How Joining A Real Estate Investment Club Can Turn Around Your Finances For Good Forever

Stocks, bonds, treasury bills, fixed term deposits, etc. 

These are just a few of the investment options where the superrich put their money. But no matter how long you stretch any investment list, it is never going to be complete until you add something – Real Estate.

Individuals have long known that it is possible to make lots of money by investing in real estate, but very few, proportionately speaking, have the capital available to be able to do any investing. The solution is for such individuals to join real estate investment clubs, so that their money {as small as N5,000} can be pooled together in order to purchase properties that they otherwise could not afford to buy. This week’s edition of SucessDigest takes you into the world of real estate investment clubs. You get to learn how you can join one and benefit from it – own properties and build your wealth - or how you can even set up one by yourself.
 
What is a real estate investment club?
 Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia, defines real estate investment clubs as clubs formed by individuals who want to invest specifically in real estate. It says real estate investment clubs have been booming since the 1990s and that they vary between those that focus on single family homes and those that focus on commercial real estate.
 
Mr. Sunny Elem, Managing Director, Wealthteam Properties Ltd.,
Says, “Just like any other investment and as the name projects, real estate investment is keeping your money in real estate industry with the hope of making returns on investment. Some people invest to build; some invest to sell, so whatever the case, real estate is there for any investor.
 
Mr. Debo Adejana, MD, Reality Point Ltd says, “By my own coinage, I will say it is an investment that specializes in investing in real estate and make real estate its priority. It is not ideal for any investment club to have only one investment item, there are other vehicles of investment – the money market is there, capital market is there, real estate market is there and other markets are there. For us, real estate gulps the highest. The one we have done, the ratio we have had in time past is 10%:20%:70% - money market, capital market and real estate respectively. That was even when the club had taken off fully, but if it is just starting, there will be a take-off strategy, which is usually different because of the nature of business investment, it will be more capital intensive than most other available investments. So, we need to aggregate a sizable amount of funds – in this process, we played a lot in the money market and capital market”.
 
Mr. Oluwafisayo Akinlolu, Director, Hulk Properties and Homes Ltd says, “It is the coming together of a set of people and pulling resources together for the purpose of investing in real estate - you are looking at a group people to do this, as the general idea behind it”.  
 
Who can set up a real estate investment club?
Elem says, “Anybody can form it, but based on the person’s understanding of the industry – as in, you are an organizing group of people to invest in real estate, at least you must have good understanding of how those things work. There are some few questions you need to address, like: How long are we going to hold on? Are we going to develop a virgin land? Are we going long term or short term? All those must be factored in, without that; I don’t think it will work out”.
 
Adejana says, “Anybody can form it. However, for a successful real estate investment club, the people who are pioneering it must be knowledgeable about the items of investment – in this case, real estate. So, if someone is setting up a real estate investment club, I want to presume that such a person is very vast and knowledgeable in the real estate world, so that he can make a success”.
 
Akinlolu says, “I don't think that there is a law in Nigeria that says a group of people in Nigeria can't come together and do whatever they like - you can form a club. We are talking about real estate investment club, you don't have to be a corporate entity. You can have like a group of five friends come together with their resources. Investment is simply putting money into something for profit sake. This is different from the personal consumption real estate”.                  
                         
What are the benefits of being a member?
Elem says, “Those that join investment clubs, do that basically because they don’t have time to manage the business; when doing it themselves, they don’t have the required funds to go into real estate – knowing fully well that real estate is capital intensive.
 
In a real estate investment club, members come together to:
     .  network

• gain knowledge about investment practices
• get hot tips about available commercial or rental properties
• become familiar with laws and regulations
• understand market trends and how to profit from them
• trade information about vendors for property improvements and services
• get the advice of legal and financial professionals
• learn from guest speakers
• find a supportive group of like-minded individuals with common goals

 
Adejana says, “Benefits will vary from club to club as it will be defined by different clubs. However, generally, you will say that one major thing that real estate investment clubs enable the members do is to access real estate investment at their level – meaning, with minimal amount, they will still be able to access the kind of the trust that real estate investment brings, because their money is being pulled along with other peoples’ and that became invested and comes back to them in that ratio as well. But standing alone, for instance, the one we did with 50 people contributing N20, 000 monthly – N20, 000 monthly on its own can do probably nothing in real estate investment. So, that is what it avails members – opportunity to be able to key into real estate at that level and then, knowledge.
 
When you actively participate in a real estate investment club, you gain knowledge, in the sense of that industry you are investing in. This is because as the club takes decisions, there are usually reasons and underlining considerations why they are taking those decisions. Furthermore, if you are privy to the decisions of the investment committee within the club, or the management board, you gain exposure in the subject of real estate that you can use in your own private business”.
 
