One of the most frustrating elements of a self-directed IRA is the fact that you have to find an alternative investment to make it grow. Unlike typical “off the shelf” investments like mutual funds, you may actually have to be patient and wait for the best opportunity to present itself.
However, to the patient can come choices that are hard to match in the world of publicly traded stocks and bonds.
As most of you know, I make my living as the president and CEO of NuView IRA, a self-directed IRA administrator in Florida. However, I make my retirement investments just like each of my clients – through alternative investments via self-direction. As such, I find myself researching opportunities to see what is best for my retirement account. Last week, I let a few friends know that I had some retirement funds recently come available to see what investment opportunities were out there. Among my personal contacts are Realtors, fellow investors, builders, private lenders and real estate developers. I had recently sold a property owned by my retirement account and wanted to get the proceeds back into action. Additionally, my brother had moved some funds out of his company’s 401k into a NuView IRA and he wanted to partner with my retirement and make some alternative investments together.
Now, after networking with friends and family members, I have been able to narrow it down to four opportunities. First, a private developer of luxury apartments that is offering an 8% return with further profit participation, a property wholesaler in the Orlando area who finds great deals in rental properties with cash flows at 7%, private notes for the purchase of semi-tractors, secured by the “pink-slip” at 9%, and a local Realtor who has a great property to fix up and sell, estimating a 10% return within 6 months.
Each opportunity is attractive for various reasons and rather than choose one of the four investments, I am contemplating on spreading my funds partially amongst all four. Through fractional ownership and the ability to partner with my brother’s IRA and others, I may indeed be able to accomplish my goal and achieve true investment diversity.
I do practice what I preach and like many of you, face the struggles of finding, analyzing and executing on alternative investments for my self-directed IRA. I have learned that with good networking, surrounding myself with investment professionals and understanding the opportunities self-direction affords, I too can achieve my dream of an achievable retirement.
All the best in your investments.
Glen
