Investor Profile

From Successful Lawyer to Successful Real Estate Entrepreneur

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Doing What You Enjoy is Key to Success and Happiness Paul Neil is an independent business owner with HomeVestors® of America, Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona, which he started in 2020 after practicing law for twenty-one years in both Arizona and the Virgin Islands. His primary focus is on fix-and-flips, and he has recently started building his personal real estate portfolio. Life Before HomeVestors Paul attended the Pepperdine University School of Law and for 21 years practiced with several of the largest laws firms in the Phoenix area, specializing in civil litigation, commercial litigation and HOAs. Ironically, after his first year of law school, he realized he did not want to be a lawyer, but he had already accumulated $30,000 in student loan debt with more to come. In a profession he felt was not a good fit for his interests, he established three criteria to leave the legal profession: (1) his new career would need to let him spend more time with his family (2) his new career would allow him to be in control of his life (3) he would need to match or exceed his income from practicing law while simultaneously building long-term passive retirement income. Enter HomeVestors! The Beginning of Cane Bay Properties In 2020, Paul was introduced to HomeVestors by a friend and a fellow HomeVestors independent business owner. He quickly bought his first property in November 2020 and never looked back. In 2021, Paul bought 25 homes, most of which were fix-and-flips. “I enjoy walking into a house and seeing the potential,” said Paul. “We play a vital role because we not only improve houses and help people in difficult situations, but we aesthetically improve neighborhoods and communities.” In 2022, Paul bought 24 homes, meeting his established goal of buying an average of 2-3 homes per month. The Phoenix real estate industry began to change quickly during the latter part of 2022 because of economic uncertainty and back-to-back interest rate hikes. Paul’s buying slowed as a result. While Phoenix is one of the most profitable markets and also one of the most competitive, it was also one of the first markets to get hit when the market started to change. In response, Paul implemented advice from Michael Ludlow, his HomeVestors Development Agent, to successfully navigate the fast-evolving market. Present Day Nearly three years in, Paul feels HomeVestors has generally satisfied his three criteria for leaving the legal practice to fix and flip real estate. He works more than he originally anticipated but that is admittedly by choice given his personal income and retirement goals. The real estate market in the Greater Phoenix Metro Area has improved enough that Paul and his wife, Racquel, have begun building their personal portfolio of rental properties, with Racquel leading the charge. The Neil’s recently purchased their second HomeVestors franchise, Teague Bay Properties, in Northern Arizona. Advice from an Expert “I followed the HomeVestors systems from the very beginning and relied heavily on my Development Agent for his expertise and mentorship. One thing he strongly advised as the market shifted last year is to not chase the market down. He taught that ‘Sometimes you just have to rip-off the band aid and drop the listing price on losing properties to a number that is materially below what you believe is the existing market value. If you’ve truly done that then the buyers will come.’” “My other Golden Rule: No deal is better than a bad deal.” 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.