Akinlolu says, “The benefits of Real Estate Investment Club will be dependent on what the members, organizers or the coordinator agree on. Are you investing for the purpose of cash returns or are you investing for the purpose of getting real estate at the end of the day - it is like running a cooperative society, which will have objective, as in, why you are running the cooperative. So, if you are running a real estate investment club and you are answering those questions, then you must have answered them before you start. If also, I am to invite you to invest in our real estate club, I should be able to tell you the objectives of the club”.  
                                     
Mr. Felix Modebe Osuji is the Chairman and Group Managing Director, Cuntury 21 Nigeria Real Estate Group. He says members of the company’s real estate investment club who attend an exclusive, members-only, property launch gain the inside track on the latest property investment opportunities. “Members benefit from at least a four-week period prior to the property being available to the general public and at our launch events, we offer significant preferential pricing for members only, and for a specific launch period. Members have saved up to N5m per property at past events”, he says.
 
He adds that members are also privy to an informative monthly newsletter which not only updates them on the developments within the Century 21 Group, but on the property market in general. “There is also our Property Education Module comprising 10 chapters. It is a course which gives any aspiring property investor the ‘101 of property investment in Nigeria’. Access to this information is limited to members only”, he says.
 
He says members are also privy to YDL Property Education workshops. YDL, he says, is an independent provider of education and information and is known for its innovative educational workshops that equip both first-time and experienced investors with skills to make effective residential property investment decisions.
 
Modebe adds, “Century 21 has the opportunity of bulk negotiating discount offerings on a number of properties within the Investor Club portfolio. With discounting options of up to 25 percent to our Investor Club Platinum Members, one can enjoy blue chip property investments with instant equity”.
 
Mr. Chiedozie Udechukwu is the President of MASTERMARKS Group. His companies have been involved in urban development, building construction in Nigeria for 19 years. He says ‘Teamaction’ is the common name of his company’s investment clubs, adding that members of the club synergize with other like-minded individuals and pool capital together to invest in real estate deals. “The resources are to develop residential estates and business plazas/shopping malls, comprising attractive, cost effective houses, shops and offices in serene environments; and sell them at affordable rates and make good profits”, he says.
 
What are the requirements for becoming a member?
Adejana says, “It still has to be investment club specific, but generally, you say that the person must be over 18 years, must have a means of income. Otherwise he may have problems making up with his contribution. The person must be of a sound mind and must be ready to be agreeable with the terms and conditions of joining the club”.
 
Akinlolu says, “This will be what the club decides it to be - it doesn't have a fixed format because objectives vary.   If I may let you know, I don't run a Real Estate Investment Club, but I will start very soon, as all arrangements are completed. It is risky from a business perspective to pull other peoples' resources into only one investment vehicle. Unless you have a structure for running an investment house - you don't have a business taking money from people.
 
When you do investments, you are taking calculated gambles, not knowing whether it will all go burst. So, taking a moderate, going bad situation as an instance, and you have made promises to members. It means what you have at the end of the day is capital. What I am saying in essence is that if you are going into Real Estate Investment Club, then it means that you will probably like five, six or seven business channels - what you are looking at essentially, is that, at no point in time are you having more than a particular percentage of money tied down in one investment.
 
Having like 20% in real estate, 15% in some other businesses and so on. So, at the end of the day, if something happens, you won't lose totally. No matter how well you think you have tidied, the uncalled-for can happen, but you will have about 80% of your money in other things. You can also diversify within one business. So, you can now have a real estate that is diversified - you can have lock up shops, hostels, rentals properties, estate development, among others”.                                          


What is the guarantee that the funds of members would be safe?
Elem says, “Is there anything like guarantee, most especially in business? Even when you have all good intentions, information and the right thing in place, things still go wrong. Though, as I have earlier said, one must do things right.
 
Adejana says, “It depends on the investment club. I wouldn’t say that there is any thing that guarantees members not losing money, other than investment clubs investing properly”.
 
Akinlolu says, “There is no guarantee anywhere, other than trust. There are people you meet, you just trust them and there are places you go to and you just have confidence in the structure”.  
         
Minimum amount a member can invest
Adejana says, “It still depends on your club. There is no hard and fast rule concerning this. In our own case, we have one that N20, 000 is what you join with (monthly). Before then, you would have paid N10, 000 joining fee; and there was when we had N10, 000 monthly contributions. The joining fee is to take care of the administrative affairs of the club.
 
