Building a Legacy as a Real Estate Entrepreneur
“Do the Uncomfortable Until it Becomes Comfortable”
Michael Lewis is an independent business owner with HomeVestors® of America, Inc. in the Fort Worth, Texas market. He started his business, Morning Glory Investment Group, Inc., in 2012 after a successful and lucrative career as a real estate agent with RE/MAX and Keller Williams. His wife, Ashley, is a former pastor and chaplain at a children’s hospital. His 15-year-old son, Walker, is an aspiring professional motocross athlete.
Life Before HomeVestors
While still in high school, Michael lied about his age so he could get a job working in a health food store. Health and fitness became a passion for Michael, and he got into body building and nutrition, the income from which he was able to go to college. One of his fitness clients worked for Coldwell Banker and sparked Michael’s interest in real estate. Two weeks before the World Trade Center collapsed, Michael got his real estate license.
He went to work at Coldwell Banker and after an unsuccessful first year he moved to RE/MAX. Under the mentorship of a successful agent, Michael learned how to become successful, and subsequently worked at Keller Williams selling over a hundred houses per year and eventually managing the sales team. “It was all about speed,” Michael explained. “It was an all-or-nothing pursuit, never home, no time to pursue my true passions, and definitely no time for family. Something had to change.” Fortunately for Michael, the landlord for one of his commercial properties was a HomeVestors franchisee and convinced Michael to give HomeVestors a call.
Becoming a HomeVestors Independent Business Owner
“I called the HomeVestors corporate office and spoke with a gentleman by the name of Larry Louwagie,” remembered Michael. “That was in August of 2012. I bought my franchise and started training in October.” Having been a successful real estate agent, Michael did not see the need to follow any of the HomeVestors programs or systems. “I had an ego and I had a pride issue,” Michael recalled. “And I failed.”
“Then a very successful HomeVestors franchisee by the name of Chas Carrier became my mentor. He insisted I follow the already-proven program and within the next six months I bought around 19 homes.”
Twelve Years Later
Today, Michael owns two franchises and is focused on building his legacy. “Flipping homes is a great life and financially lucrative, but flipping homes is a high-paying job. Building a real estate portfolio allows you to build a legacy. I want my business to serve me, so rentals have become my primary focus. I currently have 51 rental properties with a goal of 100 and I have a full-time property manager on my payroll along with a maintenance team.”
One of the things that Michael does with his rentals is charge below-market rents. As Michael explained, “All the rents in my portfolio are below market value and my real soft spot is for single mothers. If a single mom needs a great place to live to bring up her children, I will charge her what she can afford. It’s just the right thing to do.”
“I love HomeVestors. They have allowed me to have a wonderful journey where I can follow my passions. And my biggest passion, outside of my family, is having a ministry for young athletes. I currently coach and minister to a professional motocross race team called “Next Level Racing” where mentoring is the primary focus.
Advice from an Expert
“My advice for anyone getting started in real estate investing is simple.”
• Always do the right thing
• “Swim upstream” (go the extra mile)
• Jump in with both feet
• Do the uncomfortable until it becomes comfortable
Homevestors
What exactly does it mean to be a HomeVestors® business owner? Owning a real estate business is life changing and naturally comes with risks! When you become a HomeVestors business owner, you get immediate access to motivated seller leads, financing resources for qualifying purchases and repairs, one-on-one coaching with your local Development Agent, proprietary software for analyzing properties and deals, and access to a nationwide network of coaches and peers. Your house-buying business is yours and you run it as your own venture with a focus toward your individual business goals.
If you are interested in a franchise, call 866-249-6932, email Sales@homevestorsfranchise.com or visit www.homevestorsfranchise.com. Each franchise office is independently owned and operated.