Succeeding in Real Estate in Oklahoma

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Do Not Get Caught Up in the Weeds Matthew Hicks is an independent business owner with HomeVestors® of America, Inc. in Oklahoma City, which he started in 2019 after graduating from Washburn University in Topeka, KS. His primary focus is on buying, rehabbing and selling residential properties. Life Before HomeVestors Upon graduating college with a degree in Accounting & Finance and “baseball,” Matthew bought his franchise in 2019 at the age of 24 in Oklahoma City. Outside of a brief four-month internship with a lending company while in college, he began his company, Sunrise Property Solutions, with minimal experience in the real estate world, relying on strong mentors and the proven systems within HomeVestors. The Beginning of Sunrise Property Solutions Matthew settled in Oklahoma City with his wife, Mackenzie, so they could be closer to family. Mackenzie, a nurse by training and profession, and also a real estate agent, recently joined the real estate company full-time handling asset dispositions. The Oklahoma City real estate market is strong and has grown drastically over the last few years, according to Matthew. “It is a strong rental market and also strong for first-time homebuyers,” said Matthew. “That is why we focus primarily on single-family rentals and currently buy about 17-20 houses per year.” Oklahoma City has seen steady growth in both its population and its economy over the years. With a low cost of living and a diverse range of industries, it’s a great place to invest in real estate. “It is one of the most consistently growing housing markets in the United States,” Matthew explained. In October 2022, Oklahoma passed a law basically making some forms of “wholesaling” illegal. The Oklahoma Predatory Real Estate Wholesaler Act (the “Wholesaler Act”) prohibits many wholesaling activities by banning public marketing prior to closing. Because the “Wholesaler Act” was passed only recently, the exact application and scope of the legislation remains unclear, which is why Matthew does not do wholesaling. Matthew spent his first two years in real estate learning about rehabs and working with contractors. Admittedly, he said starting out he made mistakes regarding over-estimating rehab costs. However, with experience, mentors and proven systems in place, he has overcome those rookie mistakes. Present Day With four years now under their belts, Matthew and Mackenzie have two new career goals: Buying 35 homes in 2023 and having 50 houses in their portfolio paid off by the time he reaches 50-years old. “And with Mackenzie joining the company full-time just a few months ago, the company is well-positioned to achieve those goals.” Advice from an Expert “I followed the HomeVestors systems right out of the gate,” said Matthew. “So, my advice for anyone just getting started in real estate is quite straight-forward:” • Find systems you can trust. • Find a mentor early on to avoid costly mistakes. • Do not get caught up in the weeds. • Learn how to work with contractors. 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.

Succeeding in Real Estate in a Historic Way

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Be Agile with Your Dreams and Business Amir Alexander is an independent business owner with HomeVestors® of America, Inc. in Virginia, where he buys, rehabs, and sells residential properties in the Norfolk market which is comprised of seven cities which make up the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Life Before HomeVestors Upon graduating college, Amir had dreams of going to law school and becoming a lawyer, until “One day, I researched a list of the richest people in the country and discovered they all amassed their wealth through real estate,” he said. That revelation was an eye opener, and he quickly shifted his dreams and energies to the real estate industry… in a historic way. Amir got in the industry in 2004 when he became the youngest licensed mortgage broker in the history of Virginia. In 2008, primarily due to the recession, he used his savings to begin investing in the Norfolk real estate market in partnership with a CPA firm. At that time, his focus was strictly on residential property buy-and-holds. Amir was introduced to HomeVestors through a friend who owned a local franchise. He then bought his own franchise in 2015 at the age of 32. “I was enthused with the prospect of having an independent business that already had proven and reliable systems in place,” he said. The Beginning of Rock Solid Real Estate LLC The Norfolk, Virginia, real estate market is a very stable market. Hampton Roads, specifically, is known for its large military presence and miles of waterfront property and beaches, all of which contribute to the diversity and stability of the region’s economy. Almost 80% of the region’s economy is derived from federal sources with the Hampton Roads area having the largest concentration of military bases and facilities of any metropolitan area in the world. When Amir bought his franchise, he relied heavily on the mentorship of Patti Robertson, who was his Development Agent (DA). “Right out of the gate, I relied on her wisdom, years of experience as a HomeVestors independent business owner, and on the HomeVestors systems and financing programs,” he explained. Consequently, Rock Solid Real Estate LLC has grown exponentially year-over-year since its inception in 2015. Present Day Today, Amir focuses on both buy-and-holds and fix-and-flips. He is also agile enough to shift his focus based on trending economic conditions. While currently not investing in short-term rentals, that is one niche he is watching closely. The Coastal Virginia – Hampton Roads region continues to draw visitors and tourists year after year. He is also a Development Agent supporting new franchisees nationwide with the assistance of his wife, Kristel, who is a full-time nurse practitioner and REALTOR®. Kristel also serves as the listing agent for the business. Advice from an Expert Amir Alexander is a firm believer in building generational wealth through real estate investing and has expert advice for investors just getting started. • Get in early • Stick with it • Do it the HomeVestors way • Advertise 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.

