3 successful real estate investors

How did they grow their investment?

Quebeckers sometimes choose to invest their savings in real estate rather than in the financial markets. If few of them make a fortune with their properties, many can generate sufficient income to live well and secure their old age.

Who are these investors who, by dint of perseverance, have managed to grow their investment in brick and mortar? Speaker and real estate coach Gillian LA Rochelle presents some of them in his book Building Wealth: 30 Inspiring Stories from Real Estate Investors.

1: TIME TO ENJOY LIFE

The actor entered the world of real estate in 2003, when he decided, on a whim, to buy the triplex where he lives. Soon, he wrote an offer to buy, gets the guarantee of his father and becomes, at 26, the proud owner of a triplex in the lower city of Quebec. And without any down payment.

This improvised transaction will be the first in a long series. Three years later, he refinanced his mortgage to buy a duplex, this time with a down payment of $ 30,000. He will use this same technique to acquire another duplex.

Today, Eric Morasses has ten homes. Not enough to roll on gold, but that is enough to offer him a good quality of life while giving him time to do what he likes. "I do not need much; I favor voluntary simplicity. I work a little fifteen hours a week, sometimes as a waiter, or I teach acro yoga and Pilates, "he says.

2: THE KING OF FLIPS

In 2010 and 2011, Karl Goupil made no less than 50 real estate flips in 14 months. His secret? "I evaluate the situation without wasting time: I consult the land register, I study the history of the property, I assess the debt of the owner. Then, I calculate the renovation costs according to the dimensions, with one of my Excel files. Finally, I set the amount of my offer accordingly, "he explains in the book.

A former professional hockey player with 17 years in Europe, Karl never thought he would spend much of his life in real estate. Back in Quebec as a real estate broker, he quickly left this profession to start full time in flips. His professional experience allows him to find homes that can be resold quickly and at a good price.

Despite his modus operandi set to a quarter turn, all his transactions have not been successful. "There is when I lost money," he says. It does not matter, he told himself, he can always get back next time.

3: A NEW STYLE OF LIFE

Next, to being laid off from a telecommunications company, Sylvie Beauchamp decided to turn to real estate to achieve financial independence. Diane, an accountant, and the self-employed worker are quick to follow her, for fear of never being able to retire.

The two women, who have undergone basic training in real estate investment, are buying their first property, an eight-unit building in Saint-Jérôme. Sylvie takes care of the tenant management, while Diane manages the accounting and the administrative aspects.

A little later, both partners move to the next level and acquire a 20-unit building. "Because we wanted to live quickly, we had to find buildings that had cash surpluses from the start," she says.