Regan Maki Couch and Cal Couch believe in investing. Real estate can be daunting, so we asked them to share their secrets of flipping houses and making real estate dollars go farther.
Regan and Cal have had their real estate licenses for 25 years now. Regan remembers her first real estate investment, a condo conversion off of Marietta Street in Atlanta. "At the time, this complex was selling like hotcakes (two bedrooms with granite for $110K back in 2000)." That experience was the first of many. "Once the bug bites, you'll never stop. Where else can you go, borrow money for the investment for a very small cash investment, have someone else pay the note on the amount borrowed, and then when you look to sell, you've made (in most cases) profit on the inflation from the market? The ROI on that initial investment is astronomical. The key to investing in real estate is buying the right property," says Regan.
She and Cal fell into flipping properties in 2020 when a client was having trouble selling their outdated home. The couple was divorcing and needed to start considering investor offers, so they made an offer for a quick sale. "Once we came to terms, Cal and I started envisioning what would be the ideal look for this particular home. We lined up our crews and started demo on the very day we closed on the property. It was the first of many properties we feel fortunate to have breathed life back into. A sweet family fell in love with the home and recent renovations! Would you believe we sold that house in five days for a net $100k profit? We were hooked!"
For a young family, what advice do you have for savings and investing?
My best advice for a young family is to start the discussion on what it takes to become a homeowner first. The process can be overwhelming but we love having those conversations and we are here to educate and empower you. We love guiding first-time buyers; we want them to feel confident in the next steps. Real estate is a vehicle that can create generational wealth. The first step is to become a homeowner. Many think you need a 20% down payment to get a mortgage, that is not true. With a minimum of 3% in urban areas, you can apply for a mortgage. There are so many wonderful lender options right now, from assumable loans to USDA 100% financing options — if you are willing to live in those approved areas.
And, for a retired couple?
Cal and I have a number of properties that provide significant cash flow for our future and our family. Over our years of investing, we have learned so much and we would love to share that knowledge with others! There are many options that will help make life a bit more comfortable in today's economy if one were to have even a decent amount in a 401k or the cash to invest in real estate. Whether you are looking to fund an active lifestyle in retirement, life at a senior living facility, or help your loved ones with grandkids' education, you can absolutely accomplish that by investing in real estate.
We know you and Cal invest in the community with your time and resources. How will philanthropy figure into your 2025?
WOW! Where do I begin? I have a passion for helping people and I have BIG plans for continuing to serve people in need. As a family, we love to get our children involved in giving back to Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at CHOA and Cal has a huge desire to help single Mothers. I feel it is important for our children to be involved. We both want our children to understand that volunteering and helping people is a big reason we work so hard. Our entire family has so much respect for our Veterans. I have hopes of finding land and building a village of tiny homes for homeless veterans. I stumbled across a village in Brunswick, Georgia and have been looking for the perfect property ever since. The homeless veteran community is far too big and I know that when we find the right property in the right location, we will be able to find the partners to help bring this dream to a reality. This is the 1st I am mentioning it, so now I hope I am held accountable to make this dream a reality because it is so desperately needed and our veterans deserve a warm place to live, they should never be homeless.
You're the expert and have our attention. Is there anything else you'd like to share? I would encourage you to start a conversation with your trusted real estate advisor or call us for a no-obligation consultation. We can help align you with a lender who will give you all the specifics about what you need to do to qualify for a mortgage.
The first step can be scary whether it's buying your first home or its your first investment but I promise, it'll be worth the effort! Finally, start sooner rather than later. They say, "the days are long but the years are short." Oh, how true those words are, we wish too that we would've started sooner!
Real estate is a vehicle that can create generational wealth. The first step is to become a homeowner.