From Business to Carpenter to Real Estate Investor

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Learn From Others and Drop Your Ego to be Successful Robert Sturrock is an independent business owner with HomeVestors® of America, Inc. in Southeastern Wisconsin, where he buys, rehabs, and sells residential properties. But his professional journey is far from typical. Life Before HomeVestors Sturrock graduated from the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point in 2001 with a degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation, he began his business life in the restaurant industry holding key management positions. However, it didn’t take long before he realized that was not what he wanted to do. So, he decided to get his hands dirty in the building trades. Sturrock worked for three years in the trades as a carpenter building and remodeling homes, an experience that would prove beneficial down the road; in 2004 he purchased his first rehab and his first rental property. The HomeVestors Journey Begins While still working in the trades, Sturrock saw a HomeVestors billboard featuring “UG,” the company “caveman” mascot. He made an inquiry with a local franchisee, and was attracted by the HomeVestors systems, the lead generation program and the support available from the corporate office. In April of 2005, at the age of 28, he bought his HomeVestors franchise along with a partner. That partner, Sturrock recalled, was a gentleman that he used to cut his grass for as a boy. The gentleman admired his work ethic and told him that if he ever went into business to give him a call… so he did… and the new partnership was formed. As an added benefit, Sturrock met his future wife, Christi, during his initial HomeVestors training. Christi worked as the office manager for another HomeVestors franchisee. Today, she manages all the sales for their company, Riverhouse Investments LLC, in addition to owning her own brokerage. When Sturrock bought his franchise, HomeVestors had not yet developed their Development Agent (DA) program, but he did have a primary mentor, Ernie Hughes. Hughes went to work for HomeVestors of America in July of 2005, but his relationship with the company and its founder, Ken D’Angelo, goes all the way back to 1973 when they were partners in other real estate ventures. Hughes impressed upon Sturrock to follow the HomeVestors proven systems and WASH-RINSE-REPEAT. Present Day In 2010, Sturrock started focusing on building his portfolio with single-family homes. Today, that portfolio includes a duplex and several multifamily properties, with 95% of his portfolio in Milwaukee. In 2016, Sturrock became a DA and today considers his role as a DA the most rewarding part of his business. He supports 32 people in a three-state area and is instrumental in their successes. In 2018, Sturrock bought out his partner of 13 years and is currently focusing on fix-and-flips and buy-and-holds. Advice from an Expert Sturrock is a firm believer in the single-family rental business and has sage advicefor investors just getting started. • Spouses need to support each other and have mutual goals. • Don’t have an ego. • Follow the system and learn from others. • Live below your means so you have more money to invest in real estate. 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.

In Search of the American Dream

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Take Action and Find Good Leaders As an independent business owner with HomeVestors® of America, Inc., Vee Le has achieved enviable success in the real estate investment industry. In just nine short years, Vee has already accomplished more than most other real estate investors accomplish in their entire career. She has purchased 250 properties in this short time and is the owner of a property management company. And she’s not done, yet. The Prelude In 1995, at the age of 15, Vee Le and her family immigrated to the United States from Vietnam and settled in Houston, Texas. After graduating from high school, she attended the University of Houston where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in 2005. Upon graduating from college, she worked at both a full-time job and a part-time job until her mother bought a nail salon business and told Vee to manage it. Vee successfully ran the family business for ten years, starting in Colorado and then expanding into Texas. As Vee pointed out, “I ran that business for 10 years, 24/7, when I realized I needed something different to do in my life.” Enter real estate. In 2014 Vee discovered the HomeVestors franchise opportunity. With zero real estate experience, she took a chance and bought a franchise in the Houston area. For the next three months, Vee was establishing her real estate business while still managing the family business before turning it over to a sibling. Now it was real estate full-time. The Venture into Real Estate Having bought her HomeVestors franchise mid-year in 2014, Vee bought 15 homes in her first half-year of business. With no real estate experience, she followed the HomeVestors systems down to the letter and relied on the advice of her Development Agent. In 2015, her real estate business began growing exponentially and today she continues to buy 25-30 homes each year focusing on fix-and-flips, buy-and-holds and short-term rentals. Her current focus is on growing her team, which now consists of 10 employees, and growing her short-term rental portfolio. And she is now herself a Development Agent for the Houston and Corpus Christi markets helping new HomeVestors franchisees build successful operations and buy and sell residential properties. Vee has diversified her short-term rental portfolio to include two distinct markets: Houston, which is an urban market, and Galveston, which is a destination market. This strategy offers a well-balanced mix of options that can cater to a variety of travelers including corporate travelers and vacationers. While short-term rentals are very competitive, Vee says that short-term rentals are her favorite investments, as they combine both real estate rental skills and hospitality skills. Present Day While owning a large portfolio is one of her key strategies for building long-term wealth through real estate investing, Vee has also expanded into other real estate related ventures. Vee founded Buzz Vacation Rentals in 2020 to help other investors manage their most expensive assets, their second homes. Buzz Vacation Rentals is a premier property management company for short-term and vacation rentals in Houston and Galveston. In 2018, Vee started a community of real estate investors who are thriving to operate at a high level. Its mission is to connect like-minded individuals with a common goal of financial freedom. It is all about deal-making, growing a rental portfolio, and supporting each other. “I want to help people and provide positivity and inspiration…it is my way of giving back,” Vee said. Advice from an Expert “It is important to understand that real estate is not about the house, it is about people. We help people get out of their ‘ugly’ real estate situations,” said Vee. She continued, “My best advice to anybody is to take action, find good systems, and find good leaders.” 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.

