values in the U.S. have plummeted, causing it to be a perfect time to buy.

Canadian investment in U.S. real estate more than doubled in one year, from 11 percent to 23.5 percent, making Canada the largest foreign real estate investor in the U.S. (Source: Sierra Vista Herald www.svherald.com)

ABC News reports that many wealthy Chinese have signed up for real estate tours of major U.S. cities wanting a piece of “mei guo”…the beautiful land. They’re buying foreclosed homes, high rise condos and real estate in the path of growth. It’s all about location, location, location.

And, Realtors aren’t waiting for the Chinese to come here, they’re setting up shop in China, equipped with home models, DVD tours and brochures to make the sales. (Read the ABC News report at ABCNews.com.)

It’s clear that real estate opportunities are abundant and now is the time to take the plunge and pick up some bargains for a Self Directed IRA/401(k) portfolio. For savvy investors, this is a once-in-a-lifetime proposition.

We have worked with dozens of investors in recent months who are picking up fantastic, rent-ready, near-new properties for less than they cost to build.

We can have you up and running in 20 to 30 days with a Self Directed Real Estate IRA. Contact us today to get started.

Safeguard Financial
www.IRA123.com
877-229-9763