MENTORS Magazine

46 | MENTORS MAGAZINE | EDITION 1

asking price can be a good deal higher. If the

location is right, you could be making money

each month – just by collecting more in rent

than your monthly mortgage payment. Rent-

al properties provide steady passive income

each month.

Partner Up

Maybe you’re focused on that third element

of the FIRE movement – time – because

even a three percent down payment for a

piece of property wouldn’t be fiscally re-

sponsible. To decrease the number of years

it will take to realize a consistently higher in-

come than expense, you could share a real

estate purchase with a financially like-

minded partner(s).

By partnering, you will reap all of the bene-

fits of your combined down payment sav-

ings. This can lead to fewer upfront fees and

no private mortgage insurance (PMI). It also

means you can divide landlord responsibili-

ties once you start renting, while still gaining

the benefits of a paid mortgage every

month, a property that’s in your name build-

ing equity and, of course, additional monthly

income.

Good Ethics Lead to Good Results

While these four methods can help you

achieve your financial goals through real es-

tate investment and ultimately give you the

freedom to retire early or pursue other in-

terests, I learned many years ago that the

way in which you do business is as important

as the results you achieve.

I reached a turning point in busi-

ness when a mentor, the found-

er and CEO of WhiteWave

Foods, shared his life and com-

pany core values with me: good

for me, good for you, good for

everything. I embraced those

values for myself and my com-

pany and quickly realized that if

I am not doing something that

fits those parameters, then I and

my team members should not

be doing it at all.

This ethos has become the guiding light I

have applied to all of my work, relationships

and activities in the world. It has been deep-

ly gratifying to see these values take hold in

my business and personal life and to know

that I am doing much more than transacting

a deal when helping Millennials with wealth-

enhancing real estate investments. I’ve been

mentored well and now it’s my turn to share

some wisdom: As you work toward achiev-

ing financial freedom, always seek positive

results for everyone and everything. Good

ethics lead to good results.