Zach and Kara Ziegler

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Turning Past Experiences into Real Estate Investing Success As independent business owners with HomeVestors® of America, Inc., Zach and Kara Ziegler capitalized on their previous real estate experiences to become successes in the investment industry. And they turned their business, ZK2 Properties, into a family affair, even naming the company after their and their daughter’s initials (Zach, Kara, and Zoie Katherine…so ZK twice). The Zieglers live in Spokane, Washington, and bought their franchise in March of 2018. Spokane is the economic and cultural center of the Spokane metropolitan area, the Spokane–Coeur d’Alene combined statistical area, and the Inland Northwest. Based on the geographical location of Spokane, the Ziegler’s main markets are eastern Washington and northern Idaho. The Beginnings Kara Ziegler worked for a real estate developer for eight years before leaving to raise their children and to help Zach grow his General Contracting business which focused primarily on working with banks on their distressed properties after the 2008 housing crisis. Zach also owns his own furniture business which they still use to buy furniture for their various investment properties. With their past experiences, it was a natural fit for the Zieglers to initially focus on the fix-and-flip niche of the real estate investment industry. Kara readily admits that their first year, when they “only” bought 11 houses, was slow. The Zieglers took their time to learn everything about the HomeVestors systems, but their patience and one-year learning curve was soon going to pay off. Present Day In the last three years, the Ziegler team, which includes their son, Jake, bought about 60 houses, primarily fix-and-flips and short-term rentals. Says Kara, “Spokane is a good market, it is ever changing and quickly growing. It is a beautiful place to live and raise a family. The last three years have been good for our business. But the next few years, since the effects of COVID have changed the market, that is when our training from HomeVestors will really pay off.” Their primary focus now is on short-term rentals and long-term rentals. Due to the sheer beauty and location of Spokane, which is situated along the Spokane River and adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, and only 18 miles west of the Washington–Idaho border, it is a great market to invest in short-term rentals. And Spokane is only 33 miles west of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, a major tourist attraction. The Zieglers have taken advantage of these considerations and are investing heavily in this market niche. The family business, ZK2 Properties, is very effective and efficient. Kara manages the office, Zach handles the construction work, and their son, Jake, is the buyer. “We truly could not do this business without Jake. He has a kind heart that sellers are quick to pick up on. He often leaves most appointments having become close friends with a homeowner, many of whom he continues to keep in touch with long after the transaction is completed,” said Kara. “It is important to us that the people (sellers) come first and the house second, and to help those in our community get out of their ‘ugly’ real estate situations.” Advice from a Pro When asked what advice she would give to real estate investors, Kara put it simply: “Number one, if you are an investor, come join HomeVestors. HomeVestors is where it’s at. Next, stay within the price points in your market and stay in the price range of first-time homebuyers.” For fellow franchisees, her advice is just as succinct: “HomeVestors has spent years perfecting their systems…they work…FOLLOW THE PLAN. Know your market and your price points in your market. Most important: People first – House second.” Words of wisdom from a “Spokanite.” Homevestors What exactly does it mean to be aHomeVestors® 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 855-454-4518, email Sales@homevestorsfranchise.com or visit www.homevestorsfranchise.com. Each franchise office is independently owned and operated.