Akinlolu says, “There is no minimum capital. Real estate is real estate; it is what you have that you will make use of. You might decide that your own real estate investment is to build or to buy and sell - let's take for instance, five people contributed N20, 000, that is to say you have started. Real Estate needs knowledge and I will say, that is your minimum capital needed, as you can start a deal with nothing in your pocket - I mean with zero capital. But if I'm going at zero, but I have knowledge to know the kind of people that will form the investment club, what their core area is and how to operate, I’m good to go”.    
           
How long does it take before one’s investment starts yielding profit?
Elem says, “A lot of factors come in. It is difficult to just talk about when to yield – this varies from property to property. So, speculation can trigger property to shoot out from nowhere, while otherwise, it may drop. On our own, we don’t tell people the timeframe, but encourage them to be patient”.
 
Akinlolu says, “There is no time limit. You can go into it and expect it to yield in ten years, 25 years, 30 days and so on. But generally for investment, I always advise that when you want to invest, you look at between one and five years, so that if there are problems, you can have time to work round”.
 
Adejana says, “It depends on what you invest on, there so many things you can do in the real estate world. The most common one is property trading - buying and selling. So, from upward of 90 days it can start yielding, depending on the margin you want to make and how you can play arbitrage. If for whatever reason you stumble on a property that somebody just wants cash for and you have cash and you are given good discount - take for instance that the property is N5 million and you have been given discount of N4 million - you can take the property to the market and sell for same N5 million within 90 days”.    
               
What risks are members exposed to?
Elem says, “There must be risk in any business – any business you are told is without risk, you had better run away [from it] - you are about to be deceived. For instance, I once experienced one of the risks come true – natural disaster and the normal Nigerian factor of absconding with the investment money. But it bothers on you getting to know the founder of the investment club”.
 
Akinlolu says, “There are risks, normal risks of any business, natural disasters for instance; or adverse changes in government policy that affect your sector. Let's say you plan to build with certain amount of money and prices of materials change. There are lots of risks, but they are not insurmountable”.
 
Adejana says, “When money is contributed on a bad investment or if all your investments are bad, you may likely lose all your money or if it doesn't yield as expected, you may lose part of your money, most especially if you can't wait. In real estate, sometimes if you can wait, you won't lose as much. So, the major risk to members is the risk of losing their funds. Also, there is risk of misappropriation”.
 
What to look out for when searching for a prospective club to join
Elem says, “Firstly, let’s look at the property itself – you must see what you are buying. You must also consider the area. To me, I look out for whether the area has government interest – individuals and communities cannot develop an area without government involvement.  The next thing is to find out the government position in the land – is it acquired or committed. So, once the company is able to show you the viable land information from the state government, you can go ahead. You too need to do your in-depth research and make sure you have a mindset for long term investment. So you must be patient
 
Just like other businesses you want to invest in, you must to first of all consider those that are running it – are they men of integrity, can they deliver, do they have track records, what have they been able to do in the past? Apart from that, real estate in general from my own personal experience has been very good. If you invest in real estate, if you do it right, you’ll be successful”.
 
Adejana says, “Look out for those success factors we had earlier discussed. Is it an individually created investment club, registered on its own with CAC? Does it have a proper management board in place and proper engine running the company? Do they have a company secretariat? Is the running of the secretariat left in the hands of competent executives, such that they are properly keeping their records – accounts particularly. Do they have their AGM? Do they get their accounts audited well? Who are the people that constitute the decision making body of the club?”
 
Testimonies Of Success
Udechukwu who spoke of how he came up with the idea of helping people with an investment club to become wealthy, says, “Because I am a successful real estate investor with an open door policy in my business, everyday I get requests from professionals and salary earners to teach them how they can become rich from real estate business. I quite understand their feelings since I once practiced as a professional in the architectural industry, I did not become wealthy overnight.
 
As a professional then, despite the fact that I got good pay from my clients, yet I was broke every now and then. It was a vicious cycle until it dawned on me that I could only become wealthy if I become an investor. The question then was, which industry should I invest in? How do I prepare myself? Considering that I am an architect by profession, artist by nature and a builder by exposure I decided to invest in the real estate industry. In preparation to fulfill this dream, I studied building construction at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) and Project Management at University of Lagos. I also attended School of Leadership at KICC and School of Estate at RPL.
 
