Ep. 62 - Impacting Through Real Estate Investments with Samuel Sells
Sam is a retired US Air Force officer and combat veteran who founded Wild Mountain Capital in 2018 with his hero dad. Sam traveled globally with US Air Force Special Operations as an International Health Specialist and saw poverty and a lack of safe housing while leading complex rehab and development projects worldwide. This motivated Sam to start Wild Mountain to transform neglected, unsafe, and mismanaged assets not just into “Affordable Housing”, but into a housing that is affordable. The Wild Mountain team has 60+ years of commercial and residential real estate experience and over 75+ projects individually. Since 2019, the team has syndicated 20 development /rehab properties, creating equity growth nearly twice the initial investment in less than two years. Projects include mobile home communities, apartment complexes, and self-storage facilities. If you are interested in starting your real estate journey, be sure to check Wild Mountain Capital Portfolio and Coaching initiative “The Syndication Solution”.
In this episode of the Art of Winning, Sam talks about his concept of clean money and how it can be used to make an impact through real estate investments. Sam shares his story of transitioning from the military to investing in multi-family projects across Texas and other states. We discuss the concept of "clean money" and how investing in real estate rather than Bitcoin can be more responsible decision. Sam discusses the advantages of investing in multi-family projects, such as diversification across multiple asset classes, markets, and partners with solid track records. He also talks about his current project - an apartment complex in Fort Worth Texas - and how they are investing to reduce crime and improve the community. The conversation then shifts to REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and how they often try to sweep properties off their balance sheet without properly informing investors. Samuel also shares his strategy for investing in distressed properties and emphasizes the importance of foundation building when it comes to tax codes and learning how to invest.
[00:00 - 17:07] Making an Impact with Your Investments
● Samuel Sells is introduced to the show.
● Sam is a multi-family investor who has achieved success in both the military and investing worlds.
● Sam got into real estate investing after retiring from the military, focusing on mobile home parks, apartments in multi-family, and ground-up storage.
[17:07 - 32:39] Exploring the Concept of Clean Money
● The concept of clean money is essential to improve the world by not supporting criminal organizations, terrorist groups, and corrupt politicians.
● Clean money seeks to invest in projects that have a positive impact on the environment, people, and communities.
● Sam cannot change the world on his own, but he wants to create “some ripples in the pond” by promoting clean money.
● Sam talks about how he has been in situations where he thought about the money that moves hands and how it ends up in the wrong pockets.
● Educating people about certain issues is a huge part of doing business, especially when it comes to improving communities.
● Sam's philosophy on success involves finding what works for you and continually improving and adapting to achieve your goals.
[32:39 - 57:33] Investing in Distressed Properties to Create Positive Impact
● REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) tend to become slumlords over time because they prioritize squeezing out every penny of profit from properties.
● REITs are not transparent about their properties' true condition and may continue to show beautiful properties to investors even after they have become run-down.
● Sam delves on why educating investors about the value of slow and good investments is important.
● Class A properties can be run by a team without the need for geographical proximity.
● Class B properties can be spread out geographically, but a finger must still be kept on the pulse of these properties.
● Class C and D properties require more geographic proximity, with a team on-site in the beginning until the property is stabilized.
● A team spread out geographically can work if they do not need to be on-site.
● The execution of the business plan is paramount to the success of the investment.
● Real estate investing can provide significant tax benefits.
● Depreciation can reduce or eliminate taxes owed on investment gains.
● Real estate investors can pay $0 in taxes through depreciation.
● Real estate investing provides an opportunity to increase wealth beyond the stock market.
[53:33 – 01:02:23] Closing Segment
● What are the key elements you look for when investing and what is your strategy for building wealth?
o “Investing in a way that makes a difference and you get wealthy at the same time”.
● What do you do for your health right now? What is your focus on health?
o Sam prioritizes his health by focusing on his nutrition and physical fitness in order to be present and active for his family.
● How do you know whether you're winning or not?
o Sam determines whether he's winning by how is his relationship with his wife, as it is the most important relationship on the planet. Additionally, Sam's spiritual health and relationship with God as well as tracking metrics beyond just financial return in a company setting, such as community impact and educational programs.
● What brings you the most joy in life right now?
o Sam finds joy in talking to his wife, hearing his child's laughter, and seeing residents' lives improve through their efforts. Despite challenges, he remains happy knowing his life is on the right track.
Connect with Sam!
Website: Wild Mountain Capital Linktree
Twitter: @Sells_Samuel
LinkedIn: Samuel Sells
Instagram: @CleanMoneySam
Want to learn more about creating multiple streams of income, wealth protection, financial freedom, or real estate investing? Join our investor club, check out our blog, get our free ebook on investing, or join us for our monthly Real Estate Investing Made Simple virtual meetup. Take the first to your wins in life and head on to http://www.valkeregroup.com.
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Key Quotes
“If you're not creating impact, you're not creating health, you're not creating happiness, you're not supporting other Americans, go away”. – Samuel Sells
“When you’re investing, it is important to know what you're doing with your money. If it doesn't fit your values, don’t do it.” – Samuel Sells
“Successful people are intentional with their actions and energy and where they spend their energy”. – Ashton Levarek
