By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
Les and Kaz Ehart tied the knot this year on Valentine’s Day, after having both been widowed, enduring the weirdness that was COVID, and in Kaz’s case, facing the challenge of inheriting thousands of dollars of debt about which she knew nothing. It had been racked up by her late husband, and she found herself with a credit score of 375. There had been abuse of all kinds, and Kaz is not afraid to talk about it, or be a resource for people who have experienced what she did. She had started to dig out and rebuild her life essentially from the ground up, and Les was a big help. By contrast, Les had a fascinating career involving rockets that among other things took him to the Marshall Islands for five years, and lived a successful life full of adventure. He also served in the U.S. Navy. They are both dog lovers, and Les will tell you that their granddaughter is his “pride and joy.”
Les has become an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur, loves to garden, buy and sell on E-bay, tinker, design, build, and can fix just about anything. Kaz describes herself as an “arts-and-crafts” gal, and Les taught her how to do what he was doing. “Kaz took off like a rocket,” Les said with obvious “pride toward his bride.” They both love to “find finds” and then turn them into tidy profits.
One day, they were out visiting yard sales, and heard a message with regard to a real estate private investment school offered by Ron LaGrand out of Jacksonville, Florida. Kaz was sure it was a scam, and Les texted the number to get more info. It was an opportunity to go to what Ron LaGrand calls his Quick Start program, was held at an Embassy Suites hotel, and it was free. Kaz described it as a “working vacation,” and the training was intense. They were hooked, not in the sense of having been fleeced, but rather with the understanding that this was a program that could first help Kaz with her financial goals, and then help others. Kaz landed her first deal in Athens, and made $20,000. Since then, they have taken further training in attracting solid investors that want to make between 8-10% while helping others get into a house that is their own.
Kaz told me, “There are people who are good folks who for many different reasons are not able to get a loan with a bank. When we put them together with a property, they are able to get in, have a couple of years to get their situation cleared up, and then, if at the end of that time they have not gotten the situation taken care of, they forfeit their deposit, and they have to move out. Everything is spelled out in a contract, and it’s all above board.” Jay Conner also works with Ron LaGrand, and offers further education on the buying, selling, and investing planks of the program
It is not that there is no risk, because any investment involves risk, but this is a tried and proven system that has been vetted by the legal profession and found to be a solid approach that benefits everyone involved. Ron makes sure that people understand the different types of investments that can be made and are profitable. Les told me that they are described as what he calls “pretty houses” and “ugly houses.” “Pretty houses” are in good shape, need minimal repair or upgrade, and are more often along the lines of what is thought of as a lease/option to buy. “Ugly houses” are just that—they are distressed, need a lot of repairs (which requires a pool of cash and someone skilled in doing the work), and are most often purchased for pennies on the dollar and then flipped. They are more likely to be considered for quicker returns, and a well-rounded business has both in their portfolio. Both have different exit strategies as well as tax advantages, and the training that is involved is extensive and includes educating and protecting the investor as well.
Buyers, sellers, and investors are motivated by different kinds of things. When it comes to “pretty houses,” the needs are more often tied to things like divorce, job relocation, debt reduction, or other factors that are not quite as desperate. “Ugly houses” are more often tied to sharper financial distress, endeavoring to avoid foreclosure, or needing to get out from underneath a property that has become a real weight. No matter what your situation may be, Kaz and Les are “lit up” by the prospect of being able to help you. Get in touch with them today, and start your property solution journey with people who genuinely care about the people who need guides on that journey.
Phone: 913-424-5266 or 256-755-5977
Email: thisandthat913@gmail.com
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