The knowledge acquired in these institutions with exposure from working with the Federal Ministry of Works and private sector of the building industry contributed immensely to my success in the real estate industry. Looking back today, I am happy that I took the decision. Believe me, Real estate is the business you will always profit from, if you work with the right people. It’s always appreciating in value. It’s one form of private investment that will yield good returns for you. For two decades in the industry, I have run MASTERMARKS Limited, which is one of the foremost indigenous companies. The company has been actively involved in urban development and building construction in Nigeria. After discovering that most people interested in investing in real estate businesses don’t have the time and patience to learn how it works I was motivated to establish an investment club in real estate. The investment club was first incorporated in 2005 as Teamaction International limited, which has now given rise to a set of seven Teamaction Limited Clubs; each is to admit only 50 shareholders as mandatory”.
 
Adejana says, “We have members who have benefited from our investment club. Before the expiration of five years, members have gotten yearly dividends, and pieces of land.
   
Procedure For Setting Up A Real Estate Investment Club
If you can't find a club you like in your area, you might consider starting a new real estate investment club. You can define the focus of the club and seek to attract like-minded members. You'll want to reach out to people who have expertise in different fields, but who are motivated to gain or provide knowledge about real estate investing. You'll also want to think about the professionals you might invite to speak at your meetings.
 
You can start the process by conducting research.

• 
  
• Learn about the purpose and structure of existing clubs.
• 
  
• Attend a few meetings to get a feel for how they operate.
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• Consider what they offer their members.
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• Decide how you want your club to be similar to and different from the clubs you research. Jot down ideas and activities that seem worthwhile.

 
As part of your research, familiarize yourself with key real estate laws and current market conditions.
Once you have defined your mission and have a feel for what you want your club to offer its members, recruit people with expertise in real estate law, finance and accounting who can provide information and  lend their perspectives about potential real estate deals to the group. Figure out how the members will stay in touch. You also might want to create a monthly newsletter or an online discussion board.
 
You'll also need to think about how you want the club to grow. You can set up a website to market your club, or use local publications to recruit members. It's OK to start small. As your club provides value to its members, the membership is sure to increase.
 
Since money will be changing hands, think about incorporating to protect your personal finances. Decide whether your club will be a for-profit or not-for-profit entity. Each structure carries certain legal requirements and rewards. Your state's attorney general's office can provide more information about forms you must file.
 
Your group can elect officers such as a President and Secretary. Officers and members can help you decide how to manage dues, how often to meet, where to meet and how important decisions will be made. You might also want to create committees to find expert speakers, plan special events or seek out local real estate deals.
 
Whether you find a club or create one, embarking on the high seas of real estate investment can be a challenge. But it can also be rewarding -- and profitable. Stay alert and stay informed, and you should be all right. You can start by following the links on the next page.


Bylaws
A bonus of incorporating is that the process requires you to write bylaws, or rules for the club. Even if you don't plan to incorporate, it's not a bad idea to have some rules. Bylaws clearly define the focus and operations of the club. They help avoid fuzzy concepts of how club business should be conducted and can spell out how dues will be allocated. They can also be a recruitment tool, since they let you show prospective members how the club works. You can look for sample bylaws and work collaboratively to draft and adopt its own bylaws
 
Strategies For Running A Successful Real Estate Investment Club
Adejana says, “Number one is knowledge of the people running it – that is very critical, as they need to know what they are doing and that the market can be dynamic at times. We had an experience at the time the economy had a down turn. Terms and conditions must be well spelt out and every member must understand and sign to it, indicating that they accept it. Meetings should also be held. Communication is among the list – people need to be carried along as to what is happening. Usually, what people want in investment club these days is a place where they can just dump their money and at the end of the year come for it – they don’t want to bother their heads about what is happening or how you are making it. That will only work, as I have found out, when you are making money. When the money is not made as expected, explaining to such people becomes very difficult, because they have not been carried along. Communication is very key. It is what makes the difference”.
 
How does the founder of a real estate investment club benefit?
Akinlolu says, “I will say benefits or gain for the founder varies - some can do it for the fun of it, while some can do it to prove a point, as a challenge; for instance, starting with zero naira. But one thing you need know is that, whoever is creating something would have at his or her mind what his or her benefit wants to be. Some go into it for the purpose of acquiring their own property - you can have a group of people coming together to achieve or access cheaper prices. This is because if you are buying one property, it is not the same price as when buying a hundred properties.
 
 Adejana says, “The truth of the matter is that when you start an investment club, you should not be mindful of the benefits - it is one of the things that can cause problems. The benefits we had then was that we were able to proffer solutions to some problems, and get paid as consultants. Because we were knowledgeable about real estate, when they want to buy or sell, we were the ones that they came to for consultations. In everything you must make sure that the interest of the members supersedes personal interest”. 

Culled From SuccessDigest