Feb 20, 2018
Ever go on a trip and wish you could just stay and not return?
Well, Billy Keels did just that when he left for a sabbatical to
Europe 17 years ago. This native of Columbus, Ohio now lives in
Barcelona, where he works in sales and helps others invest in U.S.
real estate. Today, we talk about how he selects his markets from
Spain, as well as how he manages to put deals together and oversee
a team from overseas.
Key Market Insights
- Billy is originally from Columbus, OH
- Hired for a corporate sales job that allowed him to travel to
Europe
- Did a sabbatical and ended up marrying a Spanish woman and
staying
- Watched stocks lose over 30% of value in 2008 and realized he
needed to invest in different assets which gave him more
control
- Went from buying an apartment in Europe to investing in U.S.
rentals
- Understood he wanted steady cash flow and streams of
income
- Needed to put more process behind selecting markets: First step
is look for cash flow, second step is align with the right team
members that understand that opportunity
- At that point had a lack of knowledge on the market and was
lucky that his first experience was positive cash flow
- Was investing in South New Jersey because he had family close
by
- Strong due diligence includes reviewing operational reports,
occupancy and economic occupancy
- Analyzing markets that fit his personality, Billy looked at
14-15 cash flow markets and identified a top 4 list
- Market Criteria: Population of at least 300,000, job
diversification, net migration, Fortune 500 companies and presence
of foreign owned companies
- Top markets: Atlanta, Charlotte, Columbus, and Philadelphia,
decided to focus on Charlotte
- Likes NE and SW Charlotte for the profile of the resident they
want to serve
- Uses REIS reports to understand neighborhoods on a granular
level
- Was surprised that European friends wanted to invest with him
in the US
- Did not want to invest friends with money and it was weird in
the beginning
- Work in sales and business process 7am to 10pm, but has
flexibility
Bull’s Eye Tips:
Winning Your Market: Be clear on who you are and what
you want, let the data lead you to the market
Tracking Market Changes: rely heavily on the team and
local newspapers
Daily Habit: Spend time with himself meditating, jog
2-3 days
Resources:
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
REIS
Growyourmoneythesmartway.com
Best Business Books:
The Creature from Jekyll Island by G Edward Griffin
Digital Resources
Calm
Zoom
Tweet This:
"Don’t ever pick a market just because someone you know lives
there"
"Whether a duplex or 50 unit, the market and team are critical"
Places to Grab a Bite:
Barcelona: BOTAFUMEIRO
Charlotte: Fenwick (Myers
Park)
Connect with Billy:
Bit.ly/speakwithbilly
Keeponcashflow.